Stress induced brain fog? Cortisol? Peri menopause?

[PlumpCushion]

Hi all,

I’m experiencing extreme work related fatigue since starting a new job three months ago.

My brain feels so foggy and I just feel like I can barely think or function after work.

It takes 3-4 hours for the feeling to pass.

What is this? Cortisol? Adrenaline? Made worse by peri menopause? (I’m late 40s)

I feel like it’s to do with subtly higher levels of stress at work.

I just feel awful for several hours when I get back.

I’m only part time and feel okay on non work days .

Any advice? Anyone had similar?

TIA

How much are you sleeping at night?

About 7 hours. A bit less sometimes.

I just feel utter exhaustion that’s different to sleep deprivation. It’s sort of like emotional exhaustion.

I was really tired when I started my new job last year, it was the first time I had worked full time out of the home for years, i think it'll just take you a while to get used to it, there's a lot to think about in a new role. I'm your age too, on HRT and all vit deficiencies dealt with but I still get really tired after work now over a year later

I think you might have adrenal fatigue which is just as easy to get from long term low level stress as it is from an acute episode. On your days off are you generally taking it easy? Little exertion might be making you feel as if you're ok on those days. It could also be an iron or B12 deficiency. If you try supplementing with both from tomorrow morning you might see a fast improvement (if either is the cause). I take both and they made a big difference to me.

Polka, thanks so much, I might try the supplements.

MissS, it’s more than just tiredness.

I know that stress / hormones are a factor because I had a temporary change of role in my last job that caused a similar reaction. Then my role returned to normal and so did my tiredness. That was 7 months ago. The issue returned when I started a new job.

It’s definitely not a simple as the job being ‘more tiring’. The other thing I wonder is if higher cognitive demands are more difficult to deal with due to peri menopause. It’s a highly qualified role with much responsibility and I feel like my working memory is less than it used to be!

Could also be Vit D deficiency. Get you levels checked and then supplement

I suffer terribly with brain fog for a few hours and sometimes days because of a drug I have to take and I have a highly detailed job - agree low level stess doesn't help.

I've been keeping lists of things that help - vitamin C, magnesium, vitamim D, calcium, zinc, B vitamins, omega, uplifting classical music, going for a walk, doing puzzles, singing, doing three things, positive visualisation, low carb, trying to identify how to bridge the motivation gap e.g. what I need to do v how I feel about it ('I can't' etc.) and just focusing on the next hour/few hours, 8 hours sleep, eating carb for energy burst, small yet more frequent meals, 2-3 walks in the day rather than 1 long lunch, talking to a friend, cutting down sugar and caffeine, tracking diet on an app for nutrition. I don't do all these consistently, except the main ones, but pick what I need. I keep lists for everything, and have slots for when I do things and am very precious about not over promising and doing things for me (yoga, swimming),

Maca tablets have done wonders for my brain fog. You can get them from Holland and Barrett’s.

Oh wow! Maca looks very interesting. Can I take all of those supplements together?? Such a lot of helpful replies but surely I can’t take all of them!

Yes I recognise this - stress gas a similar impact on me. I’ve found better sleep - I have to exercise to get it though, no booze and a bit of me time work wonders.

Iggly, funnily enough this has coincided with me not being able to tolerate even one glass of wind or a single bottle of beer. Both give me a hangover! I’m not overweight but not one to do cardio either - but walk a lot. The other day I went for a 10 minute run in desperation to try to shift the fog. It did work a bit actually. I listened to a TED talk about physical symposium burn out and although it was very American and I didn’t fully know how they defining burnout, they were taking about tricking your body into changing its fight / flight response through exerting yourself briefly. Or something.

Wine not wind lol

Poor DH, I’m so irritable too when I’m like this. I can’t tolerate chit chat and even simple questions while preparing dinner together lead to me biting his head off.

I have had brain fog since having covid last year. I'm 49 and had all stuff ruled out also was told peri menopause isn't a thing.
Had first covid jab and brain fog got worse but 2nd jab eased it a bit.
I have been put on double dose of the mini pill - said i was too young for hrt. Anyway feeling less fogged but still have no energy for anything other than staring into space. Many evenings.
I find berroccas useful.

Luddite, that sounds really tough.

For me the fog is definitely reactive- it lasts several hours after a day at work so to have in most of the time must be awful.

Who said peri menopause isn’t a thing? Interesting.

@Polkadots2021omg I think you’ve nailed it. I actually don’t feel as ‘normal’ today as I’d thought. I still feel frazzled from working yesterday but simply feel a bit better now that I’m not having to go to work! I actually feeling quite dizzy today too.

I’m taking maca and Korean gingseng capsules only (and an insane amounts of nuts and seeds to help with perimenopause symptoms). I cannot believe the difference.

I am also trying to take breaks from my desk as soon as I start feeling stressed or hurried up to avoid cortisol peaks.

Hi, how did you end up getting on? I ask as I’m feeling similiar! Thanks In advance xxx