
Out of all the 34 menopause symptoms, memory lapses can be particularly frustrating and worrying as memory loss can have a significantly negative impact on a women's daily life and self-esteem. The condition's impact is also often intensified as it is commonly misunderstood. However, the information below aims to clarify such misunderstandings and explain what memory lapses are and what triggers them. Keep reading to find out more.
Memory lapses can be one of the most worrying and frustrating menopause symptoms that women can encounter as they approach the end of their fertile life. Commonly triggered by estrogenic changes, the symptom can have a detrimental effect on a women's self-esteem. Learn more about it here.
34 Menopause Symptoms: Memory Lapses Explained
Memory lapses are brief moments when a person's ability or faculty to retain or recall information wavers.
These episodes can often be defined as falling into one of two categories: short-term memory and recent memory.
Women experiencing menopause related memory lapses often find that they are unable to recollect names, dates, and addresses, even when they have just received that information.
Below you will find more information about the symptoms of memory lapses.
34 Menopause Symptoms: Memory Lapse Signs

Memory lapses are most evident in the inability to recall information at will but other symptoms include:
- Trouble concentrating
- Forgetting a recent event and remembering it later
- "Fuzzy" thinking
Read on to learn about the various causes of memory lapses, one of the 34 menopause symptoms.
Memory Lapse: Causes
Several factors can contribute to the experience of memory lapses, but like many of the 34 menopausal symptoms, memory lapses are mainly caused by hormonal imbalance. It's also possible that due to a combination of other menopause symptoms, memory lapses occur. Other triggers can be found in certain lifestyle choices.
Women often find that memory lapses can start during perimenopause, a time when hormonal levels in the body decrease. These diminishing levels of hormones, particularly estrogen, can have significant effects on the body and mind.
Memory lapses are particularly affected by estrogen levels because estrogen has a profound effect on brain function and influences language skills, mood, attention, and memory.
Risk factors
Despite the fact that hormone decreases is the most common cause of menopause symptoms, there are other risk factors that can have an affect on the likelihood of experiencing memory lapses, including:

- Excessive amounts of alcohol
- Some medications (e,g.,sleeping pills, antidepressants, blood pressure and heart medications, pain killers,and tranquilizers).
- Vitamin deficiencies
- Poor diet
- Lack of sleep
- Excessive workload
Sources
- BMJ Group. "Menopause: What is it?" Patient Leaflet. 2007.
- Hopkins, Virginia. Lee, John R. M.D. What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause. New York: Warner Books Inc., 1996.
- Love, Susan M.D. Menopause and Hormone Book. New York: Three Rivers Press, 2003.
- Martin, Raquel. The Estrogen Alternative. Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press, 2000.