Why Midlife Mood Swings Aren’t Just in Your Head

This is an excerpt from my feature in CENTRED Magazine.

Rage. That hot flash of fury that catches you off guard, in the car, at the dinner table, mid-Teams call. It’s not “just” hormones. And you’re not “just” being irrational.

Perimenopause rage is real, and it has roots we’re only just beginning to understand.

The Rage You Didn’t Expect

Mood swings. Emotional outbursts. That moment you snap…and then feel totally out of control.

If your emotions feel dialled up to eleven, you're not alone, and you’re not broken. There’s a growing conversation around perimenopause rage, and for good reason.

Many women in their 40s and 50s are suddenly struggling with a short fuse, intense frustration, or emotional reactivity that feels out of character.

It’s confronting. It’s confusing. And it’s not talked about enough.

It’s Not Just Your Hormones

Yes, declining oestrogen and progesterone levels absolutely influence mood. But in the real world (the one with jobs, family, ageing parents, and the never-ending pressure to hold it all together), it’s rarely just a hormone problem.

Here’s what we now know from emerging research and clinical experience:

• Blood sugar instability (hello hanger, anxiety, and 3pm rage-crashes)

• Poor sleep that heightens emotional sensitivity and depletes your resilience

• Cortisol spikes from chronic stress and go-go-go living

• Gut imbalances and inflammation that disrupt your nervous system

 These four things interact, creating an emotional rollercoaster that can feel impossible to get off. And the foods we eat can either pour fuel on the fire…or help put it out.

And here's the kicker: your body’s chemical chaos often shows up first in your mood, not your bloodwork.

Real Food for Real Moods

In the full article, I share three of my favourite real-life recipes that are designed to:

• Steady your blood sugar (because crashing = snapping)

• Nourish the gut-brain axis to support better mood regulation

• Deliver nutrients that help regulate estrogen and reduce inflammation

These are the exact recipes I used when I felt like I was falling apart: a mood-balancing smoothie to start the day, a no-fuss lunch that doesn’t spike cortisol, and because I will never quit dessert, a sweet treat that supports your nervous system, not sabotages it.

If this hits close to home, I invite you to read the full feature in CENTRED magazine.

You’ll find the full breakdown of what’s really happening in perimenopause, the food and lifestyle tweaks that help, and recipes to bring it all together.

🖋 Click here to read the full article in CENTRED Magazine

For more incredible articles from CENTRED magazine, visit 👇🏻

https://www.acentredlife.com.au/women-health-wellbeing-magazine/