Menopause Nurse Memo's
Join Vikki Ellison a menopause specialist nurse from Calm Menopause & Wellbeing Clinic each week for bite-sized conversations on perimenopause and menopause—designed to inform, reassure, and empower. In under 15 minutes, you’ll get clear, practical insights into everything from symptoms and treatment options to lifestyle tips and the latest evidence-based guidance. Whether you’re navigating hormonal changes yourself, supporting someone who is, or simply curious about this natural life stage, these short episodes cut through the noise with advice you can trust.
Menopause Nurse Memo's
Mental health & Wellbeing during the Perimenopause & Menopause
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For many women, this stage of life can bring unexpected emotional and psychological changes alongside the physical symptoms. Anxiety, low mood, overwhelm, poor sleep, loss of confidence, brain fog, irritability, and feeling “not quite yourself” are incredibly common — yet so many women suffer in silence or feel misunderstood.
This podcast is here to change that conversation.
Together, we’ll explore the impact that hormonal changes can have on emotional wellbeing, relationships, work, sleep, confidence, and everyday life. We’ll discuss evidence-based treatments, lifestyle approaches, self-care strategies, and the importance of understanding that you are not alone in what you’re experiencing.
Whether you are just beginning to notice changes, are struggling with severe symptoms, or are supporting someone through menopause, this podcast aims to provide reassurance, education, and practical support in a compassionate and non-judgemental space.
So wherever you’re listening from, take a moment for yourself, and join us as we navigate mental health and wellbeing through perimenopause and menopause together.
Today we are diving into a really important subject, the impact of perimenopause and menopause on women's mental health and well-being. These life stages affect every woman differently, but many don't realise just how much hormonal changes can influence mood, emotions and overall mental health. Today we will explore what's happening in the body and brain, why mental health struggles are so common at this stage, and what can be done to improve well-being, including the role of hormone replacement therapy or HRT for short. Welcome to Menopause Nurse Memos, Empowering Midlife One Memo at a Time, the podcast where we tackle perimenopause and menopause topics head on with honesty, empathy and a whole lot of heart. I'm Vicki Ellison, a nurse for 33 years and an menopause specialist nurse practitioner, an independent prescriber and founder of Calm Menopause and Wellbeing Clinic based in Appleybridge. Let's start by understanding the basics. Perimenopause is a transitional phase before menopause, often starting in a woman's 40s, but it can often begin earlier. Hormone levels, particularly estrogen and progesterone, but also testosterone, begin to fluctuate unpredictably. Menopause is officially reached when a woman hasn't had a period for 12 months and the average age is around 51 in the UK. These hormonal changes affect much more than periods and hot flushes. Being irritable and having mood swings, poor concentration or brain fog as some people will call it, sleep disturbances, which then further affects mood. Studies show that women are at increased risk of depression and anxiety during perimenopause and early menopause, even if they have never struggled with mental health before. So what impact does a perimenopause and menopause have on daily life and well-being? Well, let's think about what this means in real life. Imagine dealing with brain fog while trying to manage a demanding career, raising teenagers, or caring for aging parents, adding night sweats that disrupt sleep, and suddenly resilience, patience and focus all take a hit. Women often describe feeling like they have lost themselves. Their confidence can plummet, relationships may become strained, and work performances may suffer. And because menopause has been long stigmatized or ignored, many women feel isolated, as though no one understands what they are going through. This is why talking about menopause and mental health is so important. It validates women's experiences and helps them know they are not alone. The question is, what can be done to support mental health? So, what can we do to support mental health during perimenopause and menopause? Well, starting with improving lifestyle strategies. So sleep hygiene is so important, prioritizing good sleep habits such as consistent bed times, dark cool rooms, limiting caffeine and alcohol, and reducing or ideally stopping screen times before bed. Increasing exercise by taking regular daily exercise if at all possible, providing regular movement, especially aerobic and strength training. All this improves mood and reduces anxiety. Maintaining a balanced diet that is nutritionally based. So a balanced diet rich in whole foods, omega-3s, and low in processed sugar helps stabilise energy and mood. Good home cooked food can improve mood as well as health by cutting out all processed and ultra-processed foods, and cooking is also good for the mind and body. Which leads nicely to mind and body practices, such as yoga, meditation or mindfulness, these can all reduce stress and improve emotional resilience. Talking therapies and support can be a great source of support, as well as cognitive behavioural therapy or CBT, and this can be effective for managing anxiety, low mood, and even hot flushes and difficulty sleeping. Peer support groups give women a safe space to share experiences. However, it may be that medical support is often what a woman needs. Sometimes symptoms are severe enough to require medical intervention. This is where hormone replacement therapy comes in, and it can be life-changing. If mental health has changed around the time of perimenopause and menopause, then it is often worth trialing HRT, firstly over antidepressants. The role of hormone replacement therapy is to replace the hormones that the body is no longer producing at similar levels. Most commonly this means estrogen, but combined with progesterone if a woman still has her uterus. And some women will also need testosterone adding in as well. How do these hormone levels help with mental health, you may be asking? Well estrogen supports serotonin. By replenishing estrogen it can stabilize mood, reduce irritability and improve emotional well-being. It improves sleep and we all know better sleep quality means improved resilience and reduced anxiety. It also reduces brain fog. Many women report sharper thinking and improve concentration on HRT. And HRT prevents the downward spiral. By relieving physical symptoms like hot flushes and joint pain, HRT indirectly boosts mood and quality of life. There is also evidence that oestrogen has a protective effect on the brain, potentially lowering the risk of dementia when started around the time of menopause. It is important to note HRT is not a one-size-fits-all treatment. The type, dose and delivery method, such as patches, gels, tablets or sprays, should be personalised. Risks and benefits must always be weighed up with a specialist, but for many women, HRT provides profound improvements in both physical and mental well-being. Progesterone improves sleep and is a calming hormone helping to regulate sleep and mood. Some women will require the addition of HRT being added into their medication regime, and together the two different medications work well. Speaking to a healthcare provider with a special interest in menopause can be of great benefit. So let's recap. Perimenopause and menopause are not just about period stopping, they are complex hormonal transitions that can have significant mental health impacts. Many women may experience anxiety, low mood, brain fog and sleep disruption, all of which affect quality of life. Support is available by lifestyle changes, therapy, peer support and medical treatment. And HRT can be a powerful tool, not just for easing hot flushes, but for supporting mental health and helping women feel like themselves again. And most importantly, women should not suffer in silence. Speaking openly with a healthcare professional and seeking specialist advice can transform this stage of life from one of struggle into one of empowerment. And remember, menopause is a natural life stage, and with the right support, women can thrive through it. So next time on the podcast, we will be talking about HRT and the choices we have with it. Thank you for spending time with me today on Menopause Nurse Memos. If this episode resonates with you or you know someone who needs to hear it, then share and leave your comments in the chat. And don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode. Until the next time, take care of yourselves. You are worth it.