It’s Not Random: 5 Everyday Symptoms That Are Hormonal
There was a week when I kept waking at 3am. Every night. I was lying there thinking, is it my to-do list? Did I have caffeine too late? Is this just... me now?
But it wasn’t stressful. Or bad sleep hygiene.
It was my hormones.
We often chalk up symptoms like aching joints, low mood, or foggy thinking to age, stress, or just being “run down.” But the truth is, so many of these things are tied to our cycle—and no one tells us that.
So let’s break it down.
1. Joint Pain Before Your Period? It’s Estrogen.
If your hips feel stiff, knees start aching, or you wake up with more creaks than usual before your period, that’s not random.
Estrogen plays a major role in joint health—it helps produce collagen and synovial fluid, which cushion your joints and keep them moving freely. When estrogen drops in the luteal phase (after ovulation), that joint protection fades. You might also see a rise in inflammatory cytokines, which trigger swelling and pain.
📖 Backed by research: Estrogen and joint inflammation – Frontiers in Endocrinology, 2022
2. Waking at 3am? Check Your Cycle Day.
Around ovulation (days 12–16 for many), estrogen is rising sharply and cortisol can spike. This combination can lighten your sleep and make your nervous system more alert at night. For many women, it shows up as those annoying 3am wakeups where you’re wired but tired.
If it’s a once-off, not a problem. But when it drags across multiple nights, you’re looking at a hormone-related sleep deficit. And that affects everything—from mood and energy to blood sugar and cravings.
📖 Research on estrogen, cortisol, and sleep disruption: Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 2013
3. Feeling Low on Day 21? That’s Not Just “Life”
That drop in mood some women feel around day 21? It’s timed with a steep dip in estrogen and progesterone. Both of these hormones are involved in regulating serotonin—the neurotransmitter that helps you feel calm, motivated, and emotionally steady.
This is why you might feel tearier, flat, irritable, or more prone to spiralling thoughts in the late luteal phase. It’s not just “moodiness.” It’s biology.
📖 Study link: Progesterone and mood – Biological Psychiatry, 2021
4. Dizziness or Low Blood Pressure Around Ovulation?
Ever feel woozy when you stand too fast, or like you’re running on low battery during ovulation? Estrogen acts as a vasodilator—meaning it widens blood vessels, and that can lead to lower blood pressure in some women.
There’s also a surge in histamine during ovulation (linked to the LH spike), which can amplify this effect, especially if you’re already histamine-sensitive.
5. That “Fuzzy” Foggy Feeling? That’s Your Nervous System Slowing You Down
Sometimes what we call brain fog is actually your nervous system shifting gears. As estrogen peaks and drops post-ovulation, your body can lean into the parasympathetic nervous system—the rest-and-digest mode.
This can feel like mental fuzziness, slowness, or just needing space and quiet. It’s not a bad thing. Your body’s asking you to slow down—but if you try to push through, you’ll just feel more off.
So... What Do You Do About It?
Start by tracking it.
I always say: if your symptoms follow a pattern, they’re probably hormonal. Not random.
When you learn your own rhythms, it’s easier to support them instead of fighting them.
👉 Grab the Food + Mood Toolkit to start balancing your blood sugar, easing mood swings, and supporting your nervous system through every phase of your cycle.
You don’t have to fix everything—just start noticing the patterns. That’s where the magic begins.
Let me know which of these five shows up most for you. And if you want help mapping it all out, I’ve got you.