Menopause Symptoms: The Hot, The Hidden, and the Just Plain Weird (Yes, We’re Looking at You, Burning Mouth)
If you’ve ever felt like your body’s running a rogue science experiment on you, welcome to menopause. One minute you’re fine, the next you're sweating through your favorite blouse while also wondering why your fingernails feel like dried spaghetti. Sound familiar?
Well, you’re in strong, wise company! While about 15% of women experience only few or mild symptoms during menopause, a whopping 85% go through a range of symptoms that can feel like a hormonal roller coaster with no seatbelt. And of those women, 75% get the infamous hot flushes, Mother Nature’s little reminder that she's not done with you yet.
But here’s the deal: there are a lot more symptoms than what we typically hear about. So today, let’s break down some of the common, the quirky, and the totally-under-discussed menopause symptoms—and what’s really going on behind the scenes.
Hot Flushes and Hormonal Havoc: The Usual Suspects
Most women expect a few things with menopause: irregular periods, hot flushes, brain fog, and maybe some sleep issues. But let’s talk about why these happen.
1. Hot Flushes, Cold Flushes & Night Sweats
When estrogen declines, the brain’s thermostat (a.k.a. the hypothalamus) starts glitching and overreacts to even minor temperature changes. The result? Sudden waves of heat (hot flushes), a post-sweat chill (cold flushes), and nighttime episodes that soak your sheets (hello, night sweats).
What helps: Reduce triggers like alcohol, caffeine, and spicy food. Deep breathing, cooling herbal teas, moisture-wicking sleepwear, and layering clothes (that you can toss off at a moment’s notice) are lifesavers.
2. Fatigue
Your body is doing hormonal acrobatics. Estrogen, progesterone, and even cortisol are shifting, affecting sleep quality, energy metabolism, and recovery.
Try: Prioritizing sleep hygiene, protein-rich meals, magnesium supplementation, and movement like walking or yoga.
3. Insomnia, Night Sweats & Difficulty Sleeping
Lowered progesterone (a calming hormone) + rising cortisol (the stress hormone) = a recipe for sleepless nights, whether you’re trying to fall or stay asleep. Add in night sweats, and suddenly your 2 a.m. wake-up call includes a soggy pillow and the urge to flip your mattress.
Sleep support: Create a wind-down routine that includes cooling the bedroom, wearing moisture-wicking sleepwear, and using a fan or chilled pillow. Magnesium, guided meditation, and herbal sleep teas can also help calm the nervous system and support deep rest.
4. Weight Gain & Bloating
Estrogen affects how your body stores fat and regulates water retention. Combine that with a slower metabolism and digestive sluggishness, and hello waistband rebellion.
Best approach: Eat anti-inflammatory foods, drink warm lemon water, reduce processed food, and add gentle movement.
5. Brain Fog & Low Motivation
If you feel like you’re living in a mental fog or suddenly can’t remember someone’s name or where you parked (again), this is likely due to hormonal changes in brain function.
Support tools: Lion’s mane mushroom, omega-3s, movement, and writing things down (you’re not losing it, you’re just adapting).
6. Low Libido & Vaginal Dryness
Estrogen also maintains vaginal tissue, moisture, and sexual desire. When it dips, intimacy can feel less appealing or even painful.
Solutions: Natural lubricants, pelvic floor exercises, maca root, and open conversations with partners and professionals, so they understand what’s going on.
Now for the Weird Ones: Symptoms Nobody Talks About (But So Many of Us Experience)
If you’ve ever Googled “why does my mouth feel like it’s on fire during menopause,” you’re not alone. Here’s a list of lesser-known but totally real menopause symptoms.
7. Burning Mouth Syndrome
Yep, it’s a thing. Reduced estrogen can affect oral tissues and nerve endings, causing a tingling or burning sensation often without visible irritation.
Try this: Avoid acidic foods, stay hydrated, and explore vitamin B and iron supplements with your GP or healthcare practitioner.
8. Tingling in Extremities & Feeling Like Bugs Are Crawling on You
This is linked to fluctuating estrogen impacting nerve function. It can feel like pins and needles or creepy-crawly sensations under your skin.
What helps: B-complex vitamins, gentle massage, movement, and reducing caffeine or alcohol (which can irritate nerves) and speak with your GP or healthcare practitioner to explore treatments.
9. Tinnitus (Ringing in the Ears)
Estrogen helps regulate blood flow and nervous system function, and its decline may trigger or worsen tinnitus in some women.
