Rage, Tears & Tired All the Time? 7 Hidden Hormone Symptoms No One Talks About

👋 Introduction

"Why am I crying over the washing machine?" That’s when it hit me — my body wasn’t just tired. It was crying out for help.

Most women link hormones with hot flushes or erratic periods. But hormone imbalances can show up in far sneakier ways — like bursts of rage, brain fog, or a sense that you’re somehow not quite you. Too often, we’re brushed off as ‘emotional’ or ‘just stressed’. But there’s so much more to the story.

In this post, we’ll explore 7 commonly overlooked hormone symptoms, how to spot them, and ways to begin gently restoring balance. You’re not overreacting. You’re not weak. You’re not alone.

What Are Hormones — and Why Do They Rule Everything?

Hormones aren’t just about reproduction. They’re tiny but mighty chemical messengers regulating everything from mood and energy to digestion, sleep, and stress.

I learnt this firsthand after IVF. I wasn’t depressed, but I felt hollow, weepy, and short-fused. It was a hormone crash. The same happened again during perimenopause — calm one week, seething the next.

Minor hormone imbalances can lead to major shifts — like waking at 3am, feeling bone-tired, or snapping over nothing. And during life transitions like postpartum or menopause, these shifts are often mislabelled as stress or ageing.

Understanding how hormones affect your daily wellbeing helps make sense of what you’re experiencing — and opens the door to support and healing.

7 Hidden Hormone Symptoms Most Women Miss

Hormonal imbalance isn’t always obvious. It’s not just acne or missed periods — it’s how you feel, react, and relate to the world. Here are the lesser-known symptoms that deserve your attention:

1. Sudden Rage or Emotional Outbursts

Snapping at your partner? Furious over socks on the floor? Low progesterone or high oestrogen — especially premenstrually — can wreak havoc on your tolerance. It’s not ‘drama’. It’s chemical.

2. Unexplained Crying or Emotional Overload

Sobbing at adverts? Tearful over nothing? Hormonal dips post-ovulation or postnatally can crank your emotional dial to max volume. It’s not weakness — it’s physiology.

3. Exhaustion Despite a Full Night’s Sleep

If you’re waking up tired after eight hours, consider your hormones. Low thyroid function, adrenal fatigue, or cortisol imbalance can leave you feeling like you’ve been hit by a lorry.

4. Background Anxiety Without Clear Cause

That tight chest or whirring mind? It could stem from oestrogen dominance or blood sugar swings — putting your nervous system in chronic ‘fight or flight’.

5. Flatness or Emotional Numbness

Not sad, but not happy either? Just off? Emotional blunting is common during perimenopause or post-IVF, when hormones fluctuate wildly.

6. Forgetfulness and Brain Fog

Losing your words? Forgetting why you entered a room? Oestrogen and cortisol affect memory and cognition. Fluctuations can leave you mentally foggy and frustrated.

7. Feeling Detached From Yourself or Your Body

You feel like a bystander in your own life. This quiet detachment, common in hormonal upheaval, is rarely discussed — but very real.

Why These Symptoms Are So Often Dismissed

Brushed Off as ‘Just Stress’ or ‘Part of Ageing’

We’re expected to carry the mental load, keep the peace, stay productive — so when we fray at the edges, it’s put down to modern life. But there’s a difference between life stress and hormonal dysregulation.

Testing Isn’t Always Helpful or Available

Hormones fluctuate constantly, so one blood test might not tell the full story. And unless you're trying to conceive, many GPs won’t offer full hormone panels.

Medical Focus Is Often Reproductive-Only

If your cycle is ‘normal’, your symptoms might be dismissed. But hormones affect everything — not just fertility. Mood, sleep, energy — they matter too.

Self-Blame Keeps Us Quiet

When symptoms are dismissed, we internalise the blame: "I’m too sensitive. I’m lazy." But it's not a personal failure — it’s a body asking for help.

