Brain Fog Before Periods: What to Do
Do you forget things and start making silly mistakes before your menstrual cycle begins? Don’t worry. You are not the only woman experiencing it. Brain fog is a common condition that can happen to anyone due to lack of sleep, exhaustion, and certain medications.
However, many women experience brain fog right before their menstrual cycle begins. It is a cloudy feeling that gets into the head and affects every woman differently. While it might be a common condition, it is still not something you can ignore, as most women experience such intense symptoms that disrupt their lives significantly.
Now, many questions might be popping into your mind - What is brain fog? What causes brain fog before periods? And most importantly, how to get rid of period brain fog? Scroll down to find answers to all your questions about period brain fog!
What is Period Brain Fog?
Brain fog is when a person feels mentally numb and finds concentrating difficult. Many women report brain fog - trouble gathering their thoughts and making decisions as a symptom before their period. It is considered normal as everyone knows how hormones fluctuate during the menstrual cycle. However, sometimes the symptoms become so intense that women have no choice but to seek medical assistance.
In some cases, brain fog is experienced by women as a symptom of PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder). PMDD happens a week or two before your period starts as hormone level decrease after ovulation. According to OWH, 5% of childbearing-aged women have this condition that causes severe depression, irritability, and stress.
While PMDD might be one potential reason behind period brain fog, many other factors contribute to less sharp brain function before periods.
What Causes Brain Fog Before Periods?
Here are a few major reasons causing brain fog before the period:
Hormonal Imbalance
During the menstrual cycle, your body undergoes major fluctuations in the sex hormones - progesterone and estrogen. When the second half of your cycle begins, the hormone levels rise significantly. However, as soon as your period days come nearby, sex hormone levels drop. This dramatic decrease in sex hormones might contribute to brain fog.
Lack of Sleep
A little research supports the fact that insomnia is a menstrual cycle symptom. The fluctuation of hormones plays an important role in causing women insomnia before their menstrual cycle begins. Therefore, due to lack of sleep during the night, chances are high that your mind will not be as sharp during the day.
Therefore, if you have trouble sleeping before your period, you will also have trouble memorizing things, focusing, and staying alert.
Improper Diet
To function properly, the brain needs a lot of energy from macronutrients, micronutrients, minerals, and vitamins derived from the food you eat. Also, if your body is preparing for your menstrual cycle, it will consume a lot of energy too. But what will happen if you are not eating nutrient-rich foods? Well, in that case, you might lack the energy needed for a healthy, functioning brain.
Most women do not take care of their diets before and during their menstrual cycle. Therefore, they experience consistent fatigue and brain fog throughout the month, resulting in major disruption in their lives.
Anxiety and Depression
Domestic violence, gender discrimination, childcare, and balancing work are a few reasons that cause significant stress to women. However, the anxiety and depression levels intensify significantly before their menstrual cycle.
The increased levels of stress and anxiety consume a lot of energy, leaving your brain to function with insufficient energy. Therefore, your brain is unable to work properly, resulting in fatigue and brain fog.
Tips to Manage Period Brain Fog
Brain fog can cause not only an immense amount of frustration but also affect your daily life and work performance. Suppose the brain fog you are experiencing is not a symptom of any disease or a side-effect of certain medication. In that case, you can make a few changes in your lifestyle to feel sharper, especially around your menstruation period:
Get More Sleep
Sleep is crucial for all your organs to function properly, especially the brain. If you are struggling to tackle insomnia around your menstrual cycle, there are many tips and tricks to help you sleep faster and rest more peacefully. First of all, limit your brain stimulation. The best approach is not to use your phone 1 hour before bedtime. Also, dim the lights, and enjoy something like reading a favourite novel (not too intense), mediating, or soaking in a hot tub.
Get Enough Nutrients
If you want your brain to remain super active and sharp, you will have to provide it with maximum energy by maintaining a nutrient-rich diet. Vitamin D, Magnesium, Zinc, and Omega fatty acids are a few major nutrients your brain needs to work actively.
Therefore, women must maintain a healthy diet before and during menstruation.
Stay Hydrated
Dehydration can worsen brain fog. Ensure you're drinking enough water throughout the day to maintain optimal brain function. Mother Cuppa Tea's Hydrate Tea Blend, formulated with Rooibos and Elderflower, can provide additional hydration support.
Stress Management
Practice stress-reducing techniques such as meditation, deep breathing, and yoga to alleviate anxiety and promote mental clarity. Reducing stress levels can significantly impact brain fog.
Adequate Sleep
Prioritize getting sufficient sleep to rejuvenate your brain. Create a calming bedtime routine and limit screen time before sleep to improve sleep quality.
Regular Exercise
Engage in regular physical activity to boost blood circulation to the brain and enhance cognitive function. Exercise also releases endorphins that alleviate stress and anxiety.
Herbal Support
Incorporate herbal remedies like Ashwagandha or teas designed to address brain fog and stress. Mother Cuppa Tea offers a range of herbal tea blends that can aid in managing brain fog symptoms effectively.
Mother Cuppa Tea - Hydrate Tea
In today’s world, women have quite a lot on their plates. Therefore, taking care of their mental and physical health often gets neglected. While many women might already know the importance of proper sleep and diet, they can still not maintain it. Therefore, not only do they experience brain fog but also many other health issues.
Do you fall into a similar category? Stress no more. Mother Cuppa Tea has a perfect solution for you - Hydrate Tea. The herbal tea blend is formulated using premium Rooibos and Elderflower to give women the hydration their body needs. Often dehydration can alter women’s brain performance.
Conclusion:
Brain fog might not seem much of a bigger problem, but it can disrupt your life significantly if not taken care of immediately. While many women are already aware of tips and tricks on how to manage it, they are still unable to get rid of brain fog before their periods.
As women navigate the challenges of their menstrual cycles, understanding and addressing period brain fog is crucial for maintaining overall well-being. By recognizing the causes, implementing lifestyle changes, and seeking natural solutions like Mother Cuppa Tea's Hydrate Tea Blend, women can effectively manage brain fog and embrace sharper cognitive function. Don't let brain fog dull your brilliance – take proactive steps to achieve mental clarity, allowing you to shine bright even during challenging times. With the right strategies and support, you can conquer brain fog and embrace every phase of your menstrual journey with confidence and clarity.
If you are experiencing the same problem, check out Mother Cuppa Tea. We are a reliable brand providing women with premium and natural tea blends to help ease their menstruation journey. Order our Hydrate Tea Blends now to say goodbye to brain fog and many other period-related problems!
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