Is it simply forgetfulness, or something more?

I just returned from vacation and, while rushing out the door this morning, I was thinking of all the things I had to accomplish for the day. Suddenly, I realized I forgot where I put my Cigna Healthcare badge, even though it’s always in the same spot. This was a first for me. 

Situations like this are always frustrating, especially if it becomes a recurrent theme. It may make you wonder about the cause of this type of forgetfulness or memory loss.

As a physician, we review a few key concerns as we consider causes of forgetfulness – often referred to as “brain fog.” Usually, if you’re in your 40s, you do not need to jump to concerns about dementia, “a general term for loss of memory … severe enough to interfere with daily life.”* While there still is some debate about whether menopause can increase these symptoms, some studies do show that brain fog could be caused by hormonal imbalances associated with perimenopause.** The good news is, while women may temporarily have memory issues during this time, it gets better after menopause.

If you have concerns, checking with your doctor should be your first step. He or she may want to look for any underlying causes of your symptoms:

• Whether you’re getting enough sleep.
• Medications you’re taking that might cause drowsiness.
• If your B12 is low.
• If you are having challenges with depression, anxiety or stress.
• And yes, if you’re going through menopause.

Other challenges that women often do not think about are the many responsibilities that they have at work, at home and in many cases, as caregivers for elderly parents. We think that we can just multitask, but unfortunately, multitasking does not always work. Women try to be “superheroes,” but, frankly, we need to be thoughtful in our own expectations for ourselves. It really is better for your overall well-being.

Here are a few other ways to be sure you’re maintaining good health:

• Get at least seven to eight hours of sleep per night.
• Be sure you’re eating regular, healthy meals.
• Exercise, even if it’s a brief walk, ideally on a daily basis.
• Get regular preventive care check-ups as well as breast, cervical and colon cancer screenings.
• Work with your doctor to manage any chronic conditions.

If you struggle regularly with forgetfulness, be sure to talk about it with your doctor. Aside from checking the symptoms mentioned above, if you are getting close to your 40s or have other symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes, you may want to talk about hormone replacement therapy to minimize your symptoms. 

Please take care of yourself! This will help improve your overall well-being, increase your ability to think more clearly, and allow you to be the most effective at your job – and at home. 

*Alzheimer’s Association. “What is Dementia?” Page accessed July 24, 2024.
https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/what-is-dementia

** Hames MV. “Mayo Clinic Minute: Does menopause cause brain fog?”. Mayo Clinic. June 7, 2023. https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-minute-does-menopause-cause-brain-fog/