How to Spot If Hormones Are the Root Cause

Track Your Symptoms

Simple but powerful. Jot down mood, energy, cravings, sleep and symptoms daily. You’ll spot patterns — like anxiety mid-cycle or crashes before your period.

Notice Timing Around Stress or Your Cycle

Stressful week = crying over toast? It’s likely cortisol and oestrogen interplay. Track symptoms after stress, poor sleep, or travel — they’ll often flare then.

Watch for Physical Clues

Acne around the jawline, bloating, itchy skin, or hair loss can all be hormonal. These ‘silent signals’ are worth noticing.

Journal With Curiosity, Not Criticism

Reflect on when you last felt ‘yourself’. What’s shifted? What are you craving (emotionally or physically)? This gives you clues, not shame.

First Gentle Steps to Rebalance

Prioritise Blood Sugar Stability

Eat regularly, every 3–4 hours. Combine protein, healthy fat and fibre. Avoid caffeine on an empty stomach, and steer clear of ‘naked carbs’ (refined sugars or flours).

Soothe Your Nervous System Daily

Breathe. Walk. Stretch. Legs-up-the-wall. Five minutes of daily calm tells your body it’s safe — helping hormones regulate.

Minimise Endocrine Disruptors

Ditch plastic lunch boxes, switch to fragrance-free body care, avoid synthetic scents. Your liver will thank you.

Nourish Your Liver

Leafy greens, water, and colourful veg support hormone clearance. Warm lemon water is a gentle morning ritual to aid detox.

Create a Grounding Morning Routine

No 5am bootcamps required. Try slow waking, warm drinks, stretching or journaling. It sets the tone for calmer hormones.

When to Seek Deeper Support

Go Prepared to Your GP

List symptoms, patterns, and how they affect your life. Ask specific questions: Could this be perimenopause? Can we test thyroid or oestrogen?

Explore Private Hormone Coaching

Find someone who asks about your lifestyle, not just your blood work. A good practitioner listens, and works with your whole story.

Consider Integrative Options

From HRT to herbs and acupuncture — there’s no one path. Choose what feels safe and empowering for you.

Emotional Support Matters Too

You don’t need a diagnosis to deserve support. A coach, therapist, or supportive friend can help you feel held — and healing often begins there.

Conclusion: It’s Not Just in Your Head

Hormonal imbalance isn’t always loud — but it’s deeply disruptive. If you’ve felt irritable, empty, tired, or unlike yourself, your hormones might be waving a red flag.

Support doesn’t mean a complete overhaul. It means kindness, rhythm, nourishment, and being seen. You deserve that.

FAQs

1. How do I know if my symptoms are hormonal or just stress?
Hormonal symptoms often follow a cyclical or pattern-based timeline — for example, worsening before your period, after ovulation, or following a stressful event. Tracking your symptoms for 2–4 weeks can reveal clues. If emotional shifts, fatigue, or brain fog appear regularly around certain times, hormones could be the root cause.

2. Can hormone imbalances affect my mood even if I still have a regular period?
Yes, absolutely. Hormonal fluctuations — even within a “normal” cycle — can impact mood, sleep, energy, and emotional resilience. You don't need to have irregular periods or be in menopause for hormone imbalances to affect how you feel.

3. What natural remedies can help balance hormones gently?
Start with stabilising your blood sugar, reducing exposure to endocrine disruptors, and supporting your nervous system through calming practices like breathwork and gentle movement. Foods that nourish the liver (leafy greens, colourful veg, lemon water) can also help your body process hormones more efficiently.

4. When should I see a doctor or specialist about hormone-related symptoms?
If your symptoms are persistent, worsening, or affecting your quality of life — and especially if lifestyle changes haven’t helped — it’s time to seek further support. Bring a symptom journal to your GP and ask for tests related to thyroid function, oestrogen, progesterone, or perimenopause. Trust your instincts — if something feels off, it’s worth exploring.