How often do you say – or hear someone else say –‘ I can’t remember X, my perimenopausal brain is at it again!’? I hear it a lot. And I confess to saying it. It’s an easy peasy and socially acceptable excuse for forgetfulness or failure to do something. But recently I have been thinking about how the way in which we speak about ourselves defines us. That was a bit of a wake up jolt, because I really don’t want to be perceived as the scatty older woman. Do you?
I pull myself up now when I find myself using ‘menopause brain’ as an excuse. How we speak about ourselves (even in our own heads) goes a long way to how we perceive ourselves, and then the subconscious brain kicks in to ensure we behave in ways that are consistent with our self-perception. So I’m mindfully stopping to thing and change my thought patterns if I catch myself playing the scatty older woman with the menopause brain identity. Because that is not who I am. I’d be interested to hear if you catch yourself doing this – drop a comment to let me know!
That ol’ devil called oestrogen
There are physiological reasons for the way our brains just seem to work differently as we get older. Oestrogen is one of the key players here. This hormone has a whole host of receptors in the brain, asignificantly in the hippocampus and the prefontal cortex. These two structures form part of the limbic system, which processes thoughts, memories and feelings. So declining levels of oestrogen really does impact memory.
Oestrogen also has a role to play in stimulating the creation of synapses (ie brain cells), and in the way in which the brain communicates with body, both through the nervous system and through signalling systems such has hormones. So when you can’t remember someone’s name, or the word for something you are talking about, the brain may have disconnected something during its perimenopausal rewiring.
You are not broken
I’ve realised that even though my hormones are still playing havoc, some of the reasons for being a bit forgetful is the sheer amount of information and to do actions I hold in my head at any one time. Have a think for a minute – is this true for you, too? The way the brain changes in structure through perimenopause is of a similar magnitude to the changes that teenagers brains undergo through puberty. But we’re expected (and expect ourselves) to continue as if nothing is happening. So when one of the plates you are juggling drops, don’t beat yourself up about it. Just pick it up, metaphorically speaking, and pat yourself on the back for not dropping all the others!
Understanding the sheer magnitude of what is going on in the female body during perimenopause is one of the things that has inspired me to take a different approach to perimenopause. Ultimately it’s not a ‘condition’ to be ‘cured’, it’s a seismic physiological shift that affects body, mind and makes some of question our own identity.
Rooted Resilient & Radiant
My new programme, Rooted Resilient & Radiant is designed to give you the tools you need to manage the physical manifestations of periomenopause: hot flashes, poor sleep, brain fog, joint pain etc. But I also support you through the emotional aspects of a major change, which tend to get brushed under the carpet.
Over three months I will cover the main aspects of perimenopause, split into four modules anchored around the four elements. There will be pre-recorded videos for you to watch at your own convenience, live Q&A/coaching sessions on zoom to support you in implementing changes into your life, and access to my private online community.
For more information, click here