Sometimes they make you notice something that you missed, and then the doubt creeps into you that maybe age could be responsible for a memory disorder. But it’s true? What are the real links between the ability to remember and age?
The first task of a good memory
is knowing how to forget.
(E. Montale)
This article was written in collaboration with our medical-scientific staff
As you speak, all of a sudden, you no longer remember what you were saying, or you mess with phone numbers and people’s names. Then maybe it happens that the children start to let you notice it and, if these “gaps” of memory are repeated frequently, even in the most banal everyday life, you start to worry because “your head doesn’t assist you anymore”.
That’s it?
The menopause has anything in decreased ability to remember things?
If you want to dispel any doubts and find out more, this is the right article for you.
Memory disorders and menopause: is there a link?
The change in the physiological hormonal balance in menopause can also have repercussions on the brain.
According to a study from Harvard Medical School in Boston, published in 2017 in the Journal of Neuroscience, “ hormonal changes that occur as a woman’s reproductive stage changes, particularly the collapse of estrogen production, can negatively impact of the brain and worsen some cognitive processes such as memory , as almost two out of three women complain ”.
We also know that estrogen and progesterone, in addition to being the hormones that regulate a woman’s reproductive cycle in fertile life, also play an important role in other psycho-physical mechanisms, such as emotional stability and the correct alternation of the sleep rhythm. / wakefulness .
For these reasons it is easy to understand that mood swings and sleep disturbances (which lead to stress, fatigue, irritability) can also have an impact on memory .
Memory problems and menopause: stress matters
The body’s response to a physiological and very normal moment in a woman’s life can go through a process of adaptation to the new condition which for some women may be more difficult.
In the years of menopause, the woman goes through phases that are more tiring for the mind and body , which must continually readjust to changed hormonal balances .
Moreover, some typical ailments such as possible insomnia explain the appearance of moments of greater stress and fragility.
Even other common menopause symptoms can affect cognitive function in an indirect way. For example:
- The daily stress caused by common intimate disorders
- The concentration that goes away when the hot flashes come
- A more difficult life as a couple due to the decrease in desire
- Apprehension caused by dyspareunia (pain in intercourse)
- particularly troublesome pathologies such as Vulvo Vaginal Atrophy .
Here is that in certain emotional states it is possible that the mind is no longer so fresh and clear .
Memory disorders in menopause: what are the assessments to be made?
As long as it is just fatigue , which can affect the mind making the memory more blurred, there is no need to worry . The good news is that gradually, over time , many menopausal disorders will resolve on their own .
Memory impairment in menopause: the more active you are, the less you lose
So you can rest assured: the memory loss that can occur during menopause and in times of stress is physiological and linked to this specific phase of life.
All you need is to recover some tranquility and keep your mind trained with daily and pleasant activities such as reading a book , your favorite magazine, the newspaper, or listening to music, doing light sports , learning something new which is the best solution for any state of momentary impasse of mood.
In addition, it is important to maintain good nutrition and a varied and healthy diet, rich in seasonal, fresh and tasty foods.
An active and stimulating life is synonymous with effective memory also for science: “The basic concept is that some areas of the brain are particularly sensitive to aging, others more resistant and still others continue to mature” explains Professor Stefano Cappa, professor of Neuroscience at the Iuss School of Pavia . “The process of loss is inevitable, but the greater the cognitive reserve – having studied a lot, read, continued a lively social life and accumulated experiences – the higher the margin of defense against cognitive decline , but also from physical illnesses “. ( source Veronesi Foundation)
