Hello Sister! Do you feel moody? Are you experiencing menopausal symptoms? Are you over 40? I am here to tell you it is completely normal and want to help you understand the possible causes of moodiness with popular reasons. 

Hormonal changes are a natural part of aging. They can affect your mood, energy level, and even cause changes to your body composition. While it’s normal to experience some hormonal fluctuations as you get older, they can be caused by other factors too. Understanding the causes of these fluctuations will help you manage them better so that they don’t affect your life in a negative way.

Poor Nutrition

It is important to note that poor nutrition can cause hormonal imbalance and weight gain. Weight gain leads to more stress and anxiety, which then causes a rise in the hormone cortisol. This, in turn, leads to mood swings and depression. Even if you’re not experiencing these symptoms now, they may surface later on in life as your body ages – so it’s best to nip this problem in the bud by making some minor changes now rather than waiting until it becomes too late!

Inadequate Sleep

Inadequate sleep is a major culprit behind hormonal changes in women over 40. As we age, our circadian rhythms—the 24-hour cycles that regulate when we feel sleepy and awake—slowly shift towards later wake times. This shift can cause us to feel tired at night and wake up earlier than we want to on the weekend, which can lead to feelings of fatigue and lethargy during the day.

In addition to this natural change in our circadian rhythm as we get older, many factors can affect how much sleep you’re getting:

  • Shift work or inconsistent work hours
  • Stress
  • Lack of sunlight exposure (especially during winter months)

Gut Problems

You’ve probably heard that your gut is the second brain, but did you also know that it contains more neurotransmitters than the brain?

The gut-brain connection is very important in hormone production. Hormones produced in the gut can send messages to the brain, which then sends messages back to the gut—and vice versa. This two-way communication helps regulate healthy digestion and regular bowel movements. In fact, when one part of this system doesn’t work correctly (for example, if you have a digestive disorder or sensitivity), it can throw off your entire hormonal balance!

Stress

Stress is another major cause of hormonal changes in women over 40. Stress causes the adrenal glands to produce the stress hormone cortisol, which can lead to a range of symptoms, including weight gain and cravings for sweets.

In fact, one study found that women who reported experiencing high levels of stress were more likely to have higher BMIs than those with low levels of stress. Other research has shown that psychological distress—including depression—can also increase your risk for obesity.

Sedentary Lifestyle and Lack of Exercise

  • Inactivity and lack of exercise can cause hormone fluctuations. This is true for both men and women.
  • Exercise is good for you! If you don’t like to exercise, try it anyway — the more you do it, the easier it gets.
  • Exercise can help with stress by allowing you to move out of your head space (a problem many people have) into your body space (where problems are addressed).
  • Exercise helps with sleep by calming down the mind before bedtime so that it doesn’t race with anxious thoughts or worries about things that happened during the day. It also helps keep cortisol levels down at night so that you aren’t awake because your body’s stress response system is working overtime on its own when all it needs is some shut-eye time!

Let’s get to the core and discover the common causes of hormone fluctuations as you enter menopause.

Menopause is the stage of life when menstruation stops and hormone production decreases. It’s a natural part of aging for many women, but it can cause irregular periods, hot flashes and other conditions that may be uncomfortable for you.

In general, as you age:

  • Your body produces less estrogen (the main female sex hormone)
  • Your ovaries produce fewer eggs (or none at all)

Conclusion

The main takeaway from this article is that hormonal changes are common during menopause. However, they can be managed by taking steps to improve your health and lifestyle. If you’re experiencing symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats, it’s important to seek medical help from a doctor or gynecologist who can prescribe appropriate treatment options such as hormone therapy.

I would love to hear your thoughts, so feel free to add your comments below. Let me know if you would like any recommendations, I am here to help you sister!

Sisters support sisters, so let’s support each other! Use the share buttons in this article for your social media accounts so more women can get help and feel great!  Click here to read more facts about midlife changes! XOXO Mary