Most women have heard of “pregnancy brain” before they experience it.
But how often have you heard of “menopause brain?” Perhaps not as often cause “all that woman’s stuff” isn’t an easy topic of conversation!
Thankfully, talking about having a body and brain (that very human condition) has become more acceptable—both for men and women.
As a result of this, there’s been more research into menopause and accompanying symptoms.
There is good news and bad news.
Bad news: There is a distinct link between menopause, cognitive decline and the Alzheimer’s disease.
Good news: You can take action to prevent further cognitive decline. And you don’t have to jump through hoops either.
Menopause has to do with your ovaries—hormone production changes and it results in your reproductive system “shutting down.”
Right?!
Well, that’s how most people saw it not too long ago. But the same hormones that regulate your reproductive system also play a huge role in various functions of your brain that, in turn, are linked to various bodily functions.
Hot flashes, sleeping issues, and brain fog are all normal parts of a woman’s menopause and post menopause period of life. And as researchers have deep dived into this field of research they’ve discovered that what happens during menopause and after plays a huge part in your cognitive health.
The good news? There are many things you can do to ensure the effects of menopause don’t mess with your brain too much. Even if you’ve felt helpless to Mother Nature as your body has undergone change, there are ways and means to reclaim your brain!
It’s actually truly mind blowing (no pun intended…) how easy it can be to ensure you stay in tip top shape mentally. So don’t despair if you feel like you’ve been living in a fog—there are ways to step into the sunlight again.
And let’s face it—staying sharp in your 50s and beyond is crucial. You’re now entering your “golden years.”
This is when it’s time to share everything you’ve learned over the years with other people…and have more fun than you’ve ever had as you’re wiser than you’ve ever been!
Not yet gone through menopause? You might wanna have a look at Dr. Mary Claire Haver’s work on hormone replacement therapy to prevent some of the havoc in the first place!
Let’s start with the bad news—menopause affects your brain and not in a flattering kind of way, either.
“Since estrogen receptors appear in all the neuronal structures of the brain that control the multiple functions of the CNS, the lack of estrogen in menopause causes many of these functions to be altered.
These receptors are located in plasma membranes, mitochondria and the nucleus of cells, and are particularly abundant in the hypothalamus, which is the main thermo-regulatory center and regulator of sleep and circadian rhythms, as well as other brain regions that are crucial for learning and memory, including the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, amygdala and posterior cingulate cortex.
Other regions also contain significant amounts of estrogen receptors.”
Those are a lot of big (or just plain strange) words for someone who isn’t well versed in medical terminology and the anatomy of the brain. So let’s break it down.
When you enter menopause (really it starts in perimenopause) estrogen and progesterone levels go down.
Estrogen is involved in energy production in the brain and Lisa Mosconi delivers a brilliant TEDtalk where she shows a scan of a woman’s brain before and after menopause. This particular PET scan reveals the energy levels in the brain. In the first scan the brain is lighting up like fireworks. In the second…well, it’s a different story.
In short, as estrogen levels fall, the brain and how it responds to and breaks down glucose changes. The end result? A tired brain.
Neurons also slow down and age faster, which can cause amyloid plaque—considered a precursor to Alzheimers.
Women often face a 20% increase in amyloid plaque during menopause which might explain why women are much more likely than men to get Alzheimer’s.
Now, don’t freak out thinking you will end up with Alzheimer’s. Even if you’ve got some plaque building up, there is no saying you’ll get Alzheimer’s. Especially if you look at the research below that suggests the best ways of firing your brain right up again.
Think your hot flashes have nothing to do with the brain? The hypothalamus in the brain regulates body temperature and estrogen helps ensure it functions properly.
Furthermore, the brainstem is in charge of sleep and wake, and when estrogen doesn’t activate it correctly we don’t sleep properly.
Another thing that estrogen helps regulate is the amygdala which forms part of the emotional center of the brain, as well as being involved in memory. As a result, you’ll become both forgetful and moody if the amygdala is “having issues.”
The good news? If you feel “out of whack” during and after menopause, you’re not alone and nor are you crazy. So now, let’s move on to the juicy stuff—how to help get your brain back to optimal functioning.
