What We Know About Hormones, Brain Fog & Women's Brain Health

People with uteruses go through the wringer. The aches and pains the female body endures preparing for pregnancy every month is nothing to scoff at. (And don't get me started on the ups and downs of pregnancy—or childbirth!) 

At times, hormonal changes are more annoying than dreadful, though. For example, how many times has your period snuck up on you and stained your favorite pair of lounge pants—or your sheets in the middle of the night? Then, after decades of getting used to these monthly visits, your body suddenly shifts into reverse and BAM—you're dealing with a new set of unique hormonal challenges during menopause. 

Whether you're 18 or 88, if you've had a menstrual cycle, you've seen (and experienced) a lot of hormonal changes. What you may not know is how your hormones, your cycle, and the stages of your life influence your brain and cognitive function. 

You may have moments of mental fogginess, difficulty concentrating, and not-so-great memory, during your cycle, during pregnancy, and just before and during menopause. Hormonal brain fog is a widely experienced phenomenon that, thanks to the gender disparity in brain health science (more on that later), isn't well-researched. 

So, we had to tap the experts to find out what exactly is causing this kind of fogginess and how to improve mental clarity during hormonal shifts. 

As I mentioned, hormones heavily affect cognitive function. Integrative dietitian and hormone expert Whitney Crouch, RDN, CLT, shares that occasional brain fog may be experienced at different times in a monthly menstrual cycle and while moving through life stages like pregnancy, postpartum, and perimenopause. 

In addition to clouded thoughts, side effects may include forgetfulness and difficulty concentrating. According to Crouch, it's unclear why these effects happen, but they're linked to hormone balance (or rather, the lack thereof). 

So, why don't we have a better understanding of what causes hormonal brain fog in 2022? To put it bluntly, there's a lack of research on female brains. Women's brain health, specifically, is an under-researched, underrepresented, and unspoken area, according to leading neuroscientist and women's brain health advocate Lisa Mosconi, Ph.D. 

Times of hormone fluctuations—including menstrual cycles, pregnancy, and before and during menopause—can cause shifts in brain chemistry and temporarily affect mental clarity. Let's review the exact hormones responsible for cognitive changes during these transitions.

Hormones are constantly in flux during your menstrual cycle. Crouch thinks of hormones as "performing a delicate dance" where the levels of one affect the levels of another. She describes estrogen as the ringleader. 

"Estrogen rises after the menstrual bleed and peaks just before ovulation. After ovulation, estrogen falls and progesterone rises in preparation for implantation of a fertilized egg," explains Crouch. 

When estrogen and testosterone levels rise before ovulation, it is common to experience more clarity, confidence, and energy. But when those hormones drop after ovulation, well, that's when the temporary brain fog occurs. (So, fingers crossed that the big assignment or presentation you have coming up falls on that powerful time just before ovulation!)

Here's a deep dive into what's happening to your brain during your period, if you're curious.

Whether you call it pregnancy brain or baby brain, lack of mental clarity during pregnancy is real—and common. "Pregnancy brain" may consist of suboptimal cognitive function, memory difficulties, and subpar executive functioning skills. 

During pregnancy, progesterone levels shift, leading to changes in mood and even temporary lapses in memory. The surge of hormones during this time leads to changes in brain structure for up to two years post-pregnancy1. 

These changes in the brain and the "remarkable degree of plasticity2" prepare you for attachment and the ability to care for your new baby. (So cool!) Unfortunately, you may deal with some mental fogginess as a result of these rapid changes.

This is a taxing time for you and your body—give yourself a break for forgetting something here and there. 

As Crouch explained, estrogen leads the show in the dance that is your hormones. Estrogen has superpower-like abilities when it comes to the brain—such as enhancing neurotransmitters that improve memory and learning. But in menopause, estrogen levels drop. 

During perimenopause—i.e., the time just before menopause—estrogen and progesterone fall. This corresponds with a drop in serotonin (aka the "happy hormone"), which contributes to those moments of mental fogginess. "As the nerve-protecting qualities of estrogen are falling alongside serotonin and progesterone, women can feel more stressed, tired, and fuzzy," shares Crouch. 

According to Crouch, even though these hormone fluctuations are common, certain stressors may exacerbate brain fogginess. Supporting your brain health overall and during these specific times of changing hormones with these seven tips can ease the annoying (or worse) effects of hormonal brain fog by promoting clarity, energy, and good sleep:

During your menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and before and during menopause, it's important to take extra great care of your brain. Supporting your brain health by taking a targeted nootropic supplement, managing stress, and eating well can help ease the inevitable mental fuzziness that comes along with these stages of life (and promote brain longevity and mental clarity now and down the road).*

"As women, we experience gaps in income, power, and representation, but we also face a gap in knowledge about our health, collectively and individually. It's time to rectify this and to address our unique concerns as related to our brains and to our bodies as a whole. We all want our cognitive life span to match our life span," Mosconi says. "We must be proactive now."