118: What Every Woman Needs to Know About Mental Load

You’re trying to remember groceries, doctors’ appointments, meetings, bills, and somewhere in there, you’re also supposed to take care of yourself. It's like you've got this invisible checklist that never stops running.

It's called your mental load, and research shows it’s one of the biggest reasons women in midlife feel so tired, stressed, and scattered.

And there's science to back up this phenomenon, and how, combined with perimenopause and menopause, it can lead so many of us to feel unwell mentally and phyically.

So let's dig into...

✨ Why women carry more of the mental load (and how it affects your health)

✨ What the science says about menopause and cognitive changes

✨How planning can actually free your brain

✨ Simple ways to offload and protect your energy

So, if your brain feels cluttered and overwhelmed, or your to-do list seems never-ending, this episode is your for you - or someone you care about.

It's a reminder that you don’t have to carry it all, and an invitation to start right now to put down what you shouldn't be carrying.

Keep moving forward with a lightness in your step,

Debbie 💜

P.S. Curious about working with me? Book a time to talk, it's always free: https://calendly.com/debbie-harbec-coaching/free-consultation

If you'd like to find out more about me and what I do, visit me at www.debbieharbeccoaching.com ,

Email me at debbie@debbieharbeccoaching.com,

Find me on Instragram @debbieharbec, or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/debbie.harbec.coach

Here are the references and resources mentioned in this episode:

1. Haupt, A. & Gelbgiser, D. (2023). The gendered division of cognitive household labor, mental load, and family–work conflict in European countries. https://www.andreas-haupt.com/publication/coglabes
2. Sorkhabi, S. et al. (2024). Cognitive household labor: Gender disparities and consequences for maternal mental health and wellbeing. Archives of Women’s Mental Health. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00737-024-01490-w
3. Judd, H. L. et al. (2012). Hormonal environment affects cognition independent of age during the menopause transition. Cerebral Cortex. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22730514
4. Weber, M. T. et al. (2021). Menopause and cognitive complaints: Are ovarian hormones linked with subjective cognitive decline? Menopause. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33719785
5. Harvard Health Publishing. (2023). Menopause and brain fog: What’s the link? https://www.health.harvard.edu/womens-health/menopause-and-brain-fog-whats-the-link