You've been told your hormones make you irrational.That menopause means cognitive decline, your emotions are just chemistry gone wrong, and your brain is simply too complicated to understand.Science says otherwise.

This week's guest, Dr. Sarah McKay, is a neuroscientist, author, and brain health expert who's spent her career dismantling the myths we've been told about women's brains. From the idea that we're slaves to our hormones to the fear that menopause means inevitable decline, Sarah brings data, nuance, and hope to conversations that have been shaped by outdated stereotypes for far too long.

We explore:

• Why male and female brains are more similar than different, and how cultural context shapes the differences we do see

• The surprising truth about PMS: how rates vary from 12% in France to 90% in Iran

• Why the stereotype that women are "more emotional" isn't backed by science

• How your brain actually changes during menopause

• The real relationship between hormones, sleep, and brain fog

• Why early puberty affects girls and boys so differently

• What brain networks do when estrogen declines

• The truth about HRT and brain health: what the data actually shows

• How expectations and cultural narratives create the experiences we have

  
  

Sarah doesn't dismiss women's struggles or minimize real symptoms. Instead, she offers something more powerful: the understanding that our brains are not broken, fragile, or at the mercy of our biology. They're sophisticated, adaptive, and capable of remarkable reorganization throughout our lives.

This isn't about toxic positivity or dismissing genuine challenges. It's about recognizing that the stories we've been told about women's brains, that we're irrational, unstable, or declining, aren't just wrong. They're actively shaping our reality.

Love,

Sarah Ann 💛

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If you enjoyed this episode, you might also like:⁠Dr. Stacy Sims EXPOSES the Myths Hurting Women's Health | Fasting, Protein & Exercisehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1uksGzoick&t

Ellen Langer: The Mind Can Slow Down an Aging Bodyhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGpNMy1VxsY&t

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Sign up to Sarah’s Compassionate Cure newsletter: 

Science Simplified, Health Humanised. Join thousands in exploring actionable insights that prioritise compassion, clarity, and real-life impact. https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/

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Highlights:

Introduction (0:00:00)

Sex Differences in Brain Anatomy (0:01:05)

How Culture Shapes Gender Influences (0:04:38)

PMS & Emotions: Are Women Really More Sensitive?(0:09:42)

Global Stats: How Common is PMS Around the World? (0:14:54)

Anxiety & Depression Statistics (0:22:35)

Gender Roles, Social Conditioning & Brain Behavior (0:29:38)

Women's Neuroscience: Progress, Challenges, and Representation (0:37:58)

Menopause Brain Fog: What Science Really Says (0:40:39)

Menopause and Cognitive Gains: Surprising Brain Benefits (0:44:58)

How HRT Impacts Brain Health (0:51:17)

How Women Can Improve Brain Health & Longevity (1:06:16)

What Living Well Means to Dr. Sarah McKay (1:08:48)

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