Mental health changes in menopause are real. And they can take you by surprise.

Many women tell me that menopause didn’t just change their body — it changed their mind.

Low mood that comes out of nowhere.
Anxiety that feels louder than it used to.

Motivation that’s suddenly hard to find, even for things you used to enjoy.
Brain fog, overwhelm, and that constant sense of “I’m not myself anymore.”

There’s a very real physiological reason this happens.

1. Falling oestrogen affects brain chemistry

Oestrogen plays a direct role in serotonin, dopamine and GABA — neurotransmitters that influence mood, motivation, calmness and resilience.
As oestrogen declines, the brain can feel less buffered. Mood dips more easily. Stress feels sharper. Motivation can drop, even when life hasn’t changed.

This is why many women experience anxiety or low mood for the first time in perimenopause or menopause.

2. Blood sugar becomes harder to stabilise

Oestrogen helps keep blood sugar steady. When levels fall, insulin sensitivity can worsen.

Unstable blood sugar can look like:
• irritability
• anxiety
• fatigue
• low motivation
• feeling flat or teary for no clear reason

If you’re skipping meals, under-eating protein, or running on caffeine, this effect is amplified.

3. The stress response becomes more sensitive

Menopause doesn’t always mean higher cortisol — but it often means greater sensitivity to stress hormones.

Things you used to cope with suddenly feel overwhelming.
Sleep disruption worsens mood regulation.
Your nervous system stays switched on longer.

This can show up as:
• anxiety or panic
• feeling wired but exhausted
• emotional reactivity
• loss of confidence or drive

The important part

If your mental health feels different in menopause, it’s not because you’re weak, unmotivated, or “just not coping anymore”.

Your physiology has changed.

Supporting mental health in menopause starts with:
• stabilising blood sugar
• supporting nervous system regulation
• addressing hormonal shifts, not ignoring them
• reducing pressure to “push through”

You don’t need to become someone else to feel better.
You need support that works with your changing hormones.

If this feels familiar, you’re not alone — and there are practical, gentle ways forward.