Guest Blog by Claudia De Voogt, Vitality Coach, Career & Business Mentor, Life Tweaker
Remember when your brain could handle a million tasks at once? You’d juggle meetings, perform at the highest level at work, multitask with ease, manage a household effortlessly, and still have energy left to meet friends after work and go out on Saturday night.
You were on a roll! But fast forward to now, and suddenly, even the simplest tasks seem like climbing a mountain. And you keep asking yourself the same thing, Why is my brain so sleepy?’ and ‘Why do my usual tricks no longer work?’.
In this blog, let’s take a look at what’s going on and, more importantly, what you can do to reclaim your mental clarity and vitality. Keep reading, as I’ll also share 5 simple tips to help you improve your focus, energy, and mental sharpness.
So, if you’re in your 40s and noticing this frustrating mental shift, you’re not alone. So many of us suddenly find ourselves struggling with brain fog, feeling overwhelmed, or noticing that tasks are taking longer than they used to. As the years go by, you start to wonder, ‘Why am I so forgetful in my 40s?’ or ‘What is brain fog, and why is it affecting me now when I should be thriving?’
Brain fog isn’t just a catchy term; it’s a real phenomenon that affects thousands of women as they move through their 40s. You may find yourself struggling to complete tasks, developing frequent headaches, or often feeling fuzzy and spaced out. If you’ve been asking, ‘Why am I experiencing brain fog in my 40s?’ these symptoms might sound all too familiar.
I’ve been there myself. My brain used to feel like it was running on 20 supercomputers, processing everything at lightning speed. But as I entered my 40s, I noticed that things started to slow down. Suddenly, it felt like there was a traffic jam in my head. The once easy mental juggling act became overwhelming, and I started to panic. And the panic created more brain fog. Trying to push through created headaches and fatigue. The more I tried, the worse it got, with more memory lapses and difficulty concentrating.
Brain fog is a range of symptoms that affect your ability to think clearly, focus, remember, concentrate and pay attention. These symptoms can make it hard to do ordinary tasks. You may lose your train of thought in the middle of a conversation, space out while listening to someone talking, or not remember the steps of something you’re doing.
As this is a personal experience, brain fog will feel slightly different for each person. It’s like trying to think through a thick cloud – everything feels slower, and tasks that once felt easy now seem nearly impossible.
Here’s what my clients rank as their top symptoms and how it affects them in their day to day:
As we age, several factors contribute to this brain slump: from hormonal changes to nutritional deficiencies. Brain fog or fuzzy brain can happen after an illness or burnout, as part of a chronic illness like fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue or Lyme, (I’ve been there), as a side effect of medication or as a symptom of something else.
Brain fog can be linked to any of these causes, which affect the brain’s neurotransmitters, making it harder to stay sharp and focused. The length of time and the depth you’ll experience brain fog can vary. In this blog I don’t want to go into health conditions, as that is a matter for another day and also a deeper conversation (with your health care professional for instance).
Instead, I want to focus on things you can impact already today yourself.
It’s easy and very common to look for an external cause for brain fog, as that is how we’ve been trained all our lives. Have a cough or the sniffles? You got it from someone else. Got a tummy ache? Injured your knee? Getting a pill from your doctor will cure it fast.
So it makes sense to look for an external cause and a prescription to fix it here too. (and you’re not wrong, there are so many external causes, which is something I cover in my programs)
But today, let’s have a look at what You are doing to cause brain fog… Yes, you.
Life in your 40s can feel like a high-speed chase. Balancing work demands, family responsibilities, and personal goals can create mental overload. You spend hours on screens, at work, going through personal emails, watching television or scrolling on social media.
You may notice more frequent headaches, memory lapses, or difficulty concentrating.
You could get away with this in your 20s and early 30s because you were younger. But we often forget that life itself was less overloaded. Maybe it was 60-80% of what you’re dealing with now. So it makes sense that something needs to change. If you keep expecting the same load of your brain as before, let alone the added load of life in this day and age, you are overloading yourself. You are causing your own brain fog because your brain simply can’t cope anymore.
This brain fog isn’t just about age – it’s about the cumulative load you put yourself through daily.
Stress is a common culprit behind brain fog. When you’re constantly juggling tasks, your brain is in a state of high alert, which can lead to burning out your reserves. It doesn’t just affect your energy levels; it can also make your brain feel sluggish and unresponsive.
