Low Mood from a Mind and Body Approach

(Written by Rebecca Steele, not AI)

The other day I hit a low mood void. My body felt heavy, dense—like everything was an effort. I looked around at the things that needed doing, even something as simple as watering the plants felt like too much. There were big emotions, a desperation to hide, and then the guilt of not being an engaged mother. Then boom—release, relief, my period arrived. Slowly, I gathered my energy, tidied the house, made a cake with my son, and softened into my experience.

There’s a lot I could write about this mood. It’s a portal to so much more. It’s actually a gift—OK, hear me out.

I understand depression. I had it on and off throughout my 20’s, and in my 30’s it began to lessen (often linked to my hormones). To think I felt like this for two weeks of every cycle, for nearly a decade, is so sad. At the time, I didn’t realise my hormones were pointing me toward what was going on in my mind: the negative beliefs I held, the victim stories, the "woe is me," the "life is hard" narrative—and very often, it was a kind of violence against myself.

Depression began to shift in my 30’s when I started to understand where my experience was coming from. I realised my attention was being drawn to specific negative ideas and beliefs about myself—and how much I was believing in my own thinking. There was such a release when I discovered a space within me that was always OK, always at peace, no matter the thoughts. The unchanging part—the quiet awareness behind thoughts and feelings, the space in which they arise. When our attention can zoom out, and we’re not pulled entirely into the void, it changes things. Easier said than done? Yes, sometimes—especially after a lifetime of focusing on thoughts and feelings.

But when I incorporated somatic tools to support the emotional and physical sensations—like the anxious feeling in my chest or the heaviness in my tummy—my internal world began to lighten even more in the last few years. I’d always known there was a link between thoughts and feelings, but I couldn’t detach from the feelings; they would suck me in. Once I began being present with those difficult sensations, layers and layers of emotional material began to shift—old patterns, beliefs, deep-rooted insecurities. Luckily nowadays a low mood doesn’t persist for more than a day, due to the knowledge I have. And oh yes, this links back to health: the more free we are in our mind, the more free our body is.

So, why are hormones a gift? Because they show us the impermanence of our thoughts, feelings, and beliefs. One day we feel on top of the world, the next day in the gutter. If we don’t get too sucked into it and can rest in what doesn’t change, it all becomes a lot more manageable. Hormones are also useful in revealing the stories we’re still believing that no longer serve us—often stuff that goes right back to early childhood crap. That doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty we can do to ease the experience around hormones—which I’ll explore more.

Coming from a whole-body approach, let’s first acknowledge that perimenopause is a natural process. It’s not a disease—though, at times, it can feel like one.

Depression and anxiety are often linked to this stage because hormonal shifts can lead to mood changes. Hormones are declining and fluctuating, and neurotransmitters can be affected.

I’m not against HRT. But I do believe we need strong foundations for health—supporting the liver, gut, and blood sugar.

I feel fortunate not too have many perimenopausal symptoms right now, and I believe that’s because I’ve laid those foundations.

We know stress is absolutely key to address at this time—which is incredibly difficult when we’re juggling kids, work, ageing parents, and financial demands. I talk more about this in my blog post here:👉 A Natural Approach to the Perimenopause

There are many things that can support hormones—exercise, a nourishing diet, key vitamins and minerals, pro-biotics, herbal supplements, and certain foods. There’s also testing available: the DUTCH hormone test, which looks at 35 sex and adrenal hormones—including oestrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA, and cortisol—along with their metabolites. It gives deep insight into hormonal and metabolic health and then a plan can be made.

Hopefully this shows that there is a whole body approach to hormones and the peri-menopause which can start to change our perspective on it. If you enjoyed this article let me know and if you want to know more here is my website - www.bwellnutrition.co.uk

Love Becs x