Is Weightlifting Good for Brain Fog During Perimenopause?

Brain Fog in Perimenopause

Brain fog is one of the most frustrating perimenopause symptoms. It shows up as difficulty concentrating, forgetting words mid-sentence, losing track of thoughts, and feeling mentally slow in ways that feel unfamiliar. Oestrogen plays a significant role in brain function: it supports blood flow to the brain, fuels glucose metabolism in neurons, and influences acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter central to memory and attention. As oestrogen fluctuates and eventually falls, many women notice real cognitive changes. Knowing this has a biological basis can be reassuring, especially when it is paired with strategies that help.

How Weightlifting Supports Brain Health

Regular resistance training is one of the most effective ways to support cognitive function during perimenopause. Exercise increases cerebral blood flow, raises levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and reduces neuroinflammation. BDNF in particular acts like fertiliser for brain cells, supporting the formation of new connections and protecting existing ones. Studies in middle-aged women have shown that resistance training improves performance on memory, attention, and executive function tests, with effects persisting for months after a training programme ends.

Why Resistance Training May Outperform Cardio for Cognition

Both cardio and weightlifting benefit the brain, but some research suggests resistance training has specific advantages for executive function, the kind of high-level thinking involved in planning, decision-making, and managing competing demands. This may be because weightlifting requires focus and coordination alongside physical effort, training the brain and body simultaneously. The cognitive load of learning new movements and tracking progressive overload also keeps the brain engaged in a way steady-state cardio does not.

Practical Tips for Brain Fog Days

On days when brain fog is heavy, the last thing you may feel like doing is going to the gym. Keep your programme simple on those days: a short session with familiar exercises is better than skipping entirely. Movement itself increases alertness and blood flow quickly. Even a 20-minute session can leave you feeling noticeably clearer than before you started. If you track workouts in PeriPlan alongside your daily symptom logs, you may start to notice that your sharpest days follow your training days.

Other Lifestyle Factors That Work Alongside Lifting

Sleep is arguably the biggest driver of brain fog in perimenopause, so anything that improves sleep quality will also sharpen cognition. Weightlifting helps with this too, but pairing it with consistent sleep hygiene, reduced evening screen time, and limited alcohol gives you a stronger combined effect. Protein intake also matters: the brain needs adequate amino acids to produce neurotransmitters, so fuelling your training with enough protein supports both muscle recovery and mental clarity.

When to Talk to a Doctor