Checkups, hormones & mood

Mental health screening is usually a short set of questions about how you have been feeling. It helps your provider notice if you might need more support.

Community health centers may offer lower-cost checkups. In the U.S., dial 211 to find local health services.

The National Institute on Aging suggests writing down everything you want to talk about, then choosing the three or four that matter most. Start your list about a week before so you can add things you remember.

For a new symptom, note

• How it affects daily life
• How often it happens
• What makes it better or worse
• When it started
• Whether it is getting better or worse

Mention changes in appetite, weight, sleep or energy since your last visit.

Tips

• Ask for an interpreter ahead of time if you need one
• Be honest, even if you think it isn’t what the doctor wants to hear
• Bring a friend or family member to help remember and take notes
• Take notes, or ask the doctor to write down the main points
• Tell them if you feel rushed, worried or uncomfortable

You can say: “I’ve been feeling low and tired for a while. Could we talk about my mood as well?”

Simple notes on mood, sleep, energy and (if you have periods) your cycle can help your provider see patterns. Use the “Mood, body & cycle tracker” worksheet below.

Ideas

• Ask for a telehealth visit if that is an option
• Bring something to hold or listen to
• Book the first appointment of the day to avoid waiting
• Plan a small treat afterward
• Tell the receptionist or nurse you feel anxious

Breathing out slowly, a little longer than you breathe in, can help your body settle. The breathing guides in this app have short exercises you can do anywhere.

If you have had a hard experience with healthcare before, the “When the body speaks” guide has tips on working with doctors and feeling heard.

A review of 26 studies covering more than 334,000 people found more tooth decay and tooth loss among people with depression and anxiety.

Poor eyesight or hearing can make socialising tiring and isolating. Ask your provider how often you should have dental, eye and hearing checks.

Mood is shaped by many things at once: hormones, sleep, stress, relationships, health and life events. A hormone change is rarely the only cause of how you feel.

Many hormone-related symptoms overlap with other conditions. Doctors use blood tests, not symptoms alone, to check things like your thyroid.

Puberty normally starts any time between about 8 and 14 years old. During these years, hormones bring changes in body shape, skin, hair, sweat and feelings.

What many young people notice

• Feeling more self-conscious about their body
• Moods that change quickly
• Needing more sleep
• New hygiene needs, like deodorant and washing face and hair more often
• Stronger feelings about friends and fitting in

Hormones rise and fall across the monthly cycle. Many people who have periods notice they feel more tearful, tense, irritable or tired in the days before their period, then better once it starts.

For a smaller group, these changes are severe and get in the way of daily life. The “Periods, PMDD & hormones” guide explains PMS and PMDD in detail.

Many new mothers have the “baby blues,” mild mood changes in the first two weeks after birth. Mood changes or anxiety that are severe or last longer than two weeks may be a sign of postpartum depression.

Hormone changes during and after pregnancy are one factor, along with sleep loss, stress and support. There is no single cause, and it is never the parent’s fault.

Menopause means not having had a period for 12 months. In the years around it, many people notice mood swings, low mood, anxiety, and trouble with memory and concentration (“brain fog”). Poor sleep can add to irritability and stress.

The NHS says symptoms usually last 7 to 9 years, sometimes longer, and can change over time. You don’t have to just push through it.

An underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) can cause tiredness and depression, along with feeling cold and gaining weight. Many cases are mild and cause few noticeable signs.

An overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) can cause nervousness, irritability, trouble sleeping, tiredness and a fast or irregular heartbeat.

Both underactive and overactive thyroid are more common in women and in people over 60.

Because these symptoms overlap with other conditions, doctors don’t diagnose thyroid problems from symptoms alone. A simple blood test helps.

If you notice low energy, low mood and less interest in things, it is worth raising with your provider. Only a test can show your levels, and other causes need ruling out too.

Low energy and low mood in midlife can come from many things, including poor sleep, stress, depression and other health problems. Looking at the whole picture with your provider is the best first step.