I’ll be honest. I’m not into gadgets.
And I’ve been sitting on the fence about continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) for a long time.
They’re not new. They’ve been around for years, and for a while they felt like another health trend that promised insight but risked creating more noise, more data, and more anxiety. I never felt compelled to try one myself.
But recently, a few of my clients, particularly women in midlife struggling with persistent brain fog, energy crashes and fatigue, where the cause wasn’t immediately obvious, made we wonder…
So I decided it was time to stop theorising and run the experiment on myself.
For the last two weeks, I’ve been wearing a CGM and tracking my blood glucose responses.
Not just to food, but also to exercise, stress, sleep disruption and emotional load.
I wasn’t expecting to discover anything groundbreaking.
But I’ll happily admit this: my scepticism needs revising.
What the Data Actually Showed Me
What became clear very quickly was how easy it is to experience frequent blood sugar spikes without realising it, especially for women who eat “pretty well” and don’t see themselves as having blood sugar issues.
An “energy” bar.
A slice of cake after lunch.
A rushed meal on a stressful day.
For me, it was a “pick me up” chocolate bar (only a half…😋)
On their own, these didn’t feel dramatic. But on the CGM graph, the spikes were unmistakable. And what followed was even more telling.
↳ A sharp rise, followed by a dip.
↳ And then… brain fog.
↳ And then fatigue.
The mental heaviness, the loss of clarity, the “why can’t I think straight?” feeling. It all lined up.
This was a powerful reminder that for many women, brain fog isn’t random, hormonal or inevitable.
Sometimes, it’s metabolic. And happening quietly, repeatedly, and without obvious warning signs.
Why This Matters for Women in Midlife 🤔
In midlife, our tolerance for glucose swings often changes.
Hormonal shifts, changes in muscle mass, sleep disruption and chronic stress can all make blood sugar regulation less resilient than it once was.
For some women, this shows up as:
🙁 Brain fog
🙁 Chronic tiredness
🙁 Energy crashes mid-morning or mid-afternoon
🙁 Feeling “wired but exhausted”
🙁 Increased cravings for sugar or caffeine
And yet, many of these women are told their blood tests are “normal”.
A CGM doesn’t diagnose anything, but it shows patterns.
And sometimes, seeing those patterns in real time is the missing piece that allows sustainable change to happen.
Do I Think Everyone Needs a CGM?
No. Absolutely not.
And I don’t believe constant tracking is helpful (or healthy) for all people.
But I do think CGMs can be incredibly useful short-term tools in specific situations.
What struck me the most from wearing a CGM was the visual proof.
Seeing the frequent blood sugar spikes in real time.
It was a reminder that for many women, these hidden fluctuations could be the reason behind persistent symptoms like brain fog, fatigue, and low energy.
Where does it leave us?
Sometimes the solution doesn’t require drastic measures. It can be as simple as changing the pattern of snacks and meals.
Choosing foods that stabilise blood sugar. More plants, protein, and fibre. And reducing frequent sugary snacks can make a huge difference.
Even foods marketed as “healthy,” like some oat bars or energy bars, can cause spikes and contribute to the problem.
Sitting down for a meal and eating mindfully, rather than grabbing something on the go, can make a real difference.
For me, this small experiment reinforced an important lesson:
seeing your own body’s response can make healthy changes obvious, practical, and achievable.
If you want help making these swaps easy, request my Healthy Protein Snack Guide (hit reply to this email).
It’s packed with practical ideas to stabilise blood sugar, boost energy, and support brain clarity.
Want more support with brain fog or other menopause symptoms?
You can book a free 1:1 Get My Balance Back Call to explore your options.
And stay tuned for my future online and in-person events (coming up soon!) 😊