1. Menopause changes how your body handles sugar
Before perimenopause and menopause, oestrogen plays a really important role in keeping your blood sugar levels nice and stable.
The problem is that as oestrogen starts to fall during perimenopause and menopause, this balance is disrupted. Blood sugar control can become far less stable – and that’s when issues start to appear.
You may notice that foods which never caused a problem before suddenly do. Often, it’s everyday staple foods:
- Breakfast cereal
- Toast
- That small mid-morning sweet treat
What’s happening is this: you eat something like cereal, your blood sugar rises very quickly… and then it crashes just as quickly. These rapid rises and falls are what drive so many symptoms.
You might experience:
- Sudden mood swings
- A complete drop in energy
- Feeling shaky or light-headed
- Headaches
2. Blood sugar crashes can trigger menopause symptoms
This blood sugar instability doesn’t just affect your energy – it can actually trigger menopause symptoms or make existing ones worse.
When blood sugar rises and then crashes, it puts a lot of strain on your nervous system. You may notice:
- Feeling nervous or agitated
- Big mood swings
- Hot flushes or night sweats
- Difficulty sleeping
- Ongoing fatigue
Many women are surprised to discover that sugar and refined carbohydrates can directly set off symptoms they assumed were “just hormones”.
3. Sugar spikes drive cortisol (your stress hormone)
When blood sugar shoots up and then drops, it has a big impact on cortisol, your stress hormone.
Cortisol tends to be higher anyway during perimenopause and menopause due to all the hormonal changes. When blood sugar crashes, the body thinks it’s dealing with an emergency – a fight-or-flight situation.
To fix this, your body releases cortisol and adrenaline to bring blood sugar back up.
That surge can cause:
- Racing heart or palpitations
- Feeling wired but exhausted
- Anxiety and irritability
- Sudden hot flushes or sweating
- Waking between 2–3am
This is also why sugar cravings can feel intense. After a big dip and cortisol surge, your body demands something sweet. But instead of comforting you, that sugary snack simply starts the whole rollercoaster again.
4. Physical and Psychological Factors
Blood sugar ups and downs can turn into an all-day cycle, especially if the day starts with a high-carbohydrate breakfast.
This might look like:
- Packaged breakfast cereal
- Microwave porridge pots
- Toast and coffee
Your blood sugar rises, and you feel fine at first. Then mid-morning comes – and there’s the crash:
- Fatigue
- Irritability
- Hot flushes or sweats
You eat again, often craving more carbs or sugar. Lunch might be bread-heavy or pasta-based, leading to another crash in the afternoon. By evening, your energy is completely gone.
This pattern can:
- Leave you feeling exhausted all day
- Disrupt sleep
- Make you wake up starving the next morning
And then the whole cycle starts again. You can see how one poorly balanced meal can affect you for days.
So… what actually helps?
If you’re stuck on this sugar rollercoaster, it’s really important to know this: it’s not about willpower or discipline.
I hear so many women say:
“I just wish I had more self-control with sugar.”
This isn’t a lack of self-control. Your body simply needs more support right now.
The good news? Small changes can make a huge difference.
Start the day with protein and healthy fats
One of the most powerful changes you can make is starting your day with protein and healthy fats.
Protein and fats help stabilise blood sugar, meaning:
- Fewer mid-morning crashes
- Less need for snacking
- More steady energy
You’ve been fasting all night, so your blood sugar is naturally low in the morning. You need something substantial.
Good breakfast ideas include:
- Eggs – scrambled, omelette, however you like them
- Greek yoghurt with chia seeds
- Scrambled tofu with vegetables (for vegetarian or vegan options)
Speaking personally, I cannot cope with a carbohydrate-heavy breakfast. If I do, I’m done by about 10am – and I learned that the hard way!
During the week, I always have an omelette with different toppings, vegetables, a little organic butter and sometimes feta. At weekends, I enjoy Greek yoghurt with nuts, seeds and a little fruit. That routine has made a huge difference for me.
Balance carbohydrates with protein and fat
You don’t have to cut carbohydrates out completely. But if you are eating them, always pair them with protein and some fat.
For example:
- Add protein to pasta dishes
- Drizzle olive oil for healthy fats
- Avoid eating plain carbohydrates on their own
A big bowl of pasta with very little else will almost always cause a blood sugar spike and crash.
Focus on low-glycaemic and complex carbohydrates
Low-glycaemic foods help keep blood sugar steady. You can easily look up lists online, and you’ll see that you can still eat a really varied, enjoyable diet without lots of sugar.
Also focus on complex carbohydrates, such as:
- Lentils, beans and pulses
- Non-starchy vegetables
- Berries
These can be added to meals easily and make a real difference, especially during perimenopause.
Manage stress to support blood sugar
If blood sugar and cortisol are both fluctuating, calming the nervous system becomes essential.
Simple things really do help:
- Slow, deep breathing
- Gentle yoga or mindfulness
- A 10-minute walk outside
- Fresh air and daylight
These small practices help regulate cortisol and support more stable blood sugar.
Final thoughts
I hope you’ve found this helpful. For me, making these small dietary tweaks was a real game-changer – and they’re habits I still follow now.
If you’ve noticed that changing what you eat has helped your symptoms, I’d love to know:
- What do you have for breakfast?
- When do your symptoms first appear?
- Do you think there could be a link you hadn’t considered before?
Let me know your thoughts.
Have a lovely week, and I’ll see you soon.
