ADHD Meets Perimenopause: Why Your Focus (and Energy) Feels Shot—and How to Get It Back

“I used to call it brain fog. Now I know it’s a full-on hormone-fueled attention tornado.”

Welcome to the wild mashup of ADHD and perimenopause, where your already-busy brain now has to navigate dropping estrogen, spiking cortisol, and the kind of brain fog that makes you forget why you walked into the kitchen (again).

If you’re wondering why you can’t seem to focus like you used to—or why the things that used to be “manageable” now feel overwhelming—you’re not alone. For many women, perimenopause doesn’t just bring hot flashes and mood swings. It also amplifies ADHD symptoms—or unmasks them entirely.

So let’s break down what’s going on, how to tell if ADHD is at play, and how to reclaim your midlife energy (without needing five coffees and a personal assistant).

The ADHD + Perimenopause Collision: What’s Really Happening?

You know estrogen, right? That powerhouse hormone that keeps your skin plump, your moods stable, and your brain firing on all cylinders? Well, it’s also BFFs with dopamine and serotonin—the brain chemicals responsible for motivation, focus, and feeling good.

Here’s the kicker:
🌀 As estrogen drops in perimenopause, dopamine and serotonin take a hit too.
🌀 Lower dopamine = more ADHD-like symptoms (hello procrastination, distractibility, and “wait, where’s my phone?” moments).
🌀 Executive function—the brain’s CEO—is suddenly working part-time.

And if you already have ADHD? These hormonal shifts can crank your symptoms to an 11.

This is why so many women in midlife are being diagnosed with ADHD for the first time—or realizing the “scatterbrained” version of them from school never went away.

My Real-Life Rollercoaster: When Focus Goes Rogue

Running my own business gives me the freedom to set my schedule, which sounds perfect for someone with ADHD in perimenopause. But let me tell you—freedom without structure is a double-edged sword.

When I’m obsessed with a project (like writing this blog), I fall into hyperfocus. I’ll work for hours without eating, stretching, and holding my bladder till it's about to burst! It feels brilliant in the moment—like I’m riding a creative wave—but my body pays for it later. This is why I’ve learned to make leftovers every time I cook. Future-me is terrible at stopping for meals, so Past-me has to save her.

On the flip side? When I’m not jazzed about a task—like making social media videos—I avoid it like the plague. I’ll busy myself with “productive” distractions like reorganizing my Canva folders or tweaking my to-do list for the tenth time. Important? Not really.

This pendulum swing—between intense focus and complete avoidance—is classic ADHD. Add perimenopause brain fog and energy dips, and it’s a recipe for frustration.

How to Tell If It’s ADHD, Perimenopause—or Both

Here’s a little self-check:

✅ Struggling with focus way more than you used to
✅ Forgetting names, dates, or why you opened that browser tab
✅ Procrastinating on “boring” tasks and overworking on fun ones
✅ Feeling emotionally reactive or scattered
✅ Losing track of time (and meals!) when engrossed in something

Sound familiar? Whether it’s ADHD, perimenopause, or the combo, the good news is—you can work with your brain instead of against it.

Your Midlife Brain Survival Guide

🍳 Fuel Your Brain with Protein

When your estrogen dips in perimenopause, it drags down dopamine and serotonin too—the brain chemicals that keep you focused, motivated, and emotionally steady. Add ADHD to the mix and you’ve got a recipe for blood sugar crashes that wreck concentration and mood.

Here’s why protein matters: it provides the amino acids (like tyrosine and tryptophan) your brain needs to make dopamine and serotonin. Pair it with healthy fats and fiber to keep blood sugar steady—and say goodbye to the “I was fine, and now I’m hangry and crying over a TikTok” spiral.

✨ Quick win: My 10-Day Protein Challenge teaches you how to eat for steady energy—even on your most distracted days.

🥗 Make Meals ADHD-Friendly

Cooking every night? Forget it. Decision fatigue and executive dysfunction make it nearly impossible when your brain is already overloaded. Enter: batch prep.

Prepping in advance—like filling your fridge with my 10 Epic Mason Jar Salads for Midlife Women—means future-you doesn’t have to think. These grab-and-go meals save your sanity on days when you’re too hyper focused to cook or too scattered to plan.

🌀 Why it works: Research shows women with ADHD often struggle with consistent meal routines, leading to erratic eating patterns that spike cortisol and mess with energy levels. Prepping ahead eliminates that barrier.

⏲️ Work With Your Brain, Not Against It

ADHD brains aren’t wired for boring tasks. They crave novelty and dopamine, which means you’re more likely to start reorganizing your spice rack than finish your taxes. Add perimenopause brain fog, and it’s next-level tricky.

✨ The science: Our prefrontal cortex (aka your brain’s CEO) struggles with planning, prioritizing, and resisting distractions when estrogen and dopamine are low. But you can “outsmart” it:

• ✅ Use visual timers or apps to break work into 25-minute chunks with 5-minute movement breaks. This keeps dopamine flowing and prevents burnout.

• ✅ Set phone alarms as cues to eat, move, and hydrate.

• ✅ Schedule a fun task or reward (like watching your favorite show) after completing a less appealing one.

This isn’t just productivity—it’s dopamine management.

💖 Prioritize Self-Care (Even When You Don’t Feel Like It)

This season isn’t about hustling harder—it’s about protecting your nervous system. Chronic stress spikes cortisol, which wrecks sleep, focus, and even hormone balance.

✨ The science: High cortisol from unrelenting stress blunts estrogen’s effects on your brain, amplifying ADHD symptoms and emotional reactivity. The antidote? Regular nervous system resets:

• 🌿 Take 5 deep belly breaths to activate your vagus nerve.

• 🚶‍♀️ Go for a 10-minute walk outdoors (nature lowers cortisol).

• 📱 Park your phone in another room during breaks to avoid dopamine-depleting scroll sessions.

Your brain and body aren’t broken—they’re just asking for care.

Ready to Reclaim Your Energy?

If ADHD + perimenopause has left you feeling frazzled, my What’s Zapping Your Midlife Energy? Quiz can help you spot your energy drains—and start fixing them. It’s fast, fun, and eerily accurate.

Because you don’t have to live in a cycle of overwhelm and exhaustion. Your midlife brain is still brilliant—it just needs a little extra support.

📝 Final Takeaway

Perimenopause can magnify ADHD symptoms, but it can also be the wake-up call to finally start supporting your brain and body in a way that works for YOU. Whether that’s meal prepping for future-you, setting boundaries with your time, or seeking medical support—it’s all part of the journey.

You’re not lazy. You’re not failing. You’re just hormonally wired a little differently right now—and that’s OK.

So let’s make midlife your most focused, vibrant chapter yet.

Hormonally yours,

Kimberlee Erin

Just a heads-up: I’m a Certified Menopause Coaching Specialist and Holistic Nutritionist, and while I love sharing what’s worked for me and my clients, this blog is for informational purposes only. It’s not a substitute for medical advice. Always check in with your healthcare provider before starting new supplements, hormones, or treatments—especially since every woman’s perimenopause journey is different. You deserve personalized care that truly fits you.