Brain First: The Whole Woman, Whole Body, Whole-Life Way to Support Menopause

New research from the University of Cambridge links menopause with reductions in grey matter volume in key brain regions, alongside higher levels of anxiety and depression and sleep disturbance.

Here’s the scenario I hear time and time again…

“It’s 3 am again. You’re wide awake, and your brain is running a full committee meeting you didn’t ask for.

The next day, you lose a word mid-sentence (“What’s the name of that… thing…?”), and you start quietly wondering: Is this normal? Or is something wrong with me?

Here’s the truth: menopause isn’t just happening in your ovaries. It’s happening in your brain.

The science is catching up, and it matters that this is now a mainstream conversation in the UK.

University of Cambridge research wasn’t a tiny sample. The analysis included nearly 125,000 women, with around 11,000 having brain MRI scans.

The brain areas showing changes are the ones you’d expect to impact everyday life:

  • Hippocampus (memory)

  • Entorhinal cortex (memory pathways)

  • Anterior cingulate cortex (focus, emotional regulation, decision-making)

The authors also note these regions are commonly affected in Alzheimer’s disease, which adds weight to the wider conversation about women’s long-term brain health.

And what about HRT?

The Cambridge summary reports that HRT didn’t appear to offset the grey matter changes, but it may slow reaction time decline.

So no, this isn’t an anti-HRT blog.

It’s a bigger point: supporting your brain in menopause needs a whole woman, whole body, whole-life approach, not a single lever to switch.

Dr Lisa Mosconi has been trailblazing this for years

If you’ve followed Dr Lisa Mosconi’s work, you’ll recognise this direction of travel. She’s been leading the conversation that menopause is a neurological transition - and that symptoms like brain fog, anxiety, and sleep disruption have a biological basis and deserve proper support.

Two books to go deeper:

  • The Menopause Brain

  • The XX Brain

My coaching philosophy: Brain first approach - what’s good for the brain is good for the body

This sits right at the heart of my approach - and it’s a principle reinforced through my training, including the course I studied with the brilliant Jenny Burrell: 3rd Age Woman Menopause Transition education.

Because when we prioritise brain health, everything downstream benefits:

  • Your nervous system settles

  • Sleep becomes more possible

  • Motivation and confidence start to return

What this means for you:

  • Brain fog isn’t a character flaw -  it’s a common, brain-linked menopause experience.

  • Sleep is non-negotiable brain care, not a luxury.

  • Lifestyle still matters massively: movement, nutrition, stress reduction, and alcohol awareness all stack up.

  • Mood changes deserve support early (not “wait and see”).

  • You’re not broken -  you’re in transition, and your brain needs different inputs now.

Tiny but important note

This is education, not medical advice. If you have any concerns, speak to your GP as soon as possible.

If you are ready to make lifestyle changes, book a FREE 20-minute discovery call with me today.

References

Research University of Cambridge: Menopause linked to loss of grey matter in the brain, poorer mental health and sleep disturbance

Ruth Astbury