Here's why you might be feeling out of sorts!

Do you feel like you’ve lost your mojo? Maybe you’re finding it exhausting running about after the kids. Maybe you’ve got unexplained aches and pains. Maybe you feel a bit bigger round your middle. Maybe you’re forgetting things. Maybe you find yourself snapping at loved ones more often…….

BUT, you have no idea what is going on and you put it down to the weather, or stress at work, or the busy-ness of the summer holidays. You may even just brush it off and try and ignore it.

Had you thought about it potentially being down to peri-menopause though? You may well not be thinking ‘menopause’ at the moment (the average age for this official stage of life is 52), but there is still that lead up time (peri-menopause), so chances are, if you’re in your forties, these issues may be to do with that.

So, hormonal changes happen a long time before the menopause arrives, but so many of us have literally zero clue about what this peri-menopause stage actually is, least of all the symptoms that come with it, so here’s a very simple low down:

Menopause is officially when you’ve not had a period for a whole year, but peri-menopause is when you will see some changes to your cycle. You could become more irregular, heavier, lighter, longer, shorter. This is where it’s really useful to track your cycle with an app like Clue so you know what’s going on.

And it’s not just the hormones affecting your menstrual cycle. A decline in progesterone can impact on your sleep cycle. You may have disrupted sleep or simply find it harder to get to sleep. This lack of quality sleep can then impact on your mood, your stress levels, your energy levels and your ability to focus and remember things.

And there’s also the decline in oestrogen which impacts your body fat, muscle mass and bone density. This can result in those muscular and joint aches and pains and that weight gain round the middle.

Yes, it doesn’t paint a rosy picture I realise, but it may be the reason you’re feeling the way you are. And, there are things you can do about it. Don’t let it get to the point where you’re crippled with fatigue or battling night sweats (although fingers crossed you don’t get there!) – now you know what it might be, get working on it!

For some, creating healthy habits (look at your exercise, nutrition, hydration, sleep, stress management) will be enough, but some might need more of a kick (HRT). Everyone is different. We’ll all have different symptoms and we’ll all react differently to the ‘solutions’, so pick which works for you.

My intention here isn’t to scare you about what’s to come, more to equip you with the knowledge so that you can effectively plan your next chapter. And of course I have to caveat this as I'm not a medical professional - how you feel may be down to something else entirely, so do speak to your doctor!

I want to help empower you to take control of your journey and if you’d like to learn more about creating the healthy habits I mentioned, then come and join me for my upcoming Midlife RESET challenge. Register your interest here. It's free. It starts on the 20 Sept and it's only for 5 days!