Why Am I In The Garage? Why you forget words in perimenopause

I went to the garage three times this morning. The first time I came back with nothing. The second time I came back with a tin of paint we do not need. The third time I stood there, looked at the lawnmower, and quietly walked back inside.

The moment

It is not just the garage. It is the word on the tip of your tongue in a meeting that simply refuses to arrive. It is calling your daughter by the dog’s name. It is reading the same paragraph four times and still not knowing what it said. It is the keys in the fridge.

And the worst part is the quiet worry underneath it all: is something wrong with me?

Why it happens

• You are not imagining it. Up to two-thirds of women report memory problems during the menopause transition, and the NHS lists poor memory and brain fog as a common symptom.
• Falling oestrogen plays a part. Oestrogen is linked to verbal memory, which is exactly the bit that finds words and names.
• Bad nights make it worse. Night sweats and broken sleep leave your brain running on empty, and hot flushes themselves are linked to changes in how the brain works.
• It is usually temporary. These lapses are thought to settle after menopause and are not a sign of dementia.

Try this

1. Say it out loud. “Keys, by the kettle.” Hearing yourself gives your brain a second chance to file it.
2. Give everything a home. One bowl for keys, one spot for glasses. Fewer decisions, fewer lost things.
3. Write it down straight away. Phone notes, sticky notes, the back of your hand. No shame.
4. Protect your sleep. A cool bedroom and a regular routine help more than you might think.
5. Move your body. Regular exercise is one of the things that may help memory.
6. Talk to your GP if it is affecting your work or relationships, or getting worse rather than better.

Track it

Use our free Brain Fog Log to note what you forgot, where you were and how you slept. After a week or two you may spot a pattern, and it gives your GP something real to work with.

If your memory problems are getting worse, or you are worried, please speak to your GP. You deserve proper answers.

Sources: NHS: Symptoms of menopause and perimenopause; Australasian Menopause Society: Oestrogen and cognition. This post is personal experience and general information, not medical advice.