What can help: Reduce stress, practice relaxation techniques like deep breathing or yoga, and ensuring adequate sleep may also help manage tinnitus. Also speak to your GP or healthcare practitioner to explore treatments.
10. Dizziness or Vertigo
Hormonal shifts can affect the inner ear and blood pressure regulation leading to lightheadedness.
Support tips: Stay hydrated, eat regular meals to stabilize blood sugar, get up slowly, and manage stress. Also speak to your GP or healthcare practitioner to explore treatments.
11. Changes in Taste & Body Odour
Your body’s chemistry is literally changing. Hormonal shifts affect saliva production, gut bacteria, sweat composition, you name it.
To try: Zinc-rich foods for taste, and chlorophyll or parsley for body odor may support. However, strong and persistent body odors can be a sign of a more significant problem like an infection and should be discussed with your GP or healthcare practitioner.
The Mental & Emotional Whirlwind
Let’s not forget the invisible symptoms that can feel just as overwhelming.
12. Anxiety, Panic, and Irritability
Estrogen modulates serotonin and dopamine levels. Its drop can mimic mood disorders or amplify stress responses.
Manage it with: Nervous system resets (like the ones in the Hello Mimi Reset), magnesium, deep breathing, or adaptogens like ashwagandha.
13. Low Self-Esteem & Loss of Confidence
With physical changes, mood swings, and a shift in identity, many women report a profound internal crisis of confidence.
Support: Community connection (like our Facebook group!), journaling, therapy, and mindset work can be transformative.
And Then There’s the Rest...
Thinning hair & brittle nails (thanks, declining keratin and collagen)
Sore joints (due to inflammation and lower estrogen)
Dry eyes (less tear production)
Recurring UTIs & weak bladder (thinning of urethral tissues)
Breathing issues (sometimes anxiety-induced, sometimes related to inflammation)
Spatial awareness changes (yes, you really did walk into that doorframe)
And here’s the kicker: Osteoporosis, the stealthy symptom you can’t feel until it’s progressed. Estrogen is crucial for bone density, and as levels drop, so does your skeleton’s strength.
So… What Can You Do About It?
Here’s the Hello Mimi approach to managing menopause symptoms naturally and gently:
Use Food For Support
Whole foods that support detox (think leafy greens, citrus, fermented foods)
High protein + fiber to stabilize blood sugar and cravings
Move Your Body
Gentle yoga, walking, strength training
Movement boosts circulation and detox pathways
Prioritize Sleep
Avoid screens before bed, keep a consistent routine
Use sleep-promoting tools like magnesium, lavender, or our Soothing Sleep Track
Reset Your Stress
Try nervous system support practices like breathwork or meditation
Aim to shift out of “fight or flight” and into “rest and reset”
Shift Your Mindset
Use reframes like: “My body isn’t breaking down, it’s calling for a new kind of care.”
Our Reset program starts with powerful mindset tools to help you reconnect with your body without shame or overwhelm
When to Speak with Your GP or Healthcare Provider
While many menopause symptoms are completely normal (if wildly inconvenient), it’s always a good idea to speak with your GP or healthcare provider if something feels off. If you’re experiencing new or worsening symptoms like intense heart palpitations, unexplained weight loss, unusual bleeding, constant fatigue, or anything that just doesn’t sit right, don’t brush it off. Some symptoms that show up during menopause can overlap with other health conditions, so getting professional guidance ensures you’re not missing something more serious. Trust your instincts. You know your body best, and advocating for your health is never overreacting. It’s wise, empowered, and essential.
Pro tip: For your own benefit or even for your GP appointment, take a few minutes a day to jot down what you’ve been experiencing. When it started, how often it happens, and how it’s impacting your life. A simple symptom tracker or notes on your phone can help you and your doctor see the full picture and support you more effectively.
And if you're thinking about starting any new supplements, whether it's for sleep, energy, or hormone support, or similar, it’s just as important to check in with your GP or healthcare provider first. Even natural remedies can interact with medications or affect underlying conditions, so getting professional guidance ensures you’re choosing what’s safest and most effective for your body.
Let’s Talk About It (Because Suffering in Silence Is So Last Season)
The truth is: if you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, you’re not crazy, broken, or alone. You’re simply moving through one of life’s biggest transitions—and your body is asking for new kinds of support.
Want help making sense of it all?
Download our free Menopause Reset Mini Guide, check out our full guided 7-Day Menopause Reset, or meet us in the Mind, Body & Menopause Facebook group.
Let’s rewrite the menopause narrative, together.