And for many midlife women, this is the part we have not been taught to consider. We have been taught to pray about it, push through it or even sleep it off. All the while keep serving, producing, smiling and showing up for everybody else.

And yes, prayer matters. Faith matters. Counseling matters. Support matters. Medication may matter. Rest matters. But so does your brain.

Most of the time, when we talk about mental health, we talk about it in emotional terms.

We talk about worry, sadness, anxiety, depression, stress, burnout, grief, trauma, and overwhelm. All of that matters, but your brain is involved in every one of those experiences.

Your brain helps regulate your mood. It helps calm your nervous system. It helps you sleep. It helps you focus. It helps you remember. It helps you make decisions. It helps you recover from stress.

So when we talk about mental health, brain health cannot be treated like an afterthought. It belongs in the middle of the conversation. Because sometimes what we call, “I’m just tired,” “I’m overwhelmed,” “I can’t focus,” “I’m not myself,” or “I must be losing it” may actually be a brain and body signal saying, “I need support.” Do not consider that a weakness, it is wisdom.

Now let’s talk about midlife for a minute. Because midlife has a way of making a woman question herself. You walk into a room and forget why you went in there. You lose your words in the middle of a sentence. You feel more emotional than usual. You get irritated faster.
You cannot multitask like you used to. You feel mentally tired even when your calendar does not look that full.

And before you start calling yourself crazy, lazy, forgetful, or “not what you used to be,” pause.

Your brain may be asking for a different kind of support.

Your hormones may be shifting. Your sleep may be changing. Your stress load may be heavier than you realize. Your nervous system may be tired of living on high alert. Your body may be holding years of caregiving, working, leading, grieving, serving, and carrying things no one else even noticed.

Here is the reality for midlife women. Some women are not falling apart, they are overloaded. Some women are not weak, they are worn down. Some women are not losing themselves, they are finally hearing the signals their brain and body have been sending for years.

As women of faith, many of us know how to believe and definitely how to pray. We know how to quote and meditate on Scripture. We know how to encourage somebody else even when we are tired ourselves. But sometimes we have been taught, directly or indirectly, that if we are struggling mentally or emotionally, it must mean we are not praying enough, trusting enough, believing enough, or strong enough.

But here is the truth, caring for your brain is not a lack of faith, it is stewardship.

A renewed mind still needs rest. A peaceful spirit still needs sleep. A joyful heart still needs nourishment. A woman of faith still needs support. God gave you a brain. It is not unspiritual to learn how to care for it. Sometimes the most faithful thing you can do is stop shaming yourself and start supporting the body and brain God gave you.

Brain care does not have to be complicated it can start with simple, honest questions:

Am I sleeping enough?
Am I drinking enough water?
Am I eating in a way that supports my brain?
Am I moving my body?
Am I living in chronic stress without recovery?
Am I giving my brain quiet time?
Am I asking for help when I need it?
Am I pretending I am okay because everybody expects me to be strong?

This is where mental health and brain health meet real life. Because a tired brain can make life feel heavier than it really is. An overwhelmed brain can make simple decisions feel complicated.

A stressed brain can keep your body on high alert even when the danger has passed. A poorly rested brain can make your emotions louder and your patience shorter. So before you shame yourself, ask what your brain may be trying to tell you.

This Mental Health Awareness Month, I want us to widen the conversation.

Yes, let’s talk about therapy and prayer which I do with all of my clients. Let’s talk about stress, grief, depression, anxiety, and burnout. Let’s talk about support systems and safe spaces. Let’s even talk about medication when it is needed. But let’s also talk about the brain. Because the woman who wants to think clearly, feel emotionally steady, sleep better, focus longer, and walk in peace needs more than encouragement. She needs understanding, support and practical tools.  She needs permission to stop pushing through warning signs. She needs to know that caring for her brain is part of caring for her whole self.

Mental health is brain health too. And caring for your brain may be one of the most loving things you do for your mind, body, and spirit.

This week, I want you to pay attention to what your brain may be telling you.

Not with fear, shame or self-criticism, but with compassion. When you feel foggy, tired, irritable, overwhelmed, distracted, or emotionally drained, don’t just ask, “What is wrong with me?”

Instead ask yourself the question, “What kind of support does my brain need right now?”

That one question may change how you care for yourself in this season. Because you are not just trying to make it through. You are learning how to live, think, feel, and age in your right mind.

Blessings,

Dr. Janice R. Love

In Her Right Mind