What's actually happening to your hormones in your 30s

What you might notice in your 30s

Your 30s are often treated as a quiet decade as far as hormones go: past the ups and downs of your teens and twenties, with menopause still a long way off. Even so, some women find that things feel a little different in this decade, and it can help to put words to what you are noticing.

Some women notice changes to their periods, such as a cycle that feels shorter or less predictable, or spotting before a period starts. Others mention that the days before a period feel harder than they used to, or that sleep, mood, energy or concentration are not quite what they were. For lots of women, this is also a busy decade, with work, young children, money and caring for others all pulling at once, and it is not always easy to tell what is behind how you feel.

None of this means something is wrong. It simply means it is worth paying attention, keeping a note of what you notice, and talking it through with your GP if something is bothering you.

Signs worth paying attention to

PMS that has become more noticeable

You may find that the days before your period feel different from how they used to, with more irritability, tender breasts, bloating or low mood. If this is new for you, or it is starting to get in the way of work, relationships or sleep, it is worth noting down when it happens and how long it lasts, and mentioning it to your GP.

Fatigue that feels different from being busy

Plenty of things can leave you tired in your 30s, from work to young children to broken nights. There is a difference, though, between tiredness that eases after a good night's sleep or a quieter week, and a heavy, low-level exhaustion that stays with you whatever is going on. If it is the second kind, it is worth a conversation with your GP rather than putting it down to this stage of life.

Mood changes and anxiety

Some women notice new or stronger feelings of anxiety, low mood, or being permanently on edge during their 30s. There are many possible reasons for this, and you do not need to work out which one applies before asking for help. If your mood is low and not lifting, or worry is getting in the way of everyday life, please see your GP. If you ever have thoughts of harming yourself, ask for urgent help the same day.

Changes to your cycle

A cycle that has become shorter than it used to be, or spotting in the days before your period, is something some women notice in this decade. On its own it is not necessarily a cause for worry, but it is worth mentioning to your GP if it is new, if it carries on, or if it comes with other changes. Bleeding between periods, bleeding after sex, or periods that become very heavy are always worth getting checked.

Fertility questions

If you are trying to conceive, or thinking about it, your GP is a good place to start. Questions you might take along include: how long it is sensible to try before asking for help, given your age and circumstances; whether anything in your health or family history is worth looking at; whether any of the medicines or supplements you take are worth reviewing; and what to think about when stopping or changing contraception. The aim is to have clear information for you, rather than either false reassurance or unnecessary worry.

Questions about your thyroid

Some women mention feeling the cold more than people around them, dry skin, changes to their hair, weight changing without an obvious reason, or tiredness and low mood that do not shift. These can have many explanations, and they overlap with ordinary tiredness and stress. If any of them sound familiar, particularly if thyroid conditions run in your family or you are pregnant, planning a pregnancy or have recently had a baby, it is worth asking your GP whether a thyroid check makes sense for you.

Hot flushes or skipped periods in your 30s

Hot flushes, night sweats or missed periods can feel unexpected in your 30s. If you notice several of these together, or your periods stop without an obvious reason such as pregnancy, it is worth raising with your GP rather than brushing it aside.

Talking to your GP about blood tests

If you are wondering whether blood tests would be useful, your GP can talk through which tests, if any, make sense for you, whether the timing within your cycle matters for a particular test, and what the results mean for you alongside your symptoms and history.

If you choose a home blood test, it is worth taking the results with you to your GP rather than drawing conclusions from them on your own. A result outside the expected range is a reason for a conversation, not a diagnosis.

Before your appointment, it helps to write down when things started, how often they happen, what makes them better or worse, where you are in your cycle when they happen, and everything you take, including medicines, contraception and supplements.

Everyday habits worth trying

Keeping a simple diary of your cycle

You may have a rough sense of how long your cycle is without ever having written it down. Keeping a simple diary, on paper or in an app, for a few months gives you something concrete: when each period starts and ends, how heavy it is, and when other things such as low mood, poor sleep or headaches tend to turn up. It also means you can describe a pattern to your GP rather than a vague impression.

A regular sleep routine

Going to bed and getting up at roughly the same times, even in busy weeks, is worth trying. A cool, dark, quiet bedroom, a wind-down period away from screens, and keeping caffeine to earlier in the day are all worth trying.

Making room for rest and other people

This decade can leave very little time for yourself. It does not take a dramatic overhaul: a regular walk, time away from screens, time with friends, and noticing when you are running on empty rather than pushing through are all worth making space for.

Regular meals

Eating regularly and eating enough are easy to let slip in a busy life. Regular meals with plenty of vegetables, some protein at each meal, and a variety of foods across the week are a sensible everyday aim, along with keeping alcohol modest.

Strength work

Your 30s are a good time to build a habit of strength work that you can keep up for years. A couple of sessions a week of something like body-weight exercises, weights or a class is a reasonable starting point. If you have a health condition, are pregnant or have recently had a baby, check with your GP or a qualified instructor first.

If you are thinking about supplements

If you decide to take a supplement, read the label carefully. Look at the amount of each nutrient in one daily serving and the percentage of the reference intake it provides. If you take more than one product, check whether the same nutrient appears in several of them, so you can see the total you are taking. Tell your pharmacist or GP about everything you take, especially if you are pregnant, trying to conceive, breastfeeding or taking any medicines.

In Great Britain, companies may only describe what a nutrient does using wording taken from the official register of authorised health claims. If a product seems to promise more than that, it is worth being cautious.

When to see your GP

• If your periods have become very irregular or very heavy, or have stopped without an obvious reason
• If you have bleeding between periods or after sex
• If you have been trying to conceive for a while and would like to talk about when to ask for more help
• If you notice hot flushes, night sweats or missed periods together in your 30s
• If tiredness, low mood, anxiety or other changes are getting in the way of everyday life, or your mood is low and not lifting
• If a home blood test result has left you with questions

None of this is meant to suggest that something is wrong. The point is to help you make sense of what you are noticing, and to know when it is worth a proper conversation rather than something to quietly put up with.