Oestrogen plays a part in how your body handles insulin and where it stores fat. As it falls, many women find they gain weight around the middle, get energy dips and cravings, and notice that what used to work no longer does. Muscle mass also tends to drop with age, and less muscle means less capacity to use up glucose.

• Build meals around protein, with fibre-rich vegetables, pulses and whole grains.
• Pair carbohydrates with protein or healthy fat rather than eating them on their own.
• Avoid skipping meals or leaning on caffeine to get through the afternoon.
• Strength train two to three times a week to protect muscle.
• Take a short walk after meals.
• Protect your sleep. A poor night can affect cravings and blood sugar the next day.

Fluctuating oestrogen and progesterone affect the brain chemistry involved in mood and in how we respond to stress. Add the pressures of midlife, like work, family and caring for parents, plus disrupted sleep, and it's common to feel anxious, irritable, low or "tired but wired".

• Move daily, ideally outdoors in daylight.
• Build in real downtime, even 10 minutes with no screen.
• Try slow breathing, with longer out-breaths than in-breaths.
• Cut back on caffeine, sugar and alcohol as your main ways of coping. Alcohol in particular can worsen anxiety and sleep.
• Eat magnesium-rich foods such as leafy greens, nuts, seeds and pulses. Magnesium contributes to normal psychological function.
• Talk to someone. If low mood or anxiety is persistent or affecting daily life, speak to your GP.

Progesterone has a calming effect, and both progesterone and oestrogen decline in perimenopause. Hot flushes and night sweats can wake you, and many women find themselves awake between 2 and 4am. Poor sleep then feeds back into cravings, mood and stress.

• Keep your bedtime and wake-up time regular.
• Keep the bedroom cool, dark and quiet, and use breathable layers and bedding for night sweats.
• Get outside in the morning light.
• Avoid screens in the last hour, caffeine after midday, and alcohol in the evening. Alcohol can worsen hot flushes and wake you in the night.
• Build a wind-down routine, such as a warm shower, reading or gentle stretching.