The brain is the most energy-hungry organ in the body—and menopause is a neurological transition, not just a reproductive one.” – Dr Lisa Mosconi
It wasn’t the hot flushes that unsettled me. (I expected them)
It was the cold flushes that surprised me.
It was walking into a room and forgetting why I was there. Again.
It was never being able to find my keys—or my wallet, or my handbag, or my phone—despite having just had them.
It was the anxiety. Out of nowhere.
I used to revel in facilitating a big group.Stepping onto a stage once brought me joy. Then, almost without warning, it brought anxiety.
I began to dread the very thing that once felt like my happy place
And then came something I thought I’d long outgrown. The perfectionist child.
The one who overthought everything. Second-guessed every word.Replayed conversations long after they’d ended.
I genuinely believed I’d left her behind.
But there she was again—louder than ever.
We were never told…
For years, menopause was reduced to a handful of symptoms.
Periods stop.
Hot flushes.
Irritability even rage
Weight gain.
That was the story. (many of us didn’t hear that much, because it was either talked about in hushed tones or not at all by the generations before us) Doctors didn’t learn about it either in medical school – I have a Masters in Biomedical Sciences – there was no mention of female hormones except for in the context of fertility.
But science is now telling us something far more complex—and far more validating.
Researchers like Dr Lisa Mosconi have shown that menopause is not just hormonal. It is profoundly neurological. Our shifting hormones impact many of our body systems and processes. But no two women have the same experience, hence why it can be such an isolating and difficult time.
Oestrogen plays a critical role in the brain. It supports:
• memory
• focus
• mood
• cognitive energy
And it also regulates something many women are never told:
temperature control.
The hypothalamus—the brain’s internal thermostat—relies on stable oestrogen levels to function smoothly.
When those levels fluctuate or drop, the brain becomes hypersensitive to even tiny shifts in body temperature.
That’s what drives both hot flushes… and cold flushes.
Not random, just a biological response.
Dr Mosconi’s research shows the brain actually changes during this transition—how it uses energy, how it connects, how it performs.
Testosterone another one of the hormones involved in perimenopause. It supports brain function by helping with our focus, mental clarity, motivation, and confidence.
As levels decline during menopause, it is no wonder some women notice brain fog, reduced drive, libido and a flatter mood.It’s often overlooked, but it plays an important role alongside oestrogen in how the brain feels and functions.
And Dr Louise Newson has long highlighted how these changes show up in real life: anxiety that feels unfamiliar, loss of confidence, brain fog that quietly undermines identity.
Suddenly, it makes sense.
This wasn’t random. It certainly isn’t weakness.
This was biology meeting identity.
“Your brain didn’t betray you. It changed its operating system.”
Please remember
It’s not that you’ve regressed.
It’s that your brain changed—and nobody explained how.
So you did what capable women do.
You internalised it.
“I’m losing my edge.”“I’m not as sharp as I used to be.”“What’s wrong with me?”
Nothing is wrong with you.
You were interpreting a biological neurological change through a lens of self-doubt.
Take the opportunity
What if this isn’t a breakdown—but a recalibration?
Because alongside the disruption, something else is happening.
Awareness sharpens.Priorities shift.Tolerance for what no longer fits and people pleasing quietly disappear.
When women understand what’s happening in their brains, something powerful shifts:
They stop fighting themselves.And start working with who they are now.
Midlife becomes less about loss—and more about alignment.
Coaching and the Identity Shift
This is the work inside the Empowered Transition Blueprint.
Not just understanding hormones—but rebuilding identity alongside them.
This is Self-Trust Leadership.
Instead of asking:“Why can’t I cope like I used to?”
You begin asking:“What does this version of me need now?”
And that question changes everything.
Reflection Questions
• What have you been blaming yourself for that might actually have a biological basis?
• Where has anxiety or overthinking appeared in ways that don’t feel like “you”?
• What would change if you met this version of yourself with curiosity instead of criticism?
What support or adjustments might help you feel more like yourself again?
Resource Recommendation
Book: The XX Brain – Dr Lisa MosconiA powerful, science-backed exploration of the female brain across midlife and beyond.
The Menopause Brain – Dr Lisa Mosconi
Dr. Mosconi brings us the latest approaches—explaining the role of cutting-edge hormone replacement therapies like “designer estrogens,”
hormonal contraception, and key lifestyle changes encompassing diet, exercise, self-care, and self-talk.
A final note
You weren’t going backwards—you were navigating a brain you were never taught to understand.
Join my community
If this resonates, you’re not alone—and it’s not “just hormones.”
Join the Ann Hill Coaching newsletter for intelligent, grounded insight into midlife change—or explore coaching to rebuild confidence and self-trust in this next chapter.