EDITOR’S NOTE: The Pioneer has been publishing a series of articles about menopause health issues, treatments, resources and suggestions from menopause expert, Leanna Coy, FNP-BC. See below for links to these articles.
What menopause taught me about hormones, anxiety, and weight gain.
By Michelle Jenck, M Ed
What. Is. Happening?! This is the thought that goes through my mind when I step on the scale and see the number rising week after week with no significant changes to my diet or exercise routine. This is the question I ask as I white-knuckle my steering wheel driving over bridges and overlooks along the beautiful Oregon Coast highway, something I used to do without a second thought. This is when I learned what “anticipatory anxiety” feels like in the body. Just the mere thought of traveling to certain places causes my body to tense up and sends my heart racing. And, when I wasn’t feeling anxious, I was just . . . Blah. My previously bright light was slowly growing dim and I didn’t understand why.
A lot of people have lifelong trouble regulating weight, mood and anxiety. In my case, I did not struggle with any of these things until menopause. Of course, this has given me a newfound empathy for others, but also a growing sense of curiosity. When something changes so dramatically, so quickly, it becomes difficult to dismiss it as a normal part of aging. It made me wonder what was going on in my body and what, if anything I could do about it.
Hormone Changes & Mood
Hormones play an important role in many different systems in the body. Changes in hormone levels occur throughout the lifespan but are especially prevalent during adolescence and menopause in women. Estrogen levels plummet after menopause and this radical change has a profound ripple effect. One key result is a corresponding decline in the brain’s ability to produce serotonin, a chemical messenger that regulates mood, among other important functions in the body. Lower levels of serotonin can contribute to feelings of sadness and depression. One consequence of this is that we can experience stronger cravings for alcohol, sugary foods and simple carbohydrates, which can temporarily increase serotonin activity and improve mood.
Hormone Changes & Weight
Of course, the problem with this is obvious. We crave and overconsume foods that generate more cravings. This can contribute not only to weight gain but also to increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes. The mind’s good intent of boosting our mood and energy can result in making us chubby, sick and sad in the end.
Another post-menopausal change is the loss of muscle mass. Muscle burns more calories than fat, even at rest. As we lose muscle with age, our metabolism naturally slows, making it easier to gain weight even if our eating habits haven’t changed.
This double-whammy not only makes weight management more difficult, it can reinforce negative mood changes through loss of self-agency and poor self-image.
Hormone Changes & Anxiety
For me, the most surprising change wasn’t the weight gain. It was the anxiety. I had never struggled with this before. Suddenly, situations that once felt ordinary were triggering a racing heart, tense muscles, and the urge to “freeze” from the nervous system’s fight-flight-freeze response. I have learned that fluctuating and declining estrogen levels interact with brain systems that regulate the body’s stress response. Progesterone also declines during menopause. Because progesterone has calming effects on the brain through its influence on GABA receptors, its loss may further contribute to feelings of anxiety, restlessness, and difficulty sleeping. Hot flashes and sleep disruption can leave the nervous system in a heightened state of alert. Some women, like me, experience new or heightened anxiety during the menopausal transition, even without any previous history of an anxiety disorder. What’s worse is that a chronically elevated stress response can wreak havoc on all systems of the body, contributing to inflammation, increased risk for disease and metabolic disorders.
What’s a Menopausal Woman to Do?
The good news is that we are not powerless. While we can’t stop the hormonal changes that come with aging, we can support the systems they affect. Regular physical activity, especially strength training and walking, helps improve mood, insulin sensitivity, serotonin production, and preserves muscle mass. Morning sunlight helps regulate circadian rhythms and supports neurotransmitters involved in mood and emotional regulation. Eating protein-rich foods provides the amino acid tryptophan, which the body uses to make serotonin. Prioritizing sleep, managing stress, maintaining social connections, and spending time in nature have all been shown to support emotional well-being and resilience.
HRT or No HRT?
None of these interventions are as exciting as the miracle elixirs we see on Instagram, but they help address the underlying biological processes affected by hormonal changes. In addition to modifying many of my own lifestyle habits, I began researching hormone replacement therapy (HRT). I had concerns but my research broke down some myths and filled in information gaps that led me to take the leap. Boy, am I glad I did. While my weight hasn’t changed much, it has stopped climbing. My mood is WAY better and more stable and the best part is that I am experiencing significantly less anxiety. I recently walked across a pedestrian bridge spanning a large river, something I was not able to do one year ago.
All of this serves as a reminder that our bodies are constantly adapting. By learning what is going on at a biological level, we can approach changes with curiosity rather than self-criticism or hopelessness.
If you find yourself feeling sad, scared, or a little fluffier than you’d like, maybe the question isn’t “What’s wrong with me?” but rather, “How is my body changing and what actions can I take to make the best of the situation?” We cannot always change our biology but we can change how we respond with self-empathy and that is where healing begins.
Thank you for your interest. Follow more of my work on Substack – Subscribe here for more – at The Tao te Mitchy, PQ Initiative, and Divergent Ideas.
Photo by Morgan Lane on Unsplash
TILLAMOOK COUNTY PIONEER – IN GOOD HEALTH MENOPAUSE SERIES – by Pioneer contributor Leanna Coy, FNP-BC, specializing in menopause treatment:
IN GOOD HEALTH – MENOPAUSE SERIES: When Intimacy Changes – How Menopause Can Derail Your Sex Life
IN GOOD HEALTH: Improved Weight Loss During Menopause Found with Combining Medications
IN GOOD HEALTH: Eat protein like your life depends on it…because in menopause, it does
IN GOOD HEALTH – MENOPAUSE SERIES: The Crossroads Between Domestic Abuse and Perimenopause
IN GOOD HEALTH: Heavier periods — Another perimenopause problem
IN GOOD HEALTH – MENOPAUSE SERIES: FDA updates warning labels on menopause hormones
IN GOOD HEALTH – MENOPAUSE SERIES: Dealing with Depression and the Menopause Transition
IN GOOD HEALTH – MENOPAUSE SERIES: Meno-belly – How hormone shifts contribute to midlife weight gain
IN GOOD HEALTH: What’s going on down there? Changes to Vulva in Menopause
IN GOOD HEALTH – PERIMENOPAUSE IMPACTS: The word is on the tip of my tongue – Brain fog!
