---
title: What Menopause Is Actually Doing to Your Brain
description: New research links menopause to grey matter loss in key brain regions, along with higher anxiety, sleep problems and fatigue.
author: Dr Marina Nani (Editor-in-Chief)
date: 2026-02-17T14:55:57.000Z
updated: 2026-03-04T18:11:25.653Z
canonical: https://richwoman.co/article/what-menopause-is-actually-doing-to-your-brain
image: https://cdn.nanimediahouse.com/menopause-brain-health-meditation-park.webp
categories: Health
content_type: Analysis
region: England
publication: Rich Woman Magazine
---

If you’ve been through menopause (or you’re in the thick of it) and your brain feels like it’s running on a different operating system, you’re not imagining things. And you’re not alone.

A major [study from the University of Cambridge](https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/menopause-linked-to-loss-of-grey-matter-in-the-brain-poorer-mental-health-and-sleep-disturbance) has just confirmed what millions of women have been saying for years: menopause physically changes the brain. Not subtly. Measurably.

## The parts of your brain that change

Researchers looked at data from nearly 125,000 women through the UK Biobank, including brain scans from around 11,000 of them. What they found was that after menopause, grey matter shrinks in three specific areas: the hippocampus (where memories are formed and stored), the entorhinal cortex (the gateway that passes information around the brain) and the anterior cingulate cortex (the part that helps you manage emotions, make decisions and stay focused).

That foggy feeling when you walk into a room and forget why? The struggle to find the right word mid-sentence? There’s a physical reason behind it.

## It’s not just your memory

The study, [published in *Psychological Medicine*](https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/psychological-medicine/article/emotional-and-cognitive-effects-of-menopause-and-hormone-replacement-therapy/E9D94A6EB0B8A3C03113A93D34A99FD0) this February, also found that post-menopausal women were significantly more likely to report anxiety, depression and sleep difficulties. More of them were prescribed antidepressants. More of them sought help from GPs and psychiatrists.

Dr Christelle Langley, one of the study’s authors, said women going through menopause need ‘increased sensitivity to their mental health’ during this transition. It’s a straightforward message, but one that still doesn’t get said enough.

## What about HRT?

Here’s where it gets complicated. The study found that HRT didn’t reverse the grey matter changes or the mental health effects. It did, however, slow down the decline in reaction times that comes with ageing. So it’s not a cure-all, but it’s not nothing either.

What was perhaps more telling was that HRT users reported feeling the most tired, despite sleeping similar hours to everyone else. The researchers couldn’t fully explain that, but it suggests fatigue after menopause goes deeper than how many hours you spend in bed.

## What actually helps

The researchers pointed to lifestyle as the most practical lever. Exercise, nutrition and stress management all showed genuine benefits (and if you’ve been reading Rich Woman for a while, none of this will surprise you).

We’ve written extensively about how [diet supports mental wellbeing](https://richwoman.co/article/nourishing-the-mind-the-vital-connection-between-diet-and-mental-wellbeing), why even [short daily walks](https://richwoman.co/article/small-walks-big-wins-how-ten-minutes-or-less-can-improve-your-mood-blood-sugar-and-energy) shift your mood and energy, and how [magnesium-rich routines](https://richwoman.co/article/magnesium-biohacks-daily-routines-and-foods-to-better-your-sleep-patterns-mood-and-energy) can improve your sleep. The Cambridge findings add another layer of evidence to all of it.

Strength training two to three times a week, a Mediterranean-style eating pattern and even combining movement with simple cognitive challenges (like naming animals A to Z while walking) were all flagged as beneficial. Not as treatments for menopause, but as ways to support the brain through a transition it was never really warned about.

## Why it matters

Professor Barbara Sahakian, the study’s senior author, pointed out that the brain regions affected by menopause are the same ones targeted by Alzheimer’s disease. Women are twice as likely as men to develop dementia, and menopause may be part of the reason.

That’s not meant to frighten anyone. It’s meant to push the conversation forward. If menopause changes the brain in measurable ways, then the support around it (medical, emotional, practical) needs to match.

## In case you were wondering…

**Q: Does menopause cause permanent brain damage?**
No. The Cambridge study found grey matter reductions, but the brain is remarkably adaptable. Researchers noted that lifestyle changes (regular exercise, good nutrition and mental stimulation) can support brain health during and after menopause. The changes are real, but they don’t define the rest of your life.

**Q: Why does menopause affect sleep so much?**
The hormonal shift that comes with menopause disrupts the body’s internal temperature regulation and stress response, both of which are closely tied to sleep quality. Many women experience insomnia, night sweats and restless sleep. The Cambridge study added that even women on HRT reported higher levels of tiredness, suggesting the fatigue has multiple layers beyond hormone levels alone.

**Q: Can exercise really help with menopause brain fog?**
Yes, and the evidence is strong. Research consistently shows that moderate exercise (even 10-minute walks) improves memory, focus and mood. The key is regularity rather than intensity. Combining physical movement with light cognitive tasks, like counting backwards or word games while walking, appears to give the brain an extra boost.
