Simply Salt and Soul

No one really prepares you for this part.

Not just the hot flashes.
Not just the skipped periods.
Not just the ‘is this hormonal?’ guessing game.

You know that point where everything starts to feel a bit more reactive? Like you get overwhelmed more easily, your patience is shorter, and stuff that never used to bother you suddenly hits different. Your sleep’s off, you’re tired, but not really relaxed, and sometimes it feels like your body’s already stressed before your mind even catches up.

If any of that sounds familiar, you’re not imagining it. It’s something I hear often from women, that they don’t quite feel like themselves anymore, that they don’t respond to things the way they used to. What I’ve come to understand is that for many women, perimenopause and menopause aren’t only about hormones. They can also have a real impact on the nervous system.

What’s Actually Changing

Your nervous system is always working in the background, helping you respond to whatever life is throwing at you. Think of it as two states your body moves between, one for stress and one for rest, digestion, and recovery. In a healthy rhythm, you shift between them naturally without thinking about it.

But what I hear from so many women during perimenopause is that …

your system turning “on” faster
stays there longer
and takes more effort to come back down

That is where perimenopause can come in.

Why You May Feel More Anxious or Overstimulated

So many women describe this phase in similar ways, feeling more on edge, more sensitive, and less able to bounce back from things that used to feel manageable. When you understand what the body is actually navigating during this time, it makes a lot of sense.

Hormonal shifts, changes in sleep, hot flashes, and everyday life stress can all layer together. Over time, that combination can leave your system feeling more activated than usual, more sensitive and less settled. Your body is working with a different set of inputs than it used to, and that takes a real toll over time.

The Sleep–Stress Loop

One of the biggest things I keep coming back to is sleep. I can do everything “right” and still wake up in the night, feel restless, or get stuck in that tired‑but‑wired state that’s really hard to shake. I’ve really noticed is how much sleep starts to shift during this time. When rest doesn’t feel as restorative, it affects everything else. Emotions feel bigger, stress hits harder, cravings ramp up, patience gets shorter… and even things like hot flashes feel more intense when I’m running on less rest than I need.

It really feels like my body is working harder than it used to, without the same chance to fully reset overnight.

Aim for a consistent bedtime and wake time to help support your body’s natural rhythm
Create a cool, comfortable sleep environment with breathable layers to adjust easily during the night
Be mindful of caffeine, alcohol, and heavy meals in the evening, as they can affect sleep quality
A small, balanced snack before bed (like fruit with protein or healthy fats) may help support more stable overnight energy
Try keeping a simple wind-down routine at night. Maybe dim the lights, do a bit of stretching, journal, or just sit quietly for a few minutes so your body can start to slow down. If you wake up in the middle of the night or get that “tired but wired” feeling, try not to stress about falling back asleep right away. Just focus on resting cause even that helps.

“Why Can’t I Handle What I Used To?”

This is one of the most common questions that comes up.

You might still be doing all the same things, working, caregiving, managing the day to day, keeping everything moving, and yet it feels different.

But this is where I always want women to pause for a second.

Because this does not mean you are weak.
It does not mean you are failing.
And it does not mean it’s all in your head.

It may simply be that your body is responding differently right now, and needs support in a different way. When you look at the full picture, hormones shifting, sleep being disrupted, ongoing stress, it makes sense that your system can feel more sensitive.

Lighten the mental load where possible – write things down, delegate small tasks, or simplify routines so everything isn’t being held in your head
Build in small pauses during the day – even 5–10 minutes to sit, breathe, or step outside can help regulate your system
Support your nervous system daily – gentle movement like walking, stretching, or yoga can help release built-up tension
Prioritize rest (not just sleep) – quiet time, lower stimulation, or early evenings can help your body feel more supported
Set softer expectations – allow “good enough” to be enough during this phase instead of pushing for perfection
Create boundaries where needed – protect your energy by saying no or spacing things out when your capacity feels lower
Stay nourished regularly – balanced meals throughout the day can help support steady energy and mood
Talk it out – sharing what you’re feeling with someone you trust can reduce the emotional weight you’re carrying
Ground yourself in the moment – simple practices like slow breathing or noticing your surroundings can help when emotions feel heightened
Remind yourself this is a transition – your body isn’t failing, it’s adjusting, and it may just need a different kind of support right now

