“You can\u2019t just do random cognitive exercises,” Voskuhl told Fox News Digital at the Livelong Women\u2019s Health Summit in New York City in September. “They\u2019ve got to fit the problem.”<\/p>\n
DOCTOR REVEALS ’10-YEAR RULE’ FOR EVALUATING BRAIN FOG AND DEMENTIA SYMPTOMS<\/a><\/p>\n The problem, she said, is verbal memory. “Doing math is not going to help \u2026 You need an exercise that will help you with words.”<\/p>\n Generic brain games like Sudoku or number puzzles often fail to clear up mental fog because they do not target the specific brain functions that are slowing down. (iStock)<\/p>\n Mental fog \u2014 especially the kind triggered by midlife hormone changes during perimenopause and menopause<\/a> \u2014 impacts very specific areas of the brain, according to Voskuhl.<\/p>\n When estrogen levels drop, overall intelligence and basic logic remain completely normal. Instead, the brain takes a hit in two main areas: verbal memory (recalling names and words) and processing speed (thinking quickly under pressure), experts say.<\/p>\n FORGETTING NAMES AND LOSING KEYS MAY SIGNAL SOMETHING OTHER THAN DEMENTIA<\/a><\/p>\n Games like Sudoku and other number puzzles primarily exercise logic and math skills, so they may not improve word-recall difficulties.<\/p>\n “It\u2019s not a global problem with the brain,” Voskuhl said. “It\u2019s not global brain atrophy, but there are some regions on MRIs<\/a> and research studies that show that the hippocampus, the memory area, will have some atrophies, some functional connection issues.”<\/p>\n Effective cognitive training must match the person’s specific weakness, a neurologist said. (iStock)<\/p>\n To understand why word-based exercises may help, it is useful to distinguish between the following two stages of memory, experts say.<\/p>\n DAILY EATING HABIT LINKED TO BETTER BRAIN HEALTH IN OLDER ADULTS, NEW RESEARCH SUGGESTS<\/a><\/p>\n Encoding: How the brain takes in and stores new informationRetrieval: How the brain pulls up that stored information when it’s needed<\/p>\n Brain fog<\/a> typically affects retrieval, not encoding. The word or name is still stored safely in the memory, but the brain’s search engine is running slowly.<\/p>\n CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES<\/a><\/p>\n Building a better brain workout<\/p>\n To effectively target brain fog, Voskuhl says exercises need to focus on two things: finding words and working quickly.<\/p>\n “It\u2019s basically processing speed,” she said. “So you need an exercise that is going to be something that makes you rush, makes you do it quickly.”<\/p>\n Midlife mental fog from estrogen loss affects localized brain areas tied to verbal memory and processing speed while leaving overall IQ, math logic and general reasoning intact. (iStock)<\/p>\n The following types of exercises target processing speed and active word recall.<\/p>\n TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ<\/a><\/p>\n Timed word games: Set a 60-second timer to list as many words in a single category as possible (like naming animals or foods).Speed reading and quick summaries: Read a short article quickly, then immediately summarize it out loud in two or three sentences.Rapid recall drills: Use flashcards or picture prompts to name objects or people as fast as possible without pausing.<\/p>\n CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER<\/a><\/p>\n Experts recommend focused exercises built around speed and active word recall, such as timed category drills, flashcard recall, and rapid reading summaries. (iStock)<\/p>\n Instead of using generic puzzle apps<\/a>, Voskuhl recommends paying attention to where you stumble in daily life and picking games that match those challenges.<\/p>\n![\"Joyful](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/crossword-analog-bag.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Woman](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/woman-brain-fog.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"brains](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/brain-health-scan.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"woman](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/mature-woman-reading-book-sofa.jpg\")
<\/p>\n