Studies suggest that fluctuating hormone levels during the menopause can cause lack of coordination, poor concentration and clumsiness so you may feel more accident prone and forgetful. For example, you may need to read a page over and over again to get the sense of it or you may find yourself daydreaming when you need to be concentrating. The following natural therapies should help but bear in mind that the menopause isn’t always to blame. Difficulty concentrating and becoming absent-minded may also be related to poor diet, lack of exercise, fluid retention, lack of sleep and stress.

• Pay particular attention to eating little and often and cutting down on caffeine, to ensure that your nervous system isn’t being overworked by too much adrenaline.
• Make sure that your diet is sufficient in B vitamins – especially vitamin B5 found in food such as whole grains like brown rice, oats, whole meal bread and also in legumes, broccoli and tomatoes. Vitamin B5 is essential for optimum functioning of your nervous system. If lack of co-ordination is a real problem you may want to supplement with a good B complex containing 50 mg of vitamin B5 a day.  (See the Resources Page.)
• Make sure your diet is sufficient in iron as low iron levels can be associated with memory problems and poor coordination.
• Decrease your intake of stimulants such as caffeine, nicotine and sugar.
• Regular exercise also helps to keep you alert and sharp and can improve your concentration too. A brisk walk in the fresh air every day for around 20 minutes will tone up both your mind and your body.
• Learn a relaxation technique to give your nervous system a chance to repair and relax. Just a few minutes a day of relaxation is enough.
• Try some essential oils to soothe your mind and body and reduce stress. Melissa, lavender, and chamomile all have a calming effect which can help problems that contribute to clumsiness.
• Research has shown that Ginkgo Biloba can improve concentration, memory and reaction time. Gingko helps deliver oxygen to your nerve cells and your brain. A study in the Lancet showed that Gingko can improve blood flow to the head. If mental and/or physical disorientation is a problem you may want to take gingko for a period of three to four months. Remember herbs take a few weeks of daily use to show improvement.   (See the Resources Page for an excellent Ginkgo supplement.)
• Practise yoga and meditation to help improve concentration and alertness. While you are doing your yoga you may want to silently and slowly count backwards from 100 once you are in a relaxed state as this will help stimulate circuitry in the brain. As your concentration improves start back from 200 or even 500.

It’s a case of use it or lose it with your brain. Contrary to popular belief brain power does not decrease as you get older and studies show you can be just as sharp in your 60s as your teens. The secret is to use your brain and keep it active. So if you do find yourself becoming forgetful keep your brain alive with new interests, new challenges and try your hand at crosswords or Sudoku every day.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 1st, 2008 at 3:40 am and is filed under Menopause, Mental Health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.