I think most of us have had that moment where you are standing in front of people, talking away, and suddenly your mind just goes completely blank. It has happened to me more times than I can count.
There I am, standing up in a meeting, surrounded by GPs, nurses, or whoever else is in the clinical team, halfway through whatever I was talking about, and suddenly there is nothing. Absolute mist in the brain. I am just standing there with everyone looking at me.
It is the worst feeling. Your mouth goes dry, you start to sweat, and your brain goes into overdrive. Look how ridiculous you look. Everyone is staring. Say something, anything.
But the truth is, it is not the end of the world. It just does not feel like that in the moment. And it can take a long time to learn how to turn that feeling around.
Even now, I still get brain fog. I still stand up to deliver presentations and occasionally lose my train of thought mid sentence. It happens. It is part of the experience, and it does not make you any less capable or credible.
I’ll always remember one lady I was speaking to on the phone during a menopause review that really stuck with me. I was right in the middle of explaining brain fog to her, and halfway through the conversation I completely forgot what I was saying. It just went. Gone. She actually thought I was doing it for comedy effect. But I was not. I genuinely could not think.
She reminded me what we were talking about, and my brain clicked back in and off I went again. Frustrating does not even cover it. Embarrassing. And you worry about it happening again.
And it is not just the big moments either. It shows up in the everyday stuff too. The constant going in and out of a room because you cannot remember what you went in for. It is relentless. Or you leave a patient to fetch something, and by the time you have stepped into the corridor someone speaks to you and your brain shoots off in a completely different direction. Then you walk back in and the patient says, “Did you not go for a larger cuff for the blood pressure monitor?" And you are standing there thinking, Oh yes. Yes, I did. Off you go again.
And of course someone else stops you on the way, and the same thing happens all over again. It is horrid. It makes you feel scattered and embarrassed. But it happens, and it genuinely is not the end of the world. All of this builds up, and it is no wonder you start to worry about it happening again.
So the next time you are heading to an event, meeting new people, or you have a little presentation or pitch to deliver, it sits there in the back of your mind. What if. What if it happens again?
This is where having the right tools makes all the difference. Knowing what to do in that moment, so even if it does happen again, you are not completely derailed by it.
What is everybody thinking? Honestly, it does not matter. You can change the subject, make a little joke, say something simple to move yourself on, have notes, have prompts, write it on the inside of your hand if you need to. There are plenty of tricks you can try, but they do not magically take away the anxiety underneath it. That part is still there.
It happens to the best of us. And there are ways to deal with it, ways to frame it so it does not knock your confidence. It is about having tools you can lean on, rather than expecting the feeling to disappear completely.
What makes Brain Fog worse?
Memory glitches are one of the most common things women talk about during menopause. It is the same for women going through treatment for breast cancer, and for anyone who has had a sudden drop in hormones, like after surgical menopause. But honestly, ask anyone in their fifties if their memory is what it used to be, and most will say no. So yes, hormones play a part, but they are not the whole story.
Age plays a role. Low mood, stress, poor sleep, anxiety, all of these can make memory feel worse. And what is interesting is that how we feel our memory is performing does not always match what is actually happening on proper memory tests. We tend to overestimate how bad it is, which then ramps up the stress even more.
Practical ways to support your cognitive function
There are lots of things that can help. Relaxation, doing something enjoyable, getting outside, moving your body, managing stress. All of these support memory. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) has also been shown to improve memory, concentration and hot flushes. CBT can also help you to reframe the feeling surrounding those anxious moments so you are already prepared if they occur.
There are also plenty of gentle, everyday things you can do to help your brain feel clearer and more steady. None of them are complicated, and they fit easily into real life.
Stay mentally curious
Your brain loves anything new. It does not need to be a big challenge. It can be as simple as trying a new recipe, listening to a podcast on a topic you know nothing about, doing a wordle, or choosing a different route on your walk. Small changes wake the brain up and encourage fresh connections.
Give your brain proper fuel
Food and hydration make a bigger difference than people realise. Regular meals, steady energy, and colourful fruit and veg all support clearer thinking. Omega rich foods and whole grains help your brain stay alert without the mid afternoon slump.
Protect your sleep routine
Sleep is not just about the number of hours you get. The routine around sleep matters too. Dimming lights earlier, avoiding screens before bed, keeping a consistent wake time, and having a calming wind down ritual all help your brain settle and reset.
Give your brain breathing space
Cognitive overload is real. When your brain is juggling too much, memory is often the first thing to wobble. Short breaks between tasks, stepping outside for a moment, or simply doing one thing at a time instead of multitasking can make a noticeable difference.
Strengthen your attention span
Attention is the foundation of memory. If you can improve focus, recall naturally improves too. Reducing background noise, keeping your workspace clear, using a timer to stay with one task, or practising short moments of mindfulness can help your brain stay steady.
Social connection
Talking, laughing, sharing stories, and being around people is incredibly good for cognitive health. It boosts mood, attention, memory and problem solving. Your brain thrives on interaction.
Gentle working memory challenges
Working memory is the part that holds information while you use it. You can strengthen it with tiny daily exercises. Try remembering a short shopping list without writing it down, recalling three things from a conversation, or mentally planning your route before you leave the house. Little challenges, nothing stressful.
If you are struggling with memory or word finding, there are some simple strategies that genuinely help. External prompts like Post it notes, lists, phone alarms, and planning ahead can make a huge difference. Repeating things out loud or in your head helps your brain store the information. And using visual imagery, literally picturing what you need to remember, strengthens it even more.
None of this means your memory is failing. It means your brain is juggling hormones, life, stress, age, and everything else you carry. And with the right tools, it gets easier to manage.
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