We asked Zus & Zorg a simple question: “What are the most common questions women ask during 1-on-1 consultations?” Their answer was clear and surprisingly universal: Hormones. Learn about the most common questions women have when it comes to their health from health professionals themselves.
Written in collaboration with Zus & Zorg
Hormonal symptoms affect almost every aspect of a woman’s life — energy, confidence, sleep, mood, work performance, and long-term health. Yet despite how common these symptoms are, women still struggle to get answers, to be taken seriously, and to find the right care at the right moment.
At 3mbrace, we meet women every week who tell us the same things: “I thought this was normal…”, “I didn’t know where to start…”, “I wish someone had explained this years ago.” That is why we create education, trainings, and tools across the Three Ms — menstruation, motherhood, and menopause. But even with better awareness, many women still lack accessible support for their everyday health questions.
This is where our partner Zus & Zorg plays a crucial role.
Zus & Zorg offers preventive online healthcare for women, helping them understand their symptoms early, formulate the right healthcare question, and navigate the first steps toward proper medical support. Their ZorgZussen — trained nurses with expertise in women’s health — meet hundreds of women every month through online consultations, preventive health scans, workshops, and their on-location CARE-van.
We asked Zus & Zorg a simple question:
“What are the most common questions women ask during 1-on-1 consultations?”
Their answer was clear and surprisingly universal:
Hormones.
Almost every question — whether about sleep, stress, mood, cycles, pain, or menopause — had a hormonal component.
This blog brings together real themes from Zus & Zorg’s consultations, combined with 3mbrace’s expertise across the Three Ms. The goal:
to help women recognise what their bodies are telling them and understand the next steps they can take.
One of the most frequent patterns nurses observe is this:
Before describing a symptom, almost every woman says, “It’s probably normal, but…”
Women have been conditioned to endure discomfort — period pain, fatigue, mood swings, sleep problems — as part of being female. But “common” does not mean “normal,” and it certainly doesn’t mean unimportant.
The real issue:
Many women simply don’t know what healthy hormonal function looks like.
This leads to:
• underreporting symptoms
• delaying care
• normalising suffering
• feeling unsure when talking to a GP
• masking issues at work
Hormonal literacy is still incredibly low — and that is one of the biggest gaps both 3mbrace and Zus & Zorg are committed to closing.
Women frequently report:
• menstrual pain that interferes with daily life
• heavy bleeding
• spotting
• extreme mood fluctuations
• acne flare-ups
• cycle changes after childbirth or in their 40s
• unexpected PMS intensifying over time
Many women don’t realise that:
• severe menstrual pain can indicate conditions like endometriosis
• cycle length changes may reflect thyroid issues or stress
• post-baby cycles may take months to regulate
• heavy bleeding can be linked to iron deficiency
• ovulation pain is common, but should not be debilitating
Why they seek Zus & Zorg:
Women often say they feel unsure whether their symptoms warrant a GP visit. The ZorgZussen help them translate symptoms into clear questions and recommend the right next steps.
For example:
Instead of saying “My periods are painful”, a nurse may help a woman say:
“I experience pain that affects my daily activities for at least 1–2 days each month, despite taking painkillers.”
This makes a GP appointment more effective — and ensures concerns are taken seriously.
Sleep problems are one of the top reasons women book consultations.
These include:
• waking up in the night
• night sweats
• difficulty falling asleep
• restless thoughts
• early-morning waking
• physical tension or heart palpitations
For menstruating women, this is often linked to:
• low progesterone
• high cortisol
• PMS symptoms
• stress around work or caregiving
For women in perimenopause and menopause, common causes include:
• fluctuating estrogen
• increased night-time cortisol
• temperature dysregulation
The emotional impact is significant:
Women report feeling overwhelmed, short-tempered, anxious, or simply “not like myself.” And because sleep is such a private issue, many feel they are navigating it alone.
This is where preventive care matters.
Not every sleep issue requires medication — sometimes, the right hormonal explanation, lifestyle guidance, or GP follow-up changes everything.
Hormone-related mood changes are one of the most misunderstood aspects of women’s health.
Zus & Zorg nurses hear these questions daily:
• “Why am I suddenly crying?”
• “Why do small things feel overwhelming?”
• “Why do I feel calm one day and irritated the next?”
• “Is it burnout or hormones?”
The truth is: most women are juggling more mental load than their bodies can sustainably carry.
Hormones amplify this pressure — but they are not the “problem.” They are messengers.
Mood swings often signal:
• nutrient deficiencies
• chronic stress
• poor sleep
• cycle dysregulation
• perimenopausal changes
• thyroid imbalance
With the support of a nurse, women discover that their emotional shifts are not a personality issue — they are often physiological and fixable.
Another striking trend:
Women in their early 40s (sometimes late 30s) arrive with symptoms they don’t yet recognise as perimenopause.
These include:
• night sweats
• brain fog
• cycle irregularity
• sudden anxiety
• low libido
• headaches
• joint pain
• irritability
Many say:
“My GP told me I’m too young.”
But perimenopause can begin 7–10 years before the final menstrual period, meaning early 40s is extremely typical.
This dismissal is one of the core reasons women seek out Zus & Zorg:
They want someone to listen, validate, and guide them toward the right medical steps — not wave their concerns away.
This may be the most repeated sentence in Zus & Zorg consultations.
Women feel unheard because:
• appointments are too short
• symptoms appear “vague”
• hormone issues are not well understood
• many concerns overlap with stress or mental health
• diagnostic guidelines are outdated
A nurse can help bridge this gap by:
• preparing women for appointments
• crafting clear symptom descriptions
• identifying what tests may be relevant
• explaining what “normal” ranges mean
• advising when a second opinion is appropriate
This improves not only care — but confidence.
3mbrace focuses strongly on women’s health in the workplace, and Zus & Zorg sees this reflected in consultations.
Women frequently report:
• hiding symptoms at work
• working through pain or exhaustion
• adjusting schedules around their cycles
• embarrassment about sweat or brain fog
• fear of being seen as “less professional”
• lack of understanding from managers
These issues lead to reduced wellbeing, lower performance, higher stress, and sometimes burnout.
Workplace awareness is not a luxury — it is a necessity.
This is why both 3mbrace and Zus & Zorg deliver trainings, workshops, and talks for employers who want to support women better.
Across all ages and all life phases, women consistently want:
• clarity
• reassurance
• understanding
• practical advice
• someone to ask questions
• permission to prioritise their health
And above all — they want to feel heard.
3mbrace and Zus & Zorg share a simple belief:
When women understand their bodies, they can make better decisions — for their health, their careers, and their families.
By bringing together the insights of Zus & Zorg’s daily consultations and the educational mission of 3mbrace, we hope this blog helps more women recognise their symptoms, trust their intuition, and take action sooner.
Early understanding is early empowerment.
• If you're experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned here, consider booking a preventive consultation or online health scan with Zus & Zorg. Their ZorgZussen can help you understand your symptoms early and guide you toward the right next steps.
• If your company wants to support women’s health at work, explore 3mbrace’s workplace trainings, talks, and toolkits — and consider inviting Zus & Zorg’s CARE-van for on-location 1-on-1 consults and awareness activities. Together, we help organizations create truly supportive, female-friendly workplaces.
• If you want to learn more about menstruation, motherhood, and menopause, visit our website for articles, resources, and must-know insights — or join one of our in-person or online events. (Check our homepage for upcoming sessions.)
Women deserve to feel informed.
Women deserve to feel supported.
And above all — women deserve to be taken seriously.
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It’s time to create workplaces where women’s well-being isn’t just acknowledged but prioritized—because when women thrive, businesses succeed.
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