Let’s just clarify what issues you (and your brain) might be facing during and after menopause:
Memory issues
Mood swings, anxiety and depression
Concentration issues (brain fog)
Increased amounts of amyloid plaque (can lead to Alzheimer’s BUT doesn’t always)
Issues sleeping (which can exacerbate cognitive issues)
Chances are you now want to go hide under a blanket thinking you’re never going to figure out how to combat all these issues.
Don’t hide under a blanket. Fixing it is easier than you think!
As it turns out, what helps with one issue, tends to help with all the other issues facing our brains in menopause. More or less (some things are more specific). Meaning if you do just one thing, it can help improve your memory, mood, and concentration, while also preventing the buildup of amyloid plaque.
Harvard Health summed it up nicely in an article and various research supports it (2), but instead of quoting their lengthy article, here’s the bullet point overview. Note that, as Harvard Health writes, “Research shows that the first two of these have direct beneficial effects on the brain, even at the level of cellular function.” (3)
Physical activity—cardio/aerobic to get your heart pumping for at last 30 minutes three to four times per week (but to avoid loss of bone mass, do weight training)
Cognitive activity—learn new things (so sorry, no crosswords)
Social contact—produces happy hormones, forces you to use your language skills, and also allows for novel experiences (see cognitive activity above)
Good dietary habits—the Mediterranean diet is most often referenced (possibly because it contains a lot of phytoestrogens), as well as ingesting extra omega-3 fatty acids (which you can buy as a supplement)
Proper sleep—(affects mood and concentration, is linked to less inflammation in the body, and helps clear the brain of amyloid markers) (3)
In addition to the above (and not listed by Harvard Health), what also comes up is lowering stress and improving mood through meditation and breathing exercises. (4) (5) This is important as lowering stress lowers cortisol (a hormone linked to inflammation which can cause havoc in your brain). If you want an extra mood boost while also lowering stress, you can try cold baths, or simply splashing your face with water and spending time in nature. (6) (7) (8) (9)
This is a great spot to share a video with tips from active and charming Prime ambassadors who are living their best lives post 50.
And want you to do the same.
PS: Is there anything that you’ve wanted to indulge in but simply couldn’t because you were working full-time, either in an office or as a caregiver/mother?
Drop that in the comments… We’d love to know. Linda Holman-Evans has started exercising with vigor in her 50s and 60s. And she is enjoying every second of it! How about you?
Interestingly, all of the above tips for making your brain sharper after 50 also show promise when it comes to:
Preventing and overcoming depression and anxiety (increasing happiness, in other words!)
Lowering the risk of cancer
Lowering the risk of diabetes
Lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease
Slowing down the aging process (and increase longevity)
I write a lot of health articles and a while back I realized that the same advice is given over and over again to combat all sorts of diseases and mental issues. I find it fascinating. And hopeful. By just changing a few things in your lifestyle you can become happier and healthier and perhaps even live longer.
Put differently, there are six or seven things you can do to drastically improve your life.
And you truly can do something to prevent cognitive decline. Lisa Genova does an excellent TEDtalk where she talks about cognitive reserve and how it can help you prevent cognitive decline.
You build cognitive reserve by creating more synapses. And you achieve this by learning new things and/or exercising. Preferably you do both. Besides, learning new things can be as easy as creating novel experiences with friends and family—it doesn’t need to be something “difficult” like learning a new language. You could learn the tango, visit a new city, try a new sport, learn a new juggling trick, or read a book about some fascinating topic.
In fact, Genova mentions a study where nuns 65 and over were studied for over two decades. (10) They did extremely well on cognitive tests, yet when their brains were examined after death, they showed severe signs of Alzheimer’s. So why didn’t they have any symptoms?
Cognitive reserve. Their brains could circumnavigate the synapses that had been destroyed.
As a woman you sort of have nature “working against you” after a certain age as some hormones decline, effectively speeding up the aging of your brain. But you’re not helpless.
First of all, while your memory may decline, it only becomes as bad as a man’s. Yeah, they aren’t as sharp as us from the get go!
Secondly, as you saw in the experiment with the nuns, you can have full blown cognitive decline (Alzheimer’s) and be completely without symptoms if you just build up cognitive reserve. So embrace the above tips—especially exercising and learning new things, or simply indulging in novel experiences. But if you can, also focus on self care—meditate and do breathing exercises, spend time in nature, eat well, and mingle with friends and family who raise your spirits.
Staying sharp can be a sweet, mellow experience… Why not live more to live better!
For all general inquiries, please contact us at info@primeprometics.com
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