Brain fog. I used to think it was just one of those phrases people threw around to describe feeling a bit tired or distracted, but I didn’t understand how deeply it could impact everything - until I found myself in the thick of it.

It started subtly, just like a lot of things in perimenopause do. At first, I’d lose my train of thought mid-conversation, a bit of a pause where I’d have to scramble to find the word that had slipped away (I mean, the word fridge is easily forgettable). No big deal, I thought - everyone forgets things sometimes.

But then it got worse. I’d walk into a room and forget why I was there, stare at my to-do list and feel overwhelmed, unable to decide where to even begin. I was forgetting big moments, things that I had been really looking forward to, losing track of my own thoughts, and the multitasking that used to come naturally was suddenly a struggle. It felt like my brain was swimming through thick fog, everything slower, hazier, harder to grasp. And it wasn’t just the usual distractions or tiredness; it was like someone had dimmed the lights in my mind.

What made it even more confusing was that I still felt like myself… sort of. On good days, I’d get flashes of clarity, bursts of energy where I could focus, organise, and feel like I had everything under control. But then, just as quickly, the fog would roll back in, and I’d be left scrambling, trying to navigate through the haze.

The hardest part wasn’t just the forgetfulness. It was the way brain fog made me doubt myself. I used to be sharp, quick to catch on, able to juggle a million things without dropping a single one. Suddenly, I was second-guessing everything, feeling less capable, less confident. It’s not that I was losing my mind; I was losing my edge, and that was scary.

At first, I didn’t make the connection to perimenopause. I thought maybe I was just overtired, or stressed, or not taking care of myself properly. But when the fog started creeping into every part of my life - at work, at home, in conversations with friends - I began to dig deeper. And that’s when I found out just how much of this was linked to hormonal shifts.

As oestrogen and progesterone fluctuate during perimenopause, the hormones that used to keep everything ticking smoothly, now felt like they were conspiring against me, making it hard to concentrate, remember, or even think straight.

And what really frustrated me was how little we talk about it. Hot flushes, mood swings, sure—we all know about those. But brain fog? No one really warns you that you might spend a good chunk of your forties and fifties feeling like you’re permanently jet-lagged, unable to remember where you left your keys, or what you were saying five seconds ago.

In this article with Deirdre Nazareth, Osteopath and Functional Medicine Practitioner, we delve more into the science, and what is actually happening with our hormones. She also shares what we can do from a holistic perspective, to better support ourselves. We firmly believe that the more we understand, the more we can prepare and take care of number one. And it’s helped me.

It hasn’t helped me remember the name of object that has suddenly vanished from my vocabulary, or remember why on earth I walked into the room, but, it has helped give myself grace. This too shall pass.

Check out these brilliant resources in edition #006 of Wild Woman, to understand more.

We are a huge fan of Liz Earle Wellbeing, she discussed brain fog with Dr Sabina Brennan, why it happens and how you help maintain brain health. It can affect us for a number of reasons and perimenopause can exacerbate this. It’s hugely informative.