Menopause

Anxiety during perimenopause and menopause can feel sudden, unsettling and confusing, especially when it seems to appear for no obvious reason. In this episode, Liz explains how changing hormones, poor sleep, stress, blood sugar dips and the everyday mental load can make the nervous system more sensitive. This can leave you feeling wired, tearful, panicky, overwhelmed, or more reactive than usual....

Sitting still for hours can make menopause symptoms feel louder, from brain fog and fatigue to joint aches, stiffness, tension and irritability. In this episode, Liz explores how micro-movement at work can support your menopause body without needing a full workout or even leaving your desk. Small movements such as shoulder rolls, heel lifts, gentle stretches, standing briefly, unclenching your jaw...

Hidden sugar can show up in foods that seem harmless, from breakfast cereals and flavoured yoghurts to sauces, snack bars, ready meals and drinks. In this episode, Liz explores how hidden sugar may affect menopause symptoms such as fatigue, bloating, irritability, brain fog, cravings, poor sleep and anxiety. During perimenopause and menopause, hormonal changes can make blood sugar, energy, mood an...

A sudden dip in confidence at work during menopause can feel unsettling, especially when you know you’re experienced, capable, and good at what you do. In this episode, Liz explores how perimenopause and menopause symptoms such as brain fog, poor sleep, anxiety, hot flushes and fatigue can affect confidence in meetings, conversations, decision-making and day-to-day working life. This is a reassuri...

Waking at 3am and feeling wide awake can be exhausting, frustrating, and deeply unsettling. In this episode, Liz explores why sleep problems in menopause are so common, especially night waking, racing thoughts, cortisol changes, cravings, and weight gain. You’ll learn how fluctuating hormones can affect temperature regulation, anxiety, blood sugar, and the nervous system, and why broken sleep can...

Strength training after 40 doesn’t have to mean heavy weights, intimidating gyms, or pushing your body harder than it can cope with. In this episode, Liz gently reframes strength training as one of the kindest ways to support your menopause body. We explore why muscle matters during perimenopause and menopause, how changing hormones can affect energy, joints, bones, balance, posture and confidence...

If menopause feels harder than you expected, you are not imagining it. In this episode, Liz explores why menopause itself has not changed, but the pace and pressure of modern life may be making symptoms feel more intense. From demanding work and caring responsibilities to constant notifications, stress, poor sleep, processed foods, and very little recovery time, today’s midlife women are carrying...

If you keep saying yes when you really need to say no, this episode is for you. Liz explores why boundaries become even more important during perimenopause and menopause, when hormonal changes can affect energy, stress tolerance, and emotional resilience. What once felt manageable can start to feel overwhelming, and many women begin to realise that constantly giving to everyone else is no longer s...

Hydration may sound simple, but during perimenopause and menopause it can have a powerful impact on how you feel each day. In this episode, Liz explores why low hydration can contribute to brain fog, low energy, irritability, headaches, and even make hot flushes feel more uncomfortable. Liz shares why many busy women forget to drink enough water during the working day, and how small, consistent ha...

If you’ve spent years telling yourself to just keep going, this episode is for you. Liz explores why pushing through tiredness, stress, and pressure can start to feel much harder during perimenopause and menopause, and why that shift is not a sign that you are less capable. Hormonal changes can affect energy, sleep, stress tolerance, and the nervous system, which means the old strategy of overridi...

If your energy seems to disappear by mid-afternoon, you are not imagining it. In this episode, Liz explores why the 3pm slump is so common during perimenopause and menopause, and what may really be driving it. From blood sugar dips and disrupted sleep to stress, dehydration, and long stretches without pause, this energy crash is often a sign that your body needs steadier support. Liz shares a simp...

Talking about menopause at work can feel uncomfortable, especially if you are worried about being judged, misunderstood, or seen differently. In this episode, Liz explores how to approach a conversation with your manager in a way that feels professional, clear, and supportive without feeling like you have to overshare personal details. Liz shares why this conversation is not about explaining every...

If you’ve ever chosen low-fat foods thinking they were the healthier option, this episode offers a gentler, more supportive perspective. Liz explores why the old low-fat message may not always serve women well during perimenopause and menopause, especially when blood sugar balance, energy, cravings, and hormone support become more important. In this episode, Liz explains how many low-fat foods are...

If you’ve been exercising harder but feeling more tired, this episode is for you. Liz explores why the exercise approach that worked earlier in life may feel very different during perimenopause and menopause. Hormonal changes can affect energy, recovery, stress levels, and the nervous system, which means more intensity does not always mean better results. In this episode, Liz shares why gentle, su...

Have you ever walked into a meeting and suddenly lost your train of thought? In this episode, Liz talks about one of the most common and unsettling menopause symptoms: brain fog. If you’ve been forgetting words, struggling to concentrate, or feeling less sharp at work, this is a reminder that you’re not losing your capability; your brain is responding to hormonal change, stress, and poor sleep, no...

How often do you tell yourself, I just don’t have time ? In this episode, Liz explores why that phrase is so common for busy women navigating perimenopause and menopause - and why constant exhaustion may be more than a full diary. It can be a warning sign from your body that something needs attention. Liz talks about the pressure many midlife women carry, from work and family to caring responsibil...

Menopause anxiety can appear out of nowhere — in a meeting, during a conversation, or halfway through a sentence when your mind suddenly goes blank. In this episode, Liz shares a simple breathing technique you can use at work or on the go to help calm your nervous system and feel more grounded in the moment. If perimenopause or menopause has left you feeling more on edge, this is a gentle, practic...

If you’ve suddenly found yourself craving sugar, chocolate, biscuits or toast in the afternoon and wondering what’s wrong with you, this episode is for you. Liz gently explains why sugar cravings can become stronger during perimenopause and menopause, and why they’re often linked to fluctuating oestrogen, blood sugar dips, stress, tiredness and serotonin changes rather than a lack of willpower. Th...

Have you been feeling “not quite yourself” but can’t explain why? In this opening episode of Thrive Through Menopause , Liz Lay explores the early, often subtle signs of perimenopause - from disrupted sleep and anxiety to brain fog, bloating, and changes in confidence at work. Many women assume they simply need to cope better. But fluctuating hormones impact the nervous system, mood, cognition, di...

I’m Liz Lay. I’m a certified menopause coach, and after more than thirty years working in corporate roles, I made the decision to retrain because of my own experience with menopause. Brain fog. Anxiety. Hot flushes. That feeling of not quite recognising myself. I kept thinking I just needed to try harder. But menopause isn’t about trying harder. It’s about understanding what’s happening in your bo...