Brain Fog: Not Lazy or Crazy, Just Hormonally Challenged
Share
When I sat down to write this blog and, for one glorious second, everything made sense.
Then, just like that, it vanished.
I got up, walked into the kitchen, opened the fridge, and stood there staring into it like the answer to my life might be hiding behind the mustard. What was I looking for? Why was I there? Who sent me?
I came back to my computer with absolutely no idea what I had been doing before I got up.
This happens to me more than ten times a day and, honestly, sometimes it makes me want to sit down and cry. Does that happen to you too?
Because deep down, I know this is not laziness. It is not me being dramatic. It is not a lack of discipline, focus, or willpower. I have not suddenly become less intelligent, less capable, or less creative.
It is fog. Thick fog.
The kind that makes you drive slowly, headlights on, trying to see just enough of the road to keep moving. Sometimes you can. Sometimes you can’t. But you keep going anyway.
That is why the term brain fog fits so well. During perimenopause and menopause, problems with memory, concentration, and mental clarity are common enough to be recognised by major health organisations and menopause specialists.
And right now, this is my reality. And it sucks.
Some days I feel sharp, clear, creative. I connect ideas easily. I move through the day like myself. And then there are days when it feels like someone took the inside of my brain, shook it like a snow globe, and left me to sort out the mess.
And with the confusion comes the spiral.
“I should be doing better than this.”
“What is happening to me?”
“Why can’t I focus on anything?”
“Am I getting stupid?”
“My memory was never amazing, but is it getting worse?”
No.
I am not getting stupid, not losing my mind and I am not falling apart.
I am going through a hormonal transition that affects everything, including my brain.
It’s not you. It’s chemistry
Perimenopause and menopause can affect memory, concentration, focus, mood, sleep, and energy. Not because we are broken, but because our bodies are going through something real, biological, and wildly underexplained. The NHS explicitly lists memory and concentration problems as menopause symptoms, and menopause experts note that cognitive complaints such as forgetfulness and difficulty focusing are common during the transition.
For a long time, I thought it was me.
I thought I was slipping.
I thought I was weak.
I thought other women were somehow handling it better.
Or maybe going through it quietly and with better posture.
But the truth is much less personal and much more chemical.
Understanding that changes everything.
Because it lifts some of the shame, the pressure.
Some of that nasty little inner narrative that whispers, “Maybe you’re not the same woman anymore.”
But I am. And so are you.
I am still the same woman I have always been: intelligent, capable, creative. It is just that some days I show up wrapped in fog. And on those days, what I need is not more pressure. Not more guilt. Not another productivity sermon.
I need emotional support.
I need information.
I need to stop acting like I should perform at full power while my hormones are running a surprise demolition project.
Why brain fog happens in perimenopause and menopause
Here is the less annoying, more useful version.
Brain fog is a common term women use during menopause to describe memory slips, trouble concentrating, losing their train of thought, and feeling mentally slower than usual. Mayo Clinic notes that people often describe it exactly this way: problems with memory, concentration, and focus.
Hormonal shifts are part of the picture, but they are not the whole cast. Sleep disruption, stress, mood changes, and the general life circus of midlife can make brain fog feel even worse. Harvard Health points out that poor sleep and stress can contribute significantly to these symptoms, and menopause specialists also note that cognitive function at midlife is influenced by menopause stage as well as symptoms like sleep difficulties and mood changes.
That matters, because it means brain fog is not some random personal failure. It is often a layered experience.
Hormones.
Sleep.
Stress.
Mental load.
Trying to remember everyone’s passwords except your own.
The good news is that, for many women, these cognitive blips improve over time. Mayo Clinic and Harvard Health both note that menopause-related brain fog is usually temporary rather than a sign of dementia.
So no, forgetting why you walked into a room does not automatically mean your brain has packed a suitcase and left the building.
It may just mean your body is asking for support instead of criticism.
What actually helps when your brain feels scrambled
Not miracle promises. Not “just be more organised.” Not a colour-coded planner and blind optimism.
What helps is practical support.
-
Start with sleep, because if your nights are a dumpster fire, your focus usually pays the price the next day. Night sweats, anxiety, and disrupted sleep can all make brain fog feel louder.
-
Move your body when you can, even if it is not glamorous. Mayo Clinic recommends regular physical activity as one of the basic ways to support memory and brain health.
-
Try meditation or yoga, even in small doses. Not because you need to become a glowing wellness goddess, but because both can help calm stress, support better sleep, and give your brain a moment to unclench.
-
Lean on routine when your brain feels unreliable. When hormones are bringing chaos, a little structure can go a long way. Simple routines help reduce decision fatigue, support sleep, and make the day feel less mentally slippery.
-
Feed your brain like it has been through enough already. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nourishing proteins can help support energy, focus, and overall brain health. And yes, apparently water matters too. As for coffee and alcohol... tragic, I know. But a little moderation can help, especially when your brain is already foggy enough without extra plot twists.
-
Reduce the number of things your brain has to hold at once. Write it down. Put it in notes. Use alarms. Repeat things out loud like the glorious, high-functioning woman you are. External support is not failure. It is strategy.
-
Pay attention to patterns. Is your brain worse after bad sleep? During high stress? On the days when your patience is hanging by a thread and your coffee forgot to help? Tracking patterns can make the fog feel less random.
- Talk about it. Seriously. One of the cruelest parts of brain fog is the isolation. The second you say it out loud, other women usually respond with some version of, “Oh thank God, me too.”
And if symptoms are affecting your work, daily life, or wellbeing in a big way, it is worth speaking to a qualified healthcare professional. Menopause treatment options can help with symptoms, and the NHS says HRT can relieve menopause symptoms including brain fog for some people.
Emotional support, not perfection
That is exactly where Hazy Daze – Cognitive Clarity Soup came from.
Not as a real product.
Not as a miracle fix.
And definitely not as an actual cure for brain fog.
Hazy Daze is a fictional, satirical product, created as a humorous way to talk about something that is very real: the mental fog, forgetfulness, and frustration that can come with perimenopause and menopause.
Because sometimes, when something is hard to explain, humor helps us hold it.
The idea was never to pretend there is a magic solution.
And it was never about becoming the kind of woman who never forgets a thought, a name, a deadline, or why she opened the fridge in the first place.
It came from recognition.
From the fact that hard days are real.
From the fact that brain fog is real.
From the fact that I deserve emotional support on the days when my brain feels like a browser with too many tabs open and at least one of them is playing panic in the background.
So no, Hazy Daze is not about “fixing” a broken woman.
Because there is nothing broken about me.
Or about you.
It is a satirical idea built from truth: a softer, more honest, more humorous way of saying: this is hard, this is real, and we deserve support while we move through it.
With more humour.
More gentleness.
More softness.
More honesty.
And a lot less pretending.
Because this will pass.
And until it does, I am learning that I do not need to push myself as if nothing is happening.
I just need to remember this:
Fog does not erase the road. It just asks me to move more carefully.
And cloudy days do not erase who I am. Or who you are.
SOURCES:
