Mood Swings, Memory Lapses & Me: What Perimenopause Taught Me At 42

I used to laugh at those “where did I put my keys?” moments. Until they started happening daily. Along with that came something else I didn’t expect: sudden mood swings that had me in tears one moment and irrationally angry the next. At first, I blamed stress. Then work. Then my family.

But somewhere deep inside, I knew something was shifting, and it wasn’t just my calendar or responsibilities. It was me. My body. My hormones.

Mood Swings, Memory Lapses & You

I’m 42, a working mother of two girls, and someone who has always prided herself on staying on top of things. But over the last year, I’ve found myself zoning out in meetings, forgetting names I should know, and feeling overwhelmed by the smallest tasks. It wasn’t burnout. It wasn’t depression. It was something more insidious, more invisible: perimenopause.

I had no idea that estrogen, which plays a huge role in cognitive function, could start dipping quietly in your late 30s or early 40s. No one tells you that your memory, focus, or emotional regulation can be affected before your periods even go haywire.

At the Fabulous over Forty sharing circles by SheThePeople and Gytree, I heard Dr Sudeshna Ray talk about how nutrition plays the biggest role and the effort to do constant checks.

So, I started tuning in. Tracking my cycle. Listening to my body. Saying no more often. Moving my body gently each day. I finally started prioritising protein... not for weight loss, but to balance blood sugar and support my hormones.

That’s when I discovered Gytree’s Chocolate Protein Blend. What I loved? It wasn’t just protein. It had vitamins and adaptogens, which helped with my energy dips and anxiety. It actually tasted like something I looked forward to after a long day, comforting and calming.

I’m still figuring it out. But I now understand that mood swings and memory lapses aren’t failures. They’re signals. And if we’re willing to listen, our bodies will tell us exactly what they need.