Menopause And Dyslexia: Overcoming Cognitive Challenges with Intense Physical Training
As women enter menopause, hormonal shifts often bring about cognitive changes that can significantly affect memory, concentration, and processing speed. For women with dyslexia—who already face some challenges in these cognitive areas—menopause can further amplify these symptoms, making daily tasks and professional demands more complex. I speak from personal experience. As someone with dyslexia inherited from her maternal family bloodline, menopause has exacerbated these cognitive challenges. The increasing amount spelling errors on this website, blog article, and social media posts aren't just oversights – they're tangible evidence of the very real cognitive changes that many women face during menopause. You're not alone in this experience, and it merits attention.
According to the International Dyslexia Association, dyslexia is a lifelong learning disability not linked to intelligence or mental health. It involves struggles with reading words correctly and quickly, as well as problems with spelling and understanding written language. Dyslexia is caused by brain differences and genetics. People can inherit the genes for dyslexia such as from a parent, grandparent, aunt, or uncle who has dyslexia. Dyslexia affects one (1) in 10 individuals, many of whom go undiagnosed. A quick self-assessment can help determine whether you have dyslexia.
Regardless, menopause alone can bring about significant cognitive effects that can cause a women to question her mental wellbeing, brain health, and even her intelligence. This is normal.
Menopause and Cognitive Decline: The Hormonal Influence
One of the key players in cognitive function is estrogen, a hormone that declines significantly during menopause. Estrogen has neuroprotective properties, particularly in the hippocampus—a brain region critical for memory and learning. Research has shown that as estrogen levels drop, cognitive symptoms often arise, including issues with verbal fluency, memory retention, and processing speed. These issues overlap with common dyslexic challenges, such as difficulty with word retrieval, reading, spelling, and information retention, making menopause an especially vulnerable time for dyslexic women.
Although direct research on menopause and dyslexia is limited, evidence suggests that hormonal changes in midlife can exacerbate cognitive symptoms that align closely with the known struggles of dyslexia. This connection highlights the importance of understanding how menopause can heighten dyslexia and suggests a need for supportive measures to help women with dyslexia navigate this complex intersection.
Dyslexia and Working Memory: Amplified Struggles in Menopause
A study in the World Journal of Psychiatry notes that cognitive complaints tend to become more prevalent with many women experiencing a decline in cognitive performance during the menopausal transition. These are the same areas where women with dyslexia may already feel challenged, meaning that menopause could heighten these cognitive symptoms, making tasks that were already difficult even more so.
Menopause’s cognitive effects can also serve as a stressor in that we do not have control over the hormonal changes in our body. The changes that come with menopause signal the body to trigger the release of the hormone cortisol to direct resources from the brain to large muscles for a "fight or flight" response. As a result, there is a temporary impairment of cognitive function. The body naturally will return to pre-stress states once the threat is gone but in today’s society, stress rarely dissipates and, when menopause is factored in, baseline cortisols levels can stay elevated for longer. According to the British Dyslexia Association, this stress response becomes especially challenging for individuals with dyslexia, making information processing even more pronounced during stressful times, such as menopause, and, therefore, harder to manage.
A study published in Psychoneuroendocrinology in 2017 reported that heightened stress and emotional symptoms during menopause led to measurable declines in executive function and working memory. Since many individuals with dyslexia already experience these challenges, it’s easy to see how the cognitive impact of menopausal stress can lead to further struggles. Women with dyslexia may feel that symptoms they previously managed have suddenly returned or worsened thus intensifying the cognitive load on personal and professional life. This suggest that cognitive processing impairment is a reasons why women may choose to leave the workforce either temporarily or permanently.
Evidence-Based Strategies to Support Women with Dyslexia in Menopause
Given that menopause can exacerbate dyslexic symptoms, strategies to address both cognitive and emotional challenges during this period are essential. Below are evidence-based approaches that can help mitigate the impact of menopausal cognitive decline on dyslexic symptoms:
1. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): While HRT, also referred to as Menopause Hormone Therapy (MHT), is not a cure-all, some women may experience cognitive benefits by stabilizing estrogen levels, potentially supporting memory and verbal fluency. A study byCochrane Dementia and Cognitive Improvement Group suggests that HRT may help mitigate menopause-related cognitive decline, particularly in verbal memory . However, it is essential to consult with a healthcare provider before starting any hromone therapy as the effects vary widely between individuals.
2. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Stress Management: Cognitive strategies, including CBT, have shown positive effects on reducing stress and improving cognitive symptoms in menopausal women. A research published on Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) or Psychoeducation found that mindfulness-based stress reduction techniques significantly improved cognitive function and reduced menopausal symptoms. Techniques that reduce stress may allow dyslexic women to maintain better focus and organization during menopause.
3. Practical Lifestyle Adjustments: Perhaps the most impactful lifestyle adjustment for women as they age is to incorporate more exercise and training. And not just any training but well structured physical activity that intensifies cortiol levels in short burst sot ht overtime, baseline cortisol levels decline.
The Role of Physical Exercise in Brain Health During Menopause
Exercise has long been linked to improved brain health. According to one researcher, it also helps us cope with hormonal changes. In an article published in the New York Times, Dr. Alyssa Olenick, an exercise physiologist who studies metabolism and menopause, claims “exercise can be a tool to build up your resilience to the shifts that are going to happen.”
Unfortunately, there had been a lack of research on the effects of exercise on women in menopause until Dr. Stacy Sims, a researcher focused on female physiology and exercise, entered the arena. Her work as well as other subsequent studies in this field are now concluding that women who train strategically during the menopausal transition can better accommodate their shifting physiology.
One such strategic approach highlighted in the research is heavy resistance training. This type of training helps support brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein essential for maintaining neural connections and supporting cognitive resilience. Since menopause is a period marked by declining estrogen—a hormone that helps modulate BDNF levels—strength training offers a practical way to counteract this loss.
A 2020 study published in Menopause found that postmenopausal women who engaged in regular resistance training experienced better cognitive function and memory recall than those who did not exercise. This is particularly promising for women with dyslexia, as enhanced BDNF levels and improved neural connectivity may help mitigate challenges related to memory and processing speed, two areas that dyslexia and menopause both affect.
Heavy Resistance Training: Why It’s Key for Cognitive Support
Dr. Stacy Sims advocates for resistance training as a crucial part of midlife wellness, emphasising that heavy lifting not only improves muscle mass but also supports cognitive function by reducing inflammation, enhancing metabolic health, and supporting hormone regulation—all essential factors in maintaining cognitive clarity during menopause. For women with dyslexia, these benefits may translate to improved memory, greater focus, and enhanced executive functioning, providing more tools to navigate daily cognitive demands.
Dr. Lisa Mosconi, a neuroscientist specializing in women’s brain health, further emphasizes that physical exercise can counteract the cognitive decline seen in menopause. In her book “The Menopause Brain,” Mosconi explains that physical activity, particularly resistance training, increases blood flow to the brain, which supports areas like the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. Both regions are vital for memory and executive functioning—areas where women with dyslexia often struggle. Mosconi’s research highlights that women who exercise regularly show a slower rate of cognitive decline, reinforcing the importance of resistance training as part of a menopause support strategy.
How to Exercise for Optimal Brain Health
For women navigating both dyslexia and menopause, incorporating a consistent exercise routine with a focus on heavy resistance training can yield cognitive benefits. Here are some practical strategies:
1. Structured Strength Sessions: Aim for two to three days a week of resistance training targeting major muscle groups. Exercises like squats, deadlifts, and lunges not only build physical strength but also support cognitive resilience by stimulating neural pathways and increasing blood flow to the brain.
2. Prioritize Progressive Overload: Progressive overload, or gradually increasing the weight lifted over time, is essential for maximizing the cognitive benefits of strength training. This approach stimulates growth in muscle and brain health alike, helping to support brain structures like the hippocampus that are crucial for memory and language.
3. Incorporate Balance and Coordination Work: Exercises that involve balance and coordination, like kettlebell swings or resistance band exercises, engage multiple brain regions and enhance neuroplasticity, aiding memory and executive function—two areas affected by both dyslexia and menopause.
4. Increase instensity and decrease duration: All women experiencing cognitive challenges related to menopause which may be further compounded with underlying neurodivergent conditions, benefit from sprint interval training (SIT) and high-intesity interval training (HIIT) to intentionally spike cortisol levels.
