Many women have found that their ability to sleep and remember things well can take a hit during menopause. Fortunately, these changes are likely to be temporary.Faubion pointed out that there are many reasons why a woman could have sleep issues during menopause, not just hot flashes. “Women can also develop a primary sleep disorder, like obstructive sleep apnea or restless legs syndrome, during this time,” she said. “Any sleep disturbance is a concern always because poor sleep is associated with worse health outcomes over time, so a doctor visit is always warranted.”As for brain fog and memory lapses during perimenopause, most women will fully recover as their hormonal levels even out. As for what role, if any, hot flashes play in cognitive function, that’s not yet clear. Two leading researchers wrote in a 2020 review article that it’s too soon to establish a cause-and-effect relationship between hot flashes and brain health but that treating hot flashes might turn out to help with brain fog.