What This Can Look Like in Real Life

You wake up already a little tense before the day has even asked anything of you. YYour body reacts faster than it used to. Maybe you feel warm suddenly, or notice your heart picking up for no obvious reason. By mid afternoon the energy drops, but when it’s finally time to rest, your body doesn’t quite cooperate. You have less patience for the noise, the mess, the interruptions. And sometimes you catch yourself wondering why something so small is bothering you as much as it is.

What I’ve noticed is that these things rarely happen on their own. The disrupted sleep affects your mood. The mood affects how stress lands. The stress affects how your body feels physically, and on and on. They’re all connected, which is why focusing on only one piece often doesn’t feel like enough.

So What Actually Helps?

This is where I always bring it back to simplicity.

Not a long list.
Not a perfect routine.
Not “fixing” yourself.

But supporting your body in ways that feel realistic.

For many people, the most helpful place to start is with the basics like steady meals, consistent sleep patterns, small breaks during the day, and reducing anything that feels like added strain when your system is already a bit sensitive. Getting outside, even briefly, and allowing yourself time to wind down in the evening can also support that shift. These aren’t dramatic changes, but they can help take some of the pressure off your system.

For some women, symptoms may feel strong enough that it’s worth exploring additional support with a healthcare provider. There are different options available, and sometimes just knowing that can feel reassuring.

Understanding the nervous system side of this can change the way you relate to it. Instead of thinking, “Why am I so emotional?” think of, “Maybe my system is under more strain right now.” Instead of, “Why can’t I cope?” it can become, “Maybe my body just needs a different kind of support.”

That change matters, because it moves you out of self-criticism and into something more supportive.

The Salt (The Science): Here’s what’s actually happening underneath all of it. Estrogen doesn’t just affect your cycle, it also plays a role in things like mood, sleep, and how your body handles stress. So when estrogen starts fluctuating in perimenopause, it’s not just your hormones that feel it. Your whole nervous system does too.

On top of that, progesterone, which has a naturally calming effect on the nervous system, also drops during this phase. So you’re losing two of the hormones that were quietly helping you stay regulated, often at the same time. Then disrupted sleep adds another layer. When rest isn’t solid, cortisol, your main stress hormone, tends to stay higher, and higher cortisol can make the nervous system more reactive. It becomes a cycle that reinforces itself. Poor sleep makes everything feel harder, and feeling overwhelmed makes it harder to sleep.

This is why so many women say they don’t handle things the same way anymore. It isn’t a personality change. It’s physiology. And understanding that makes it easier to move away from self-blame and toward actual support for your body.

The Soul (The Wellness): Nobody really prepares you for this part, especially the emotional side of it. The part where you feel like you’ve become less resilient overnight, more reactive, more easily overwhelmed, quicker to tear up, snap, or just feel done. And because it isn’t talked about often, a lot of women end up quietly assuming something is wrong with them.

Just remember, nothing is wrong with you.

This phase has a way of stripping back what isn’t working anymore. As uncomfortable as that can feel, there’s something worth paying attention to in it. Your body is asking you to slow down and take better care of yourself. It’s not a luxury, it’s a necessity.

If you’re moving through hormonal changes and feeling unsure where to start, this is exactly the kind of support I offer. As a menopause coach, I help women reconnect with their bodies through simple nourishment, daily rhythm, and realistic habits — without pressure or perfection.

Sources & References

The North American Menopause Society (NAMS)
NHS (UK National Health Service) — Menopause guidance
Cleveland Clinic — Menopause & mood changes
PubMed — Research on menopause, sleep, and nervous system changes