The Cortisol Exercise Connection
There’s often confusion around how cortisol responds to exercise, especially concerning intensity. Cortisol is essential during exercise, helping regulate metabolism, thermoregulation, and cardiovascular function. According to Dr. Stacy Sims, moderate intensity endurance exercise such as long-distance running, cycling, etc. can keep cortisol elevated for extended periods, which increases circulating cortisol (cortisolemia). On the otherhand, short burst of intense anaerobic activity causes brief, significant spikes, particularly during rest intervals. These spikes support muscle repair and adaptation, leading to overall positive training effects. Most importantly, however, regular intensity training lowers lowers basal cortisol concentrations over time, debunking the myth that women should avoid SIT andHIIT due to increases in baseline cortisol levels.
For women with dyslexia navigating menopause, incorporating strength training and instensity interval training into their routines regularly can therefore serve as a dual benefit—physical strength during a phase of life that results in decreasing mauscle mass, and supporting both cognitive health that often presents new mental challenges.
Conclusion
Menopause may amplify dyslexic symptoms, but a balanced approach that involves a strategically designed physical training and exercise can help women navigate these challenges. As research continues to highlight the benefits of exercise on brain health, it’s clear that physical fitness is essential for cognitive resilience, empowering women to take control over their mental and physical well-being during this pivotal life stage.
Ready to harness the incredible benefits of SIT and resistance training?
If you live here in the Comox Valley, sign up for an energizing Women’s Strength and Stamina class at Broken Squirrel Wellness. These science-backed workouts are specifically designed for women in midlife, helping to boost metabolism, build lean muscle mass, and enhance mental clarity and cognitive well-being. Classes are perfect for all fitness levels for women at any stage or age in life.
Experience the power of targeted high intesity exercise that has been clinically proven to lower baseline cortisol levels, increase stress resilience, and improve cognitive function – especially beneficial during menopause.
References
Berent-Spillson, A., Marsh, C., Persad, C., Randolph, J., Zubieta, J. K., & Smith, Y. (2017). Metabolic and hormone influences on emotion processing during menopause. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 76, 218-225. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.08.026
British Dyslexia Association. (2024, April 22). Stress and dyslexia. https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/news/stress-and-dyslexia
Conde, D. M., Verdade, R. C., Valadares, A. L. R., Mella, L. F. B., Pedro, A. O., & Costa-Paiva, L. (2021). Menopause and cognitive impairment: A narrative review of current knowledge. World Journal of Psychiatry, 11(8), 412-428. https://doi.org/10.5498/wjp.v11.i8.412
International Dyslexia Association. (2002). Definition of dyslexia. https://dyslexiaida.org/definition-of-dyslexia/
Mosconi, L. (2024). The menopause brain: New science empowers women to navigate their transition with knowledge and confidence. Avery, Penguin Publishing Group.
Lethaby A, Hogervorst E, Richards M, Yesufu A, Yaffe K. Hormone replacement therapy for cognitive function in postmenopausal women. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2008 Jan 23;2008(1):CD003122. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD003122.pub2. PMID: 18254016; PMCID: PMC6599876.
P. M. Maki & N. G. Jaff (2022): Brain fog in menopause: a health-care professional’s guide for decision-making and counseling on cognition, Climacteric, DOI: 10.1080/13697137.2022.2122792
Berent-Spillson, A., Marsh, C., Persad, C., Randolph, J., Zubieta, J.-K., & Smith, Y. (2017). Metabolic and hormone influences on emotion processing during menopause. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 76, 218-225. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.08.026
Sims, S. (n.d.). Midlife women can and should do high intensity exercise. Dr. Stacy Sims. https://www.drstacysims.com/blog/Midlife-Women-Can-and-Should-Do-High-Intensity-Exercise
Wong, C., Yip, B. H. K., Gao, T., Lam, K. Y. Y., Woo, D. M. S., Yip, A. L. ,Wong, S. Y. S. (2018). Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) or Psychoeducation for the Reduction of Menopausal Symptoms: A Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trial. Scientific Reports, 8(1), 6609. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-24945-4
Yu, C. (2024, August 27). Exercise tips menopause. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/21/well/move/exercise-tips-menopause.html
