Have you been feeling more anxious, tearful or less interested in things you usually enjoy? Perhaps you’re finding everyday tasks harder, or you’ve noticed you have less patience with the people closest to you.
If this sounds like you, you aren’t alone and fluctuating and declining hormones could be contributing.
In fact, in our latest patient-led analysis, more than 2,300 women reported low energy, irritability, memory problems or difficulty concentrating before treatment at Newson Clinic.
Anxiety and “not feeling yourself” were also among the symptoms with the highest average severity scores.
Estradiol, progesterone and testosterone play important roles in your brain, influencing the chemical signals involved in mood, sleep, motivation and concentration. When hormone levels fluctuate or fall, how you feel and cope with everyday life can change too.
At Newson Clinic, we see women every day who describe these changes, and many report meaningful improvements after bioidentical hormone treatment. In our analysis, average anxiety scores fell by 34%, while scores for “not feeling yourself” fell by 50%.
You can book an appointment to explore when your symptoms began and how they affect you. Your clinician will consider other possible causes and discuss safe, effective bioidentical hormone treatment.
Here are five things we want you to know about hormones and mental health.
1) Changing estradiol levels can affect your mood
Estradiol is a beneficial, anti-inflammatory form of estrogen that acts throughout your body, including your brain. It influences serotonin, dopamine and noradrenaline - chemical messengers involved in mood, motivation, concentration and your response to stress.
Want to learn more about estradiol? This article goes into more detail to help you understand your hormones.
You may notice changes in how you feel when estradiol fluctuates or falls. This can happen at several points in your life:
- Before your period: sensitivity to hormonal fluctuations can contribute to the emotional symptoms of PMS and PMDD.
- After childbirth: falling estradiol and progesterone may contribute to postnatal mood symptoms alongside other physical, psychological and social factors.
- During perimenopause and menopause: estradiol fluctuates during perimenopause and generally remains low after menopause. These changes can contribute to anxiety, irritability, low mood and difficulty concentrating.
- With premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) or surgical menopause: reduced ovarian hormone production can affect mood, sleep and concentration.
Dr Louise Newson explains more in her articles on PMS, PMDD and menopause and reproductive depression.
Book an appointment to begin the process today.
2) Progesterone does more than protect the lining of the womb
Progesterone is commonly thought of as the hormone prescribed alongside estradiol to protect the lining of the womb. But it also has important effects on the brain, influencing mood, relaxation and sleep, which is why it is also referred to as the 'calming hormone'.
Progesterone is partly converted into a substance called allopregnanolone, which enhances the effects of GABA, a chemical messenger in the brain that helps promote feelings of calmness and relaxation.
When progesterone levels fluctuate or fall, particularly during perimenopause, some women may experience increased anxiety, irritability or disrupted sleep. Conditions such as PMS and PMDD are also linked to increased sensitivity to hormonal fluctuations, and especially to increased sensitivity to changes in progesterone, in the second half of the menstrual cycle.
For many women, bioidentical progesterone treatment can help improve mood symptoms, sleep and feelings of calmness.
Learn more about progesterone in this article, or book an appointment to discuss your symptoms and treatment options.
3) A sudden hormonal change can affect how you feel
Hormones fluctuate and decline at different stages of a woman’s life, and these changes can affect how you feel.
For example, after childbirth, estradiol and progesterone levels fall rapidly. For some women, sensitivity to this change may contribute to postnatal mood symptoms.
Sleep disruption, previous mental health conditions, physical recovery and personal circumstances can also contribute. Symptoms such as persistent low mood, severe anxiety or difficulty managing daily life after birth need assessment, even if you think tiredness might explain them.
Hormone levels also drop suddenly when both ovaries are removed before natural menopause. This is called surgical menopause. The resulting abrupt fall in ovarian production of estradiol, progesterone and testosterone can result in significant mood changes, anxiety, sleep problems, as well as changes in physical symptoms such as temperature dysregulation and genitourinary symptoms.
Read Dr Louise Newson’s articles on surgical menopause here.
4) Testosterone may be relevant to persistent symptoms
Testosterone acts in your brain by binding to proteins called androgen receptors, including in areas involved in emotions and memory. It influences processes linked to mood, motivation and concentration, making it an incredibly important consideration in conversations about mental health. When it's low, many women can experience symptoms relating to their mood, general well-being, and overall zest for life.
Find out more about the benefits of testosterone in our guide.
Newson Research and researchers at Baylor College of Medicine studied 279 women with persistent hormonal symptoms despite using estradiol, with or without progesterone, for at least three months.
Three months after adding testosterone cream or gel, 49.6% reported an improvement in tearfulness and 54.8% reported improved libido. Overall, 15 of the 24 symptoms assessed showed significant improvement, including memory and concentration.
These findings add to growing evidence that testosterone may help some women with persistent emotional, cognitive and sexual symptoms.
Dr Louise Newson’s articles explain the importance of testosterone for women, and goes into more depth about the testosterone study.
Book an appointment today to discuss potential bioidentical hormone treatment that is individualised to you.
5) Hormonal symptoms can disturb sleep and make anxiety worse
Estradiol, progesterone and testosterone act in your brain and can influence how well you sleep. When these hormones fluctuate or decline, you may find it harder to drift off, stay asleep or wake up feeling refreshed and well-rested.
Hormonal changes can also contribute to fatigue, poor concentration and mood changes, which a lack of sleep can make worse. You may feel more anxious, have less patience or find everyday demands harder to manage.
Understand more about the connection between sleep and hormones with the help of Dr Louise.
You don’t need to have all the answers before asking for help
When you feel unlike yourself, finding the words to explain it can be difficult. Perhaps you’re cancelling plans you would usually look forward to, struggling to keep up with your routine or finding that small demands leave you feeling overwhelmed
At Newson Clinic, we take time to understand what has changed and how it affects your everyday life. Your clinician will ask about your symptoms, sleep, menstrual cycle, medical history and any medicines you take, alongside changes in your routine, work or relationships. These details help us explore possible causes and understand what you would most like help with.
Together, we discuss the right treatment plan for you. There’s also time to consider practical changes to your routine, such as making space for rest, finding movement you enjoy or developing more consistent sleep habits, based on what feels manageable.
Book an appointment to talk about how you’ve been feeling and what could help.
