Symptoms — fuzzy thinking

“What was I saying?”

“I had trouble concentrating and couldn’t remember what I just said or did. It was horrifying for me. Now, I’m way more into the moment of what I’m doing.” — Lauren, Personal Program Member

Do you sometimes forget what you’re doing — right in the middle of doing it? Find yourself re-reading the same sentence? Or just can’t concentrate like you used to do?

There are endless variations on this theme — because impaired memory and concentration are very common symptoms of perimenopause.

Fortunately, a temporary loss of mental function doesn’t mean you’re losing your mind, or that you’re at greater risk of getting Alzheimer’s. But it isn’t something you should accept as a normal consequence of aging, either. It’s just a sign that you need to take better care of yourself.

The sudden shifts in hormonal balance that occur so frequently in perimenopause are probably the root cause of “fuzzy thinking.” Estrogen and progesterone are key neurotransmitters in the brain, and if you suffer from hormonal imbalance, their levels are in flux.

The accumulated adverse effects of poor nutrition or free radical damage are also common factors. You may be taking stimulants (smoking, alcohol, caffeine, aspartame, for example) or over-the-counter drugs (Excedrin PM, Tylenol PM, Benadryl, for example) that affect brain function or suppress neurotransmitters needed to support healthy brain function. There’s recent evidence that insulin resistance may create a higher risk of Alzheimer’s.

If you’d like to learn more about fuzzy thinking, read our article. We’ve been very successful in our Personal Program in relieving fuzzy thinking and forgetfulness.

Click here to return to the Symptoms page.

 

Original Publication Date: 12/16/2003
Last Modified: 02/16/2010