It’s a hectic Monday as usual. You’re running around, trying to get your kids to their activities, juggling emails from work, and making sure dinner is on the table. You finally manage to get the kids all loaded into the car and ready to go, but there’s just one problem: Where are the keys???

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After searching all the usual suspects (the couch cushions, the door lock, your husband’s pants pockets), you retreat to the fridge to get some water—only to find the keys sitting right there, next to the energy vitamin gummies you’ve been cramming down all day.

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You grab your water, your keys (and maybe a few more energy gummies), and get on with your day—trying not to worry about the increasing forgetfulness you’ve been experiencing.

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Does this sound like a normal weekday to you? Don’t worry, you’re not alone.

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Brain Fog and Perimenopause: What’s the Connection?

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Sure, our chaotic, jam-packed schedules contribute to episodes of forgetfulness, but there may be something sneakier playing a part: a condition we’ve come to know as brain fog. And for many women in their late 30s and 40s, brain fog is actually a symptom of perimenopause.

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Most of us have heard of brain fog, but it shows up differently for everyone. Common symptoms include:

• Forgetfulness or memory lapses
  
  
• Difficulty focusing
  
  
• Mental fatigue
  
  
• Losing your train of thought

What many women don’t realize is that the creeping increase in brain fog symptoms around perimenopause may be directly tied to hormonal changes.

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Why Hormones Affect Your Brain

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Perimenopause is the transitional stage leading up to menopause, when your body produces less estrogen and progesterone. These hormonal shifts can significantly affect mood, memory, and overall cognitive function. 

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In fact, multiple studies have shown estrogen to have a multitude of beneficial effects on our brains, including helping our neurons to grow and function properly. So when estrogen levels drop, it can lead to brain fog symptoms like forgetting peoples’ names or missing important meetings. 

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But here’s the big question: Does brain fog during perimenopause increase the risk of dementia or Alzheimer’s?

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Brain Fog vs. Dementia: What We Know

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The truth is — we don’t have a definitive answer (yet).

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Women in relation to men are more likely to have dementia, and often at an earlier age. 

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Some studies suggest that menopause hormonal treatment (MHT) may help with brain fog related to perimenopause, but there’s still a lack of research on that. The available studies offer mixed results, and they tend to differ in design (some use synthetic hormones, while others start MHT too late when dementia may already be present).

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Hormonal treatment may help with brain fog related to perimenopause, but this is an anecdotal observation — truth is, the subject hasn’t been yet well studied. Besides, the available studies are all over the place. Some use synthetic progestins, and some started the HRT very late so dementia may already have been present. 

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For now, the link between the cognitive effects of perimenopause and a long term risk of dementia is still being debated.

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The Good News: Brain Fog Can Improve

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Here’s what we do know: when women improve their sleep quality, reduce hot flashes and night sweats, manage anxiety, strengthen their bodies, and restore sexual wellness — the brain fog will definitely improve.

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In other words, treating perimenopause symptoms holistically can help you feel like yourself again.

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Symptoms of perimenopause and menopause have been pushed to the side in the medical community for far too long, but they are now finally receiving the attention they deserve. 

If you feel like you’re “losing your mind” because of brain fog, it may be perimenopause, and there are treatment options available for you.

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Book a 15-min FREE virtual consultation with us at Gliss to explore your options and get a care plan tailored to your needs.

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And don’t forget to check out our Services page to learn more about our menopause and perimenopause care packages!

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References:

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Jauregi-Zinkunegi, A. et al (2025). “Menopausal hormone therapy is associated with worse levels of Alzheimer's disease biomarkers in APOE ε4-carrying women: An observational study.”

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Pourhadi, N. et al (2023). “Menopausal hormone therapy and dementia: nationwide, nested case-control study.”

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Saelzler, U.G. et al (2025). “Age of menopause and dementia risk in 10,832 women from the Swedish Twin Registry.”

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Shang, Y. (2022). “Does Hormone Replacement Therapy Increase Women's Risk of Dementia?”

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