Why You May Feel More Emotional During Perimenopause and Menopause.
Feeling more emotional during perimenopause or menopause? Discover what research tells us about hormonal change, mood, and emotional well-being after 40.
Perhaps you've caught yourself thinking: “Why am I reacting like this?”
Something small makes you unexpectedly tearful.
A frustration that you would once have brushed aside feels enormous.
Perhaps you feel more anxious, irritable, or emotionally sensitive, and because you don't recognise the reaction, you begin criticising yourself for having it.
But emotional change during perimenopause deserves something more useful than self-judgment. It deserves understanding.
Hormonal change can be part of the emotional picture
Mood changes are recognised among the experiences that can accompany the menopausal transition.
But this does not mean every difficult emotion experienced after 40 is caused by hormones.
A 2024 systematic review and meta-analysis involving more than 16,000 women found that women in perimenopause had a significantly higher risk of depressive symptoms and diagnoses than premenopausal women. The same increased risk was not found when postmenopausal women were compared with premenopausal women.
That distinction is important.
Perimenopause may represent a period of increased vulnerability for some women—but it is not a prediction of how every woman will feel.
Biology is happening in real life
Hormonal changes do not occur in isolation.
A woman may simultaneously be navigating changing sleep, work responsibilities, children becoming more independent, caring for ageing parents, changing relationships, physical symptoms and questions about her own identity and future.
Research examining women's experiences of menopause has long demonstrated this interaction between biological changes and the psychosocial realities of midlife.
That is why reducing the experience to “hormonal mood swings” can be unhelpful.
You are experiencing biology within a life.
Your emotions are information—not instructions
An emotion can tell you that something deserves attention.
It doesn't necessarily tell you what action you should take next.
You can feel irritated without immediately responding.
You can feel anxious without assuming every anxious thought is a fact.
You can feel overwhelmed and still create a moment before deciding what comes next.
This is where emotional well-being becomes something more useful than “thinking positively.”
It becomes awareness.
Notice → Pause → Choose.
The Emotional Pillar doesn't stand alone
Within the Holistic Well-Being Method:
Physical Well-Being ↔ Emotional Well-Being ↔ Social Well-Being
Your emotional experience may be influenced by sleep, energy, and biological change.
Relationships may provide support—or create additional strain.
How you feel may influence your choices, behaviours and interactions.
Each Pillar can affect the others.
One whole woman. Three interconnected dimensions of well-being.
ONE INTENTIONAL MICRO-ACTION AT A TIME
Today, when you notice a strong emotional reaction, don't immediately try to eliminate it.
Pause.
Ask:
“What am I feeling—and what might I need before I respond?”
Take one slow breath.
Give yourself a moment.
Then decide what comes next.
That pause is today's intentional micro-action.
Not suppressing the emotion.
Not judging it.
Creating enough space to choose your response.
Because emotional well-being isn't about never experiencing difficult emotions.
It is about developing a healthier relationship with the way you experience and respond to them.
One Method. Three Pillars. One intentional micro-action at a time.
A health-information note
Persistent anxiety, low mood, or significant emotional changes should not automatically be attributed to menopause.
NICE recommends appropriate assessment and treatment when depression is suspected or diagnosed.
References
Badawy Y, Spector A, Li Z, Desai R. The risk of depression in the menopausal stages: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Affective Disorders. 2024.
Williams M, Maki PM. A Review of Cognitive, Sleep, and Mood Changes in the Menopausal Transition. Obstetrics & Gynecology. 2025.
Women's experience of menopause: a systematic review of qualitative evidence. 2015.
NICE — Menopause: identification and management (NG23). Updated 2026.
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Focus on Emotional Well-Being: Holistic Wellness for Modern Woman 40+ © 2026
Created by Elis Castro (UK/USA Mental Health Practitioner and Specialist in Emotional Well-Being)
⚠️ Professional Disclaimer
I am a mental health professional specialising in Emotional Well-being, but I am not your doctor. Before starting or stopping any supplementation or medication, you must consult your physician or nutritionist to undergo blood tests. Supplements can interact with medications (such as antidepressants or blood thinners). This information does not replace professional medical advice. Always seek the guidance of a physician or qualified nutritionist prior to beginning supplementation.
