How Your Hormones Affect Your Mood, Energy and Stress Levels (And What Actually Helps)

How Your Hormones Affect Your Mood, Energy and Stress Levels (And What Actually Helps)

Have you ever had days where you feel calm, motivated and on top of everything…

…and then other days where you feel anxious, emotional, overwhelmed or easily irritated even though nothing has really changed?

For many women, this isn’t random.

It’s hormonal.

And once you understand what’s happening in your body, it can start to make a lot more sense.

Why hormones affect how you feel day to day

Hormones don’t just affect your cycle. They influence your mood, energy levels, sleep, stress response and even how you cope with everyday life.

Throughout the month, your body moves through different phases. Some days you may feel more energised, focused and positive. Other days you may feel more sensitive, tired or easily overwhelmed.

This isn’t a lack of motivation or resilience.

It’s your body responding to natural hormonal changes.

Research shows that fluctuations in hormones like oestrogen and progesterone can impact serotonin (your “feel good” hormone) and cortisol (your stress hormone), which is why your mood and tolerance can shift at different times.

My own experience with hormonal changes

This is something I’ve personally experienced, especially after having my first child.

I noticed changes not just in my mood and energy, but even in the foods my body could tolerate. Things that had always felt normal suddenly didn’t feel right anymore.

Over time, I started to make changes focusing more on nutrition, movement and really listening to my body.

I found that when I supported my body properly, my mood felt more balanced and I had more energy.

But I’ve also noticed how things can change again over time.

Where I used to feel quite happy and energetic in the week before my cycle, as I’ve got older I’ve found I can feel more anxious, more irritable and less tolerant.

And this is something I hear from so many women.

Why it can feel overwhelming

Hormonal changes don’t happen in isolation.

They’re layered on top of work, family life, responsibilities and the mental load many women carry every day.

So when your hormones shift, it can feel like everything becomes harder:

• your patience feels lower

• small things feel bigger than they should

• you feel more emotional or reactive

• you feel tired but unable to switch off

This is often where overwhelm starts to build.

Not because you’re doing anything wrong, but because your body is already under pressure.

What actually helps

The key isn’t to “fight” your hormones.

It’s to support your body through those changes.

Here are a few things that can make a real difference:

1. Listening to your body

This was one of the biggest shifts for me.

Instead of pushing through constantly, I started paying attention to what my body actually needed.

More rest when I felt tired. More movement when I had energy. Slowing down when things felt too much.

2. Supporting your sleep

Sleep has a huge impact on how your body manages hormones and stress.

I used to run on 4–5 hours of sleep, but once I started prioritising getting 7–8 hours, everything changed — my mood, my energy and how I coped day to day.

Simple things like going to bed when you’re tired, using guided meditation or breathwork can make a big difference.

3. Nutrition and movement

What you eat and how you move your body can help regulate energy levels and mood.

After my pregnancy, focusing on this made a noticeable difference to how I felt physically and emotionally.

4. Creating space for your nervous system to reset

When your body is constantly in “go” mode, hormonal changes can feel more intense.

This is where practices like breathwork, meditation and holistic treatments can help.

Treatments such as Reiki, Indian Head Massage and holistic facials allow your body to slow down, release tension and move out of stress mode.

Many of my clients say they leave feeling lighter, calmer and more like themselves again.

(Some even say they have the best sleep they’ve had in weeks afterwards.)

A gentle reminder

If your mood, energy or emotions feel different at times throughout the month, you’re not imagining it.

Your body is responding to natural changes.

And instead of working against that, the most powerful thing you can do is start working with it.

Supporting your body, listening to what it needs and allowing yourself moments to slow down can make a bigger difference than you might expect.

If you’d like to explore ways to support your wellbeing more deeply, you can learn more about my treatments here:

View my Treatments & Services here

You don’t need to feel the same every day to be doing things “right”.

You just need to understand your body a little better.