Is Swimming Good for Brain Fog During Perimenopause?
Struggling with brain fog during perimenopause? Find out how swimming can sharpen your thinking, improve focus, and support cognitive clarity.
Brain Fog and Perimenopause: What's Going On
Brain fog is one of the most frustrating symptoms of perimenopause. Forgetting words mid-sentence, losing your train of thought, walking into rooms and not knowing why you're there. These experiences are real, common, and connected to fluctuating oestrogen levels. Oestrogen plays a role in how the brain processes information and regulates neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine. As levels shift unpredictably during perimenopause, cognitive clarity often suffers. The good news is that exercise, and swimming in particular, has a meaningful impact on brain health.
How Swimming Supports Cognitive Function
Swimming is an aerobic exercise, and aerobic activity is one of the most well-studied ways to support brain health. It increases blood flow to the brain, including the hippocampus, the region responsible for memory and learning. Regular aerobic exercise has been shown to support the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that helps brain cells grow and connect. Think of it as fertiliser for your thinking. Swimming also reduces cortisol, the stress hormone that, in excess, actively impairs memory and concentration. Lower cortisol means a clearer head.
Why Swimming Works Especially Well
What makes swimming particularly suited to perimenopause brain fog is the combination of rhythmic breathing, full-body movement, and water immersion. The focus required to coordinate strokes and breathing patterns draws your attention into the present moment, giving your overthinking brain a genuine rest. Water has a naturally calming effect on the nervous system. The sensory input from being immersed in water can quiet mental noise in a way that other forms of exercise sometimes don't. Many women find they finish a swim feeling noticeably clearer and more settled.
Practical Tips for Getting Started
You do not need to swim laps at speed to benefit. Even gentle steady-state swimming, 20 to 30 minutes two or three times a week, can make a difference over time. If lap swimming feels intimidating, water aerobics classes or simply moving through the water at your own pace count too. Try to keep your heart rate at a moderate level, enough to feel your breathing change but not so intense that you're gasping. Consistency matters more than intensity. A short swim most weeks will do more for your brain than occasional hard sessions.
Tracking Your Progress
It can be hard to notice gradual improvements in brain fog without a reference point. PeriPlan lets you log your workouts and track symptom patterns over time, so you can see whether your swimming sessions correlate with clearer days. Having that data can also be motivating when you're deciding whether to get in the water on a low-energy morning.
A Few Things to Keep in Mind
Swimming in cold or poorly ventilated pools can trigger headaches in some women, so find an environment that feels comfortable. If you're new to exercise or have any joint or cardiovascular concerns, check with your GP before starting. And be patient with yourself. Brain fog doesn't lift overnight, but building a regular movement habit is one of the most supportive things you can do for your cognitive health during this transition.
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