The Menopause Symptoms Nobody Warned You About

The menopause symptoms nobody warned you about can be some of the most surprising and concerning. I’m talking about the ones that also don’t show up on a blood test or any kind of scan – which includes low mood.

These symptoms, as with all peri and menopause symptoms can vary hugely person to person,  but widely speaking, these symptoms can be harder to diagnose and there’s no blood test checklist to prove it.

Low Mood and Not Feeling Like Yourself

As oestrogen levels fluctuate and decline, so does the activity of serotonin and dopamine. These are the neurotransmitters that regulate your mood and motivation. Because of this, many people going through menopause, find themselves sitting with low mood and a hard to describe symptom of just not feeling like themselves.

Experiencing this isn’t a sign of weakness. It is the result of a hormonal shift happening in your brain and body – which is bound to impact how you feel.

When you add in disrupted sleep, the psychological weight of life changes, and the relentless pressure many women carry all the time - low mood makes complete sense!

Anxiety

Anxiety in menopause often arrives out of nowhere and can feel really debilitating.

I want to share something personal about my journey…In 2024, I flew somewhere and spent the entire flight convinced the plane was going to crash into a mountain. I have never been an anxious flyer. This experience was overwhelming and, honestly, frightening – not just because of the thoughts I was having but primarily because I didn't recognise that version of myself!

That's what hormonal anxiety can feel like. Not a gradual build of anxious thoughts but a sudden visitor that marches onto the scene and dominates. If this sounds familiar, please be reassured, it’s not you unravelling – it’s your hormones talking (and you don’t always have to listen)!

Loss of Confidence & Brain Fog

One of the more talked about symptoms of menopause is probably brain fog – at least these days it’s being talked about more and more. Something that isn’t spoken about as often is the loss of confidence you can feel in yourself.

These symptoms can manifest in ways such as: walking into a room and forgetting why, losing your train of thought mid-sentence and second-guessing yourself constantly.

This is your brain biology, not personal failure. The hormone oestrogen is deeply involved in your cognitive function, memory and mental clarity, so it’s to be expected that as oestrogen fluctuates your brain genuinely works differently. Questioning yourself, feeling less confident in things that used to be a breeze – unfortunately, it can just be part of the process but you will come out the other side of it, particularly if you can find some support.

The good news about all of these symptoms is that some simple lifestyle choices can help to improve them. These aren’t ground breaking, never heard before secrets…it’s about going back to basics with:

• good hydration

• nutritionally balanced meals and

• most importantly – moving your body

I cannot explain the positive impact that movement has given me. I have always enjoyed being active but over the last 18 months I have really pushed my body to see what I am capable of and it turns out exploring this is really fun (and rewarding)! I encourage you to try new sports and clubs and find what gives you a buzz. 

I love this quote from P!NK

“The older I get, the more I see how women are described as having gone mad when what they have actually become is knowledgeable and powerful and f**cking furious”

Let me help you regain your power.

If this resonates and you'd like dedicated time to explore your own symptoms and options, my 1 Hour to Clarity is a one-to-one space to do exactly that – you can purchase peace of mind here.

And if you'd like a clear, straightforward introduction to menopause; what it is, why it happens, the symptoms and how to manage them, my Menopause eBook covers it all in one place for just £20 – buy yours here.