Welcome! This blog is the first in a two-part series for Menopause Awareness Month. Here, we’ll explore what’s really happening with your hormones as you move through perimenopause to post menopause-the changes that can affect your periods, mood, sleep, energy, and more.
Understanding these shifts is the first step to feeling more in control. In the next blog, we’ll focus on the practical side: lifestyle choices that can help keep your hormones balanced and support your overall wellbeing.
The hormones at the heart of it
There are three main hormones that play the biggest role during this transition:
- Oestrogen – keeps your cycle regular, supports bone strength, skin health, vaginal tissue, and even brain function.
- Progesterone – helps regulate sleep, mood, and balances oestrogen.
- Testosterone – yes, women have it too! It contributes to energy, strength, and libido.
Perimenopause: The in-between years
Perimenopause usually begins in your 40s, sometimes earlier, and can last several years. This is the stage before your periods stop completely. The tricky part? Hormone levels don’t simply fall; they fluctuate, sometimes dramatically.
- Oestrogen can spike one week and drop the next, leading to irregular, heavier, or unexpectedly light periods.
- Progesterone gradually declines, which may bring sleep disturbances, anxiety, or worsening PMS-like symptoms.
- Testosterone begins to dip, affecting energy and libido.
Common signs: hot flushes, night sweats, mood swings, brain fog, or waking at odd hours.
Menopause: The official milestone
Menopause is confirmed when you haven’t had a period for 12 months in a row. The average age here in the UK is around 51.
- Oestrogen levels drop more permanently, often bringing hot flushes, vaginal dryness, and skin changes.
- Progesterone is already very low.
- Testosterone continues to decline gradually.
Common signs: hot flushes peaking, changes in skin and hair, shifts in weight or body shape, and reduced energy.
Post menopause: Your new hormone baseline
Once you’ve passed the one-year mark without a period, you’re considered postmenopausal. Hormones have settled into a new steady level.
- Oestrogen remains low long-term, which can affect bones, heart health, and cognitive function.
- Progesterone is essentially absent.
- Testosterone remains low but stable.
Common signs: hot flushes often ease, but vaginal dryness or urinary changes can continue. This stage is also important for protecting bone and heart health.
When to Seek Support
While menopause is a natural stage of life, that doesn’t mean you need to “just put up with it.” It’s a good idea to speak with a healthcare professional if you experience:
- Heavy or unpredictable bleeding
- Sleep disruption, hot flushes, or fatigue affecting daily life
- Significant mood changes or anxiety
- Painful sex or ongoing vaginal discomfort
- Concerns about bone strength or heart health
Support options range from lifestyle changes and natural approaches to non-hormonal treatments or hormone replacement therapy (HRT). The key is finding what works for you.
A Final Thought
Menopause isn’t an ending – it’s a transition into a new chapter. Understanding what’s happening with your hormones can take away some of the mystery and help you feel more in control.
Keep an eye out for part two of this series, where we’ll explore lifestyle medicine – practical habits around food, movement, sleep, and stress that can help keep your hormones balanced and support your wellbeing.