As you push through, you find yourself feeling more anxious and less able to focus on even routine tasks. This brain fog isn’t just about age – it’s about the cumulative stress you put yourself through daily.
Asking more of yourself and adding more stress isn’t the answer. It’s about slowing things down before your brain slows you down.
When you’re in your 20s or 30s, it’s easy – and productive – to take shortcuts and get things done without thinking twice. Grabbing a quick salad for lunch or a pizza for dinner while continuing to work at your desk seems like a win-win. Clients tell me how they’re ironing after everyone has gone to bed or they get up early to empty the dishwasher and prepare everyone’s lunch boxes. They give up their sleep and downtime to take care of everyone else.
But as you enter your 40s, your body and brain demand more care and attention. Ignoring these needs only leads to more stress, burnout, and that dreaded brain fog.
For many women, this realization doesn’t come until they hit a wall—physically, mentally, or emotionally. For me, it was when I could barely manage my job anymore, crashing on the couch every evening, exhausted and frustrated with myself.
Fortunately, you don’t have to stay stuck in this fog. Here are five simple yet powerful tips that can help you regain your mental clarity and energy.
Breathing exercises may seem simple, but they can be incredibly effective for calming a cluttered mind. They help reduce stress, improve concentration, and enhance mental clarity.
Try taking five minutes a day to focus on your breath—inhale deeply through your nose, hold for a few seconds, and exhale slowly through your mouth. This simple practice can make a significant difference in how you feel and think throughout the day. I created a free mini-course to show you how.
If you’re feeling mentally drained, a short nap can do wonders. A quick, 15-20 minute nap can rejuvenate your mind and improve your productivity. Giving yourself permission to rest when you need it, is something I work on with many clients, because as women, we are so deeply programmed to never stop, that it sometimes is scary to watch.
Sometimes, a mental block is simply a result of staring at the same screen or focusing on the same task for too long. Take breaks to change your environment—look out of a window, stretch, or even take a short walk. This helps reduce eye strain and mental fatigue, giving your brain a chance to reset and refresh. Sometimes, this small shift is all you need to shake off that brain fog.
What you eat impacts how you feel. As I mentioned before, a light salad and slice of pizza only bring you so much. A better diet can improve your overall health and boost your mental clarity. Not only is it great for your body, but it also fuels your brain with the nutrients it needs to function at its best. Eating well can help combat the effects of aging on your brain. Check out my free mini-course for an easy recipe you can prepare in no time.
Constant exposure to news and media can increase stress and anxiety and brain fog. Try taking a break from the constant stream of news and allow your mind to calm down, focus on more positive, productive thoughts or on activities that bring you joy and relaxation.
You’ll likely find that your mood and mental clarity improve when you step away from the constant barrage of information.
It was only after hitting burnout and more that I began to understand the importance of self-care and mindful practices. The tips above were 5 of many more that helped me get my energy and clarity back. Now, I’m passionate about sharing these strategies with other women who may be struggling with similar issues.
Love what you’ve read? These tips are just the beginning. If you’re ready for more, I’ve created a free mini-course called ‘Dare to Feel Great’, where I’ll give you practical exercises and additional tips to help you reclaim your vitality.
As we age, it’s natural to face new challenges, but that doesn’t mean we have to accept a sluggish brain as the new normal. It’s not about making drastic changes overnight. It’s about making small, manageable upgrades that can lead to big improvements over time.
Don’t let brain fog hold you back. With a few small changes, you can feel like yourself again—focused, energized, and ready to take on the world.
About the author: Claudia De Voogt is a certified Havening Practitioner and Beliefs Change Practitioner with a deep passion for helping others reclaim their health and vitality. After experiencing burnout and being diagnosed with fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, and Lyme disease, Claudia was told she had to accept these conditions as her new reality. But she refused to settle. Determined to find a solution, she went on a mission to reclaim her vitality. Originally from Belgium, she made the bold decision to move to Spain, allowing her to not only fulfill a lifelong dream but also embrace a healthier lifestyle inspired by Mediterranean living. Now, Claudia shares her experiences and helps others reshape, refresh, and create a vibrant, fulfilling future.
>> Tap here to grab a free gift from Claudia – her Dare To Feel Great Tweaks!
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