Concerns
Hormones, the menopause and women's health
You sleep worse, your mood swings, your stomach feels different and your body does not respond the way it used to. Perhaps you have been told it is age, stress or 'just the menopause', as if there were nothing to be done.
It is no wonder you do not feel like yourself. Hormones change throughout life and affect sleep, weight, skin, mood and energy. Many women come to us in their forties and say exactly that: that they do not recognise themselves.
Does this sound familiar?
- You sleep worse and wake up hot or sweaty.
- Your mood swings more, and you get irritated or tearful more easily.
- Your body has changed shape even though you live as before.
- You have been told your hormones are normal, or that it is too early for the menopause.
- You want to understand what is happening, not just be told it will pass.
Why is it hard to get help?
Perimenopause can start years before periods stop, and hormones swing from month to month. A single blood test can therefore look normal, and many women are told it is not the menopause when that is exactly what it is.
At the same time, other causes give similar symptoms: low iron after heavy periods, a slow thyroid or swinging blood sugar. That takes time to untangle, and the time is rarely there.
With us, you get that time. We start from your symptoms and your cycle, take tests at the right time and look at the whole picture. If you need hormone treatment, we help you talk to your doctor or midwife.
What happens to your hormones?
From around 40, ovulation becomes more irregular. Progesterone often falls first, while oestrogen swings up and down before it falls. This affects sleep, mood, temperature, weight, joints and skin.
Oestrogen works together with insulin, thyroid hormone and stress hormones. That is why perimenopause can change blood sugar, weight and tiredness all at once. PCOS is now also called polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), because it is as much about metabolism as about the ovaries.
What could be behind it?
We often find that symptoms put down to the menopause partly have other causes, such as low iron or a slow thyroid. So we start by finding out what is actually happening.
Perimenopause
From your forties, oestrogen and progesterone swing more. Sleep, mood, weight and periods are often affected years before periods stop.
Read the guide: Women's health →Iron deficiency
Heavy periods are one of the most common causes of low iron stores and tiredness in women.
Read the guide: Iron deficiency →The thyroid
Thyroid disease is more common in women and causes symptoms similar to the menopause.
Read the guide: Thyroid health →PCOS
Irregular periods, acne and weight gain can be caused by PCOS, which is often linked to insulin resistance.
Read the guide: Blood sugar and diabetes risk →Stress and sleep
Long-term stress affects the cycle and makes perimenopausal symptoms more noticeable.
Read the guide: Hormone balance →What you can do yourself
- Do strength training twice a week. It protects muscle and bone as oestrogen falls.
- Eat protein with every meal and cut down on refined carbohydrates.
- Keep the bedroom cool and use light covers if you get hot at night.
- Be careful with alcohol. It often makes hot flushes and sleep worse.
- Keep a simple diary of periods, sleep and mood for a few months. The pattern helps both you and the person you see.
- Check your iron if you have heavy periods.
What we look at
Your symptoms and your history
Your cycle, your symptoms, pregnancies, contraception, previous results and how you feel right now.
Food, sleep and daily life
How you eat, sleep and move, and how much stress you have day to day.
Tests with a purpose
We only suggest tests that could change the next step, taken at the right time in your cycle. Here that often means FSH, oestradiol, progesterone, iron status and the thyroid.
Tests that may be relevant
How it works
Four steps
- 01
Tell us about you
You fill in a health questionnaire about your symptoms, your sleep, what you eat and your daily life.
- 02
Take your blood test
You give a blood sample at a lab near you, in Stockholm or at any of more than 100 sampling locations across Sweden. We help you choose the tests that answer your questions.
- 03
Go through your results
You receive a personal health report and a session with one of our practitioners, and we make a plan together.
- 04
Follow up
We follow how you are getting on and adjust the plan. A new blood test after three to six months shows how your results have changed.
When to get medical help
Contact your health centre soon if you also have any of these:
- You bleed after your periods have stopped completely.
- You bleed between periods or after sex.
- You have very heavy periods and feel dizzy or breathless.
- You have a lump in your breast or changes to the skin of the breast or the nipple.
- You feel low or have thoughts of harming yourself. Call Mind Självmordslinjen on 90101, or 112 in an emergency.
Call 112 in an emergency. Call 1177 for advice on where to get care.
Frequently asked questions
What symptoms can come in perimenopause?
Besides hot flushes, sleep problems, brain fog, joint pain, palpitations, bloating, weight gain and low mood are common. Many women do not connect them with their hormones, because they can start years before periods stop.
Can the menopause cause joint pain?
Yes, joint pain and stiffness are common as oestrogen falls. It is still worth checking whether inflammation, vitamin D or iron are also playing a part.
How long does the menopause last?
It varies a great deal. Perimenopause often lasts several years, and hot flushes can continue for some time after the last period.
Can diet and lifestyle help in the menopause?
For many women, yes. Strength training, protein, regular meals and good sleep affect weight, sleep and mood. We work alongside your doctor or midwife, who can consider hormone treatment if it is relevant.
What should I eat if I have PCOS?
Many women with PCOS have some degree of insulin resistance, so meals that keep blood sugar steady, with protein, vegetables and fewer refined carbohydrates, often help. Even a small weight loss can make cycles more regular for those who are overweight. What works best differs a lot from one woman to the next.
Why are my periods irregular?
Stress, weight change, hard training, PCOS, thyroid problems, a raised prolactin level, perimenopause and stopping the contraceptive pill can all make periods irregular. Blood tests can help find the cause. Bleeding between periods, after sex or after the menopause should always be checked by a doctor.
What is included in a Health Assessment?
A health questionnaire, a personal health report and a short session with one of our practitioners. You add the blood test depending on what you want to look into, and we help you choose. If you have a long-term condition and want to find out whether your diet and lifestyle may be contributing, or you need a referral to our doctor, we also offer longer appointments.
Do I need a referral?
No. You book yourself, and the blood sample is taken at a lab near you. We have sampling locations in Stockholm and at more than 100 places across Sweden.
Would you like help understanding what is happening in your body right now? Read about the Health Assessment →
Read more
Sources
Reviewed by
Wellth Team
Wellth
Our content is written and reviewed by Wellth, and fact-checked against peer-reviewed research and current Swedish clinical guidelines.
Learn more about our team →Important to know
Wellth does not diagnose or treat disease. We work with diet, lifestyle and preventive health, alongside the care you already have.
Our reports and sessions do not replace medical advice, and a test result should not be read as a diagnosis. We use both standard healthcare reference ranges and optimal ranges. A value can therefore be normal by healthcare standards and still fall outside the range associated with good health. That does not mean disease, but it can be a chance to act early.
Supplements are only recommended by a nutritional therapist as part of a consultation, never automatically from a test result.
If anything in your results needs to be looked at by a doctor, we will tell you clearly. Contact your healthcare provider if you are worried about your health. Call 1177 for advice, or 112 in an emergency.