Menstrual Irregularity: Decreased Short Term Memory Treatment (Perimenopause)

Many women going through perimenopause complain of forgetfulness, difficulty in concentrating, and fuzzy thinking but actually they are going through short term memory loss like loosing the end of a thought while speaking or writing, not remembering where they kept their glasses or keys, forgetting appointments or important dates.

A conventional approach to treat memory loss during perimenopause is to keep your mind active by doing cross word puzzles, brain teasers, playing memory games with kids, remembering new names and places you visited. Intake of fish oil can also increase your memory power. Fish oils are easily available in the stores and are also called as Omega 3 fatty acids. Another way to fight the problem of short term memory is to carry an appointment diary, try to remember all the things you need to do and later refer to the diary incase you have forgotten anything.

Women having perimenopause usually complain of “brain freeze” which mean the failure to access information when required. It was once thought that when the levels of estrogen fluctuate it may cause short term memory loss since estrogen plays an important role in stimulating the neurotransmitters, which allows the brain to communicate with one another. Estrogen helps to increase the flow of red blood cells which help the brain to function. During perimenopause the estrogen levels drop giving rise to memory loss. In the past ERT (estrogen replacement therapy) use to be done but in the recent times it is discovered that estrogen actually does very little to improve memory.

Try and take adequate rest which would help the brain and mind to stay healthy and alert and would help you retain information better. It is a known fact that with the age the brain also slowly deteriorates, so the best thing to do is eat right and drink plenty of water. By having proper nutritious food, it will help the brain the lay down information properly.

For women going through perimenopause a check on diet is recommended like eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, grains and legumes, pinto beans, red lentils, sesame seeds, a balance of proteins and carbohydrates is a must. It is essential to avoid alcohol since it only impairs memory. Also avoid caffeine, hot drinks and spicy food. Certain food products have been said to improve mental acuity like blueberries, fish and soy products.

A herbal treatment is to use Black Cohosh which is also used to decrease painful menstruation. A homeopathic remedy is to take Lycopodium but it is better to consult a doctor before you start using it.

Stress management is a very important factor to improve short term memory loss. Stress causes the body to release a hormone called cortisole which blocks the memories from being registered. Since it is a known fact that all women going through early menopause have stress, it is essential to stay positive and stay stress free. Meditation, yoga, exercise, swimming, walking are few ways that you can reduce stress with. There has been no concrete treatment discovered as yet to improve short term memory loss.