Moms and Dads

8 Tips to Fight Mom Brain and Get Your Sharpness Back

by Gretchen Gatan Fragada
May 13, 2022

Sleep deprivation, exhaustion, and hormones can result in mom brain.

Did you change your baby’s diaper twice even if it was clean? Can’t remember where you placed your phone—only to find it in the refrigerator? Looking for your glasses and then realizing that you’re already wearing them? If these things are happening to you, you might be suffering from mom brain. And that’s completely normal during the early days of motherhood.

A 2017 study showed that expecting women experience changes in gray matter volume during pregnancy and beyond. In addition, this cellular activity is most pronounced in the frontal and temporal lobes. These are responsible for helping us perform everyday cognitive tasks—including social interaction.

But all hope is not lost because there are different ways you can combat mom brain and get your sharpness back. Here are some tips you can follow.

Tips to Fight Mom Brain

1. Write down to-do lists

The first is an obvious tip to avoid forgetting anything. Writing down a list by hand forces your brain to process information in a more detailed way. This helps you successfully load that information into your memory!

But if you don’t have the luxury of time or you find writing down lists too tedious, you can download an app. Aside from the Notes app on iPhones that now includes a checklist feature, there are many others such as Todoist or Habitica.

2. Set alarms and reminders

If you have important events or things to do, be sure to set an alarm or reminder on your phone. For good measure, turn the volume up to avoid missing it!

3. Prepare everything you need the night before

Do you have an appointment with your baby’s pediatrician early in the morning? Or are you visiting your parents for the weekend? To prevent forgetting anything, create a checklist of the things you need to pack and prepare everything the night before. This way, you’re fighting mom brain and less likely to forget anything.

4. Eat well

Between nursing frequently and never-ending diaper changes, it can be hard to focus on putting together healthy and balanced meals. But try to load up on fruits and vegetables that are rich in antioxidants. Not only will these feed your belly—they’ll feed your mind as well.

Aside from broccoli, oranges, and spinach, you can snack on nuts, eggs, green tea, dark chocolate, and coffee!

5. Take your vitamins

Continue drinking your prenatal vitamins to foster the growth of brain and nerve cells needed for learning. Additionally, drinking vitamins can help lessen postpartum hair fall.

6. Get moving

If you still have some energy left and the baby is sleeping, try moving around even for just 10 minutes. It can be as simple as going up and down the stairs a few times. Or, if you’re rocking the baby to sleep, try doing semi-squats or lunges!

Moving your body helps release endorphins, reduce fatigue, and enhance your overall ability to relax. Not to mention, it can sharpen your mental acuity by getting more blood flow and oxygen to the brain. Lastly, it increases the production of hormones that promote the growth of brain cells.

7. Play games that challenge your brain

The perfect time to do this is when you’re breastfeeding—which can get pretty boring especially in the middle of the night when you have no one to talk to. Playing games like sudoku, a memory game, or Solitaire can help sharpen your thinking skills.

8. Nap (if you can)

Last but least is to nap—which can be difficult but not impossible! Even just a 20-minute nap can help you recharge because more sleep means more brain capacity. According to the National Sleep Foundation, 20 minutes is the ideal amount of downtime to improve overall alertness and performance.

Sharpen your memory and say goodbye to mom brain

Following these tips can help you feel better and improve your mood. But don’t feel bad if it doesn’t happen overnight. Give yourself some time and don’t pressure yourself to do everything!