All products featured on Self are independently selected by our editors.
However, we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links.
For decades, estrogen was discussed primarily as a sex hormone.
Danii Pollehn/Adobe Stock
After all, it does play a crucial role inreproductive health.
Needless to say, theres a lot we dont know, but theres also a lot we do.
Estrogen impacts everything from learning to memory to mood.
Estrogen has a direct impact on cognition.
Theres a pretty dramatic change when estrogen levels are high versus when theyre low.
So its not surprising that the loss of estrogen can result inchanges such as brain fog, Daniel says.
Studies indicate that menopausal women experience declines in these abilities.
During perimenopause, you have both the increases in estrogen and withdrawal; its unpredictable.
Sometimes symptoms are short-lived.
In the setting of menopause, the brain rewires and womens cognitive abilities commonly resolve, says Dr. Maki.
Of course, hormones arent solely to blame for mental health-related symptoms.
Stress can also play a role.
Those with significant life stressors during perimenopause are also disproportionately at risk for becoming depressed, she adds.
Here are seven strategies, according to experts who study estrogen.
The subjective complaint is, in fact, related to objective performance on these tests.
Adds Dr. Daniel: The research is clear that symptoms are not in your head.
These are real symptoms, and the loss of estrogens is likely one contributor, says Dr. Daniel.
Historically, physicians are not given extensive training on menopause.
Felt depressed when you were first pregnant?
That could be an indicator that youre sensitive to the onboarding of hormones, explains Dr. Maki.
It could be that you are more sensitive to a drop off in hormones.
You have to personalize your treatment.
A big part of that is understanding yourself and your history.
The recommendation, then, was that women shouldn’t take hormones, explains Dr. Daniel.
Thats not how women use hormones, says Dr. Daniel.
If you dont have any symptoms?
Antidepressants can also help treat clinically significant mood symptoms.
There are plenty of lifestyle changes within your control that can help you feel your best.
Avoiding controlled substances,like alcoholand recreational drugs, can be important too.
The perimenopausal and postmenopausal brain has this kind of carryover effect, she explains.
It takes longer for the effects [of substances] to wear out.
So you actually often feel worse the next day.
Maki calls therapy an underutilized tool in the toolboxparticularly during the perimenopausal years.
