From blanking on a word mid-sentence to rereading the same paragraph three times, many women say their minds just feel off.
As “brain fog” becomes a more common concern, especially among women balancing work, caregiving, and post-pandemic burnout, sleep science experts are pointing to one key but often overlooked factor: poor sleep hygiene.
A study published in the National Library of Medicine (NLM), this qualitative study explored women’s experiences of brain fog, focusing on those at the start (aged 18–25) and end (aged 45–60) of their reproductive journey.
Key Takeaways
- Daily Disruptions: Participants reported cognitive issues like forgetfulness, mental fatigue, and trouble focusing, which are often triggered by stress, poor sleep, or hormonal shifts.
- The Cycle of Impact: Emotional responses such as frustration, anxiety, and self-doubt were both outcomes and contributors, intensifying the fog and creating a feedback loop.
- Taking Control: Many women turned to self-care routines, physical cues, and Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) to manage symptoms and regain mental clarity.
- Crisis of Identity: Across all themes, women expressed a deeper struggle, feeling disconnected from their former selves. While some older participants described eventual acceptance, brain fog often challenged their sense of identity and confidence.
Despite the growing conversation around burnout and brain fog, many women still assume these lapses in focus are just part of modern life. But sleep coaches say the pattern is more serious and more preventable than most people think.
Rosie Osmun, a Certified Sleep Science Coach at Amerisleep.com, has worked with hundreds of clients struggling with sleep-deprived cognition.
“Most women I talk to don’t even realize they’re sleep-deprived until it starts affecting their words, memory, or mood,” says Osmun. “Brain fog is your brain telling you it’s exhausted.”
Estrogen and progesterone fluctuations directly influence circadian rhythms and sleep quality. For example, low progesterone levels (common in the late luteal phase or postpartum) can cause more fragmented sleep, while perimenopause is often linked with night sweats and sleep-maintenance insomnia.
And when sleep is disrupted, it affects a process called memory consolidation, which happens during deep and Rapid Eye Movement sleep (REM) sleep stages. Without that reset, women are more vulnerable to attention lapses, slower processing speeds, and word-finding difficulties.
TIPS ON HOW TO MANAGE AND IMPROVE SLEEP QUALITY
- Follow the 90-Minute Rule: Aim to wake at the end of a sleep cycle, not in the middle
- Create a Wind-Down Routine: Dim lights and unplug 60 minutes before bed
- Support Hormonal Balance: Track sleep changes across your cycle and adjust accordingly
- Ditch Late-Night Scrolls: Blue light delays melatonin and disrupts REM sleep
- Try Sleep Journaling: Log your sleep and symptoms to detect hidden patterns
“Sleep affects every key brain function like attention, memory, and emotional regulation,” says Osmun. “For women, fragmented or shallow sleep doesn’t just cause tiredness. It makes it harder to find words, stay focused, or feel mentally present.
She added, “When that’s layered with stress and the mental load many women carry, brain fog becomes much harder to ignore.”
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