Welcome back to our Brain Health & Graceful Aging series!
In the last two weeks, we explored the hidden causes of brain fog and how nutrition and supplements can help sharpen your mind.
This week, we're tackling a powerful—but often overlooked—piece of the brain health puzzle: your hormones.
If you've noticed shifts in your memory, focus, mood, or sleep since turning 40, hormonal changes could be playing a much bigger role than you realize.
The good news? Understanding how your hormones impact your brain is the first step toward supporting clarity, resilience, and emotional balance through midlife and beyond.
The Brain-Hormone Connection
Your brain and your hormones are in constant communication. Hormones aren’t just about reproductive health—they also regulate sleep, mood, memory, focus, and even your ability to handle stress.
As estrogen, progesterone, and other hormones naturally shift during midlife (especially during perimenopause and menopause), it’s common to experience:
- Foggy thinking or forgetfulness
- Sleep disturbances
- Heightened anxiety or mood swings
- Trouble concentrating
- Feeling mentally “off”
These changes can feel unsettling—but they are also very common and manageable with the right support.
How Estrogen Supports the Brain
Estrogen is a major player when it comes to cognitive health. It helps:
- Protect neurons (your brain cells) from inflammation and damage
- Enhance communication between brain cells
- Support memory and verbal skills
- Boost mood by modulating neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine
As estrogen levels decline, many women notice their brains just don't feel as sharp. You might find it harder to retrieve words, stay focused on tasks, or feel emotionally steady.
Support Tip:
Incorporate phytoestrogen-rich foods like flaxseeds, lentils, and organic soy. Staying physically active and managing stress naturally helps support healthy estrogen balance, too. Using essential oils with estrogenic-like properties is my secret weapon.
Incorporate phytoestrogen-rich foods like flaxseeds, lentils, and organic soy. Staying physically active and managing stress naturally helps support healthy estrogen balance, too. Using essential oils with estrogenic-like properties is my secret weapon.
The Role of Progesterone in Brain Health
Progesterone is often called the "calming hormone." It has a gentle, soothing effect on the brain:
- Supports deep, restful sleep
- Balances mood and reduces anxiety
- Enhances feelings of calm and stability
Low progesterone, which often happens in perimenopause, can lead to restless sleep, heightened irritability, and even feelings of panic or overwhelm.
Support Tip:
Support your body’s natural progesterone production with magnesium-rich foods (like leafy greens, almonds, and pumpkin seeds), vitamin B6 (found in bananas, salmon, and fortified cereals), and healthy fats. My favorite extra support is a natural progesterone serum that is plant based - not synthetic!
Support your body’s natural progesterone production with magnesium-rich foods (like leafy greens, almonds, and pumpkin seeds), vitamin B6 (found in bananas, salmon, and fortified cereals), and healthy fats. My favorite extra support is a natural progesterone serum that is plant based - not synthetic!
The Stress-Hormone Connection: Cortisol and the Brain
Cortisol is your body's main stress hormone. In small, temporary doses, cortisol helps you stay alert and focused. But when stress becomes chronic, cortisol stays elevated—and that’s when problems arise.
High cortisol levels can:
- Impair memory and concentration
- Increase anxiety
- Disrupt sleep
- Shrink areas of the brain related to learning and memory over time
Support Tip:
Daily practices like breathwork, stretching, nature walks, prayer or meditation, and adaptogenic herbs (like ashwagandha and rhodiola) can help normalize cortisol levels and protect your brain. When I know stress levels have been high for an extended period, or if I know I'm going to be going through a stressful time, I use a supplement for a brief period that combines pregnenolone, herbs, and essential oils to help the body maintain its natural balance and harmony and support the glandular systems of women.
Daily practices like breathwork, stretching, nature walks, prayer or meditation, and adaptogenic herbs (like ashwagandha and rhodiola) can help normalize cortisol levels and protect your brain. When I know stress levels have been high for an extended period, or if I know I'm going to be going through a stressful time, I use a supplement for a brief period that combines pregnenolone, herbs, and essential oils to help the body maintain its natural balance and harmony and support the glandular systems of women.
Other Hormones That Affect Brain Health
Besides estrogen, progesterone, and cortisol, there are two more key players you should be aware of:
- Thyroid hormones regulate metabolism and energy. Low thyroid function (hypothyroidism) often mimics brain fog and depression.
- Insulin helps regulate blood sugar. Blood sugar imbalances—caused by poor diet, stress, or irregular eating—can contribute to mental fatigue, irritability, and fogginess.
Support Tip:
If persistent brain fog continues despite your efforts, consider asking your healthcare provider to check your thyroid panel and blood sugar markers.
If persistent brain fog continues despite your efforts, consider asking your healthcare provider to check your thyroid panel and blood sugar markers.
Recommendations for Hormone-Related Brain Health
1. Brain Fog, Forgetfulness, & Mental Fatigue
âś… MindWise®
– Supports brain and heart health with bio-identical CoQ10, vitamin D3, Sacha Inchi seed oil, turmeric, and essential oils
– Ideal for memory, mental clarity, and focus
– Supports brain and heart health with bio-identical CoQ10, vitamin D3, Sacha Inchi seed oil, turmeric, and essential oils
– Ideal for memory, mental clarity, and focus
âś… Rosemary Essential Oil
– Shown to support memory and cognitive performance when diffused or inhaled
– Great for mid-morning energy boosts and brain clarity
– Shown to support memory and cognitive performance when diffused or inhaled
– Great for mid-morning energy boosts and brain clarity
2. Low Estrogen: Mental Slowness, Mood Swings, Inflammation
âś… PD 80/20™
– Contains pregnenolone and DHEA, precursors to estrogen and testosterone
– Supports endocrine system and helps maintain hormone balance
– Contains pregnenolone and DHEA, precursors to estrogen and testosterone
– Supports endocrine system and helps maintain hormone balance
âś… Sclaressence™
– Blend of clary sage, peppermint, sage, and fennel oils
– Supports hormonal balance; can be applied topically over lower abdomen or diffused
– Blend of clary sage, peppermint, sage, and fennel oils
– Supports hormonal balance; can be applied topically over lower abdomen or diffused
âś… Lady Sclareol™
– Blend of 12 essential oils including Ylang Ylang, Geranium, and Vetiver
– Enhances feminine nature and provides a calming and romantic atmosphere
– Can be used as a perfume or added to bathwater for relaxation
– Blend of 12 essential oils including Ylang Ylang, Geranium, and Vetiver
– Enhances feminine nature and provides a calming and romantic atmosphere
– Can be used as a perfume or added to bathwater for relaxation
3. Low Progesterone: Anxiety, Poor Sleep, Restlessness
âś… Progessence Plus™ Serum
– Plant-based progesterone serum from wild yam with frankincense, copaiba, and peppermint
– Supports emotional stability, restful sleep, and hormonal rhythm
– Plant-based progesterone serum from wild yam with frankincense, copaiba, and peppermint
– Supports emotional stability, restful sleep, and hormonal rhythm
âś… Rutavala™ Roll-On
– Blend of ruta, valerian, and lavender—excellent for calming the mind and promoting restful sleep
– Roll onto temples or back of neck at bedtime
– Blend of ruta, valerian, and lavender—excellent for calming the mind and promoting restful sleep
– Roll onto temples or back of neck at bedtime
âś… Deep Night Essence™
– Melatonin-free supplement with spearmint, green tea extract, holy basil, lemon balm, and lavender
– Supports natural sleep cycles and promotes relaxation without causing drowsiness
– Melatonin-free supplement with spearmint, green tea extract, holy basil, lemon balm, and lavender
– Supports natural sleep cycles and promotes relaxation without causing drowsiness
4. High Cortisol: Brain Fog, Stress, Disrupted Sleep, Mood Swings
âś… CortiStop® (for women)
– Formulated to help reduce cortisol levels caused by stress
– Contains pregnenolone, black cohosh, DHEA, and calming essential oils
– Formulated to help reduce cortisol levels caused by stress
– Contains pregnenolone, black cohosh, DHEA, and calming essential oils
âś… Stress Away™ Essential Oil
– Uplifting and soothing blend of copaiba, lime, vanilla, and lavender
– Use daily to reduce emotional stress and improve cortisol response
– Uplifting and soothing blend of copaiba, lime, vanilla, and lavender
– Use daily to reduce emotional stress and improve cortisol response
âś… Lavender Essential Oil
– Calms the nervous system and supports better sleep and emotional regulation
– Diffuse at bedtime or add a drop to herbal tea
– Calms the nervous system and supports better sleep and emotional regulation
– Diffuse at bedtime or add a drop to herbal tea
5. Thyroid & Blood Sugar Balance Support
âś… EndoGize™ (for women)
– Supports the endocrine system and energy levels, especially during hormonal fluctuations
– Helps regulate thyroid and adrenal function naturally
– Supports the endocrine system and energy levels, especially during hormonal fluctuations
– Helps regulate thyroid and adrenal function naturally
âś… Coriander Vitality™ Essential Oil
– Traditionally used to support healthy blood sugar levels and digestion
– Take internally (Vitality) or apply over pancreas area with carrier oil
– Traditionally used to support healthy blood sugar levels and digestion
– Take internally (Vitality) or apply over pancreas area with carrier oil
âś… Mineral Essence™
– Provides trace minerals essential for enzyme function, energy, and hormone production
– Helps the body maintain balance through midlife transitions
– Provides trace minerals essential for enzyme function, energy, and hormone production
– Helps the body maintain balance through midlife transitions
If you want to try any of these recommendations, you can find them using this link: Wish List
I'm always open to having conversations and answering questions - just reach out HERE
Final Thoughts
Hormonal changes are natural—and unavoidable—but that doesn't mean you have to live with brain fog, low energy, or emotional rollercoasters.
By giving your body the right support through diet, movement, sleep, and stress management, you can move through this chapter feeling more clear, focused, and like yourself again.
Next week, in the final post of this series, we’ll explore how everyday toxins hiding in your home and personal care products could be clouding your brain—and how easy it is to make swaps that protect your health and vitality.
Stay tuned!
Jacque
People often ask me what my Favorite YL Products are. That really kind of depends on a lot of factors - what may be my favorite today could be different than yesterday, depending on what's going on in my life. But if you want to know the Young Living products that I absolutely USE every single day.... click the button below for My Daily Favorites!
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