If you're like me, you probably have woken up drenched in sweat, gasping for breath, and staring at the ceiling. Welcome to the nightly battle many women face as their bodies struggle with perimenopause. Perimenopause typically occurs in your 40s (but can start in your 30s and last well into your 50s) and brings hormonal changes that can make sleep feel impossible. You're not alone if you've been tossing and turning, waking up multiple times a night, or struggling with daytime fatigue. Studies suggest up to 85% of women in perimenopause experience some form of sleep disturbance.

Perimenopause brings many changes, and your skin is no exception. As estrogen levels fluctuate and gradually decline, your skin may become drier, thinner, and more prone to wrinkles. Collagen production slows, hydration decreases, and skin cell turnover isn't as efficient as it once was. This hormonal shift can also lead to increased sensitivity, breakouts, or even unexpected changes in pigmentation. While these changes can feel frustrating, the good news is that the right nutrition can make a significant difference in maintaining a radiant, resilient complexion.

Do you ever walk into a room and completely forget why you're there? Or struggle to find the right word mid-sentence? If so, you're not alone. Brain fog is one of the most common and frustrating symptoms of perimenopause. Brain fog during perimenopause is largely driven by hormonal fluctuations, particularly declining estrogen. Estrogen plays a major role in brain function, including memory, focus, and overall cognitive performance. As levels drop, it can impact neurotransmitter activity, leading to forgetfulness, trouble concentrating, and that frustrating "mental haze."

As estrogen levels decline during perimenopause, many women notice changes in their vaginal and urinary health that can affect comfort, intimacy, and overall well-being. These changes are part of what’s known as Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause (GSM)—a condition that impacts both the vagina and urinary tract. Now, let's be honest here, there are no good perimenopause symptoms. However, the ones that affect your genitals and urinary tract are particularly difficult to manage. Understanding what’s happening and what you can do about it can significantly affect how you feel.

As estrogen levels drop, testosterone remains steady, becoming more dominant. This hormonal imbalance can stimulate the growth of terminal hairs—thicker, coarser, and darker hairs—on areas like the chin, upper lip, and jawline. The softer, finer “peach fuzz” associated with estrogen may thin out or stop growing, leaving areas like the face and arms with less hair coverage. Testosterone influences certain areas more than others, leading to noticeable facial hair while hair in other areas, like the underarms or legs, may grow more slowly.

Kicking off the new year with Dry January is a fantastic way to hit a reset, especially during perimenopause—when our bodies are already dealing with hormonal changes. While alcohol might feel like an easy and familiar way to unwind, it can actually stir up a whole lot of trouble. Skipping booze once in a while can be a game-changer for women in perimenopause. Drinking during perimenopause is like adding fuel to an already roaring fire. Here are a few ways that alcohol causes chaos: disrupted sleep, increased hot flashes and night sweats, mood swings and anxiety, spiked blood sugar, and slowed metabolism.

A new year usually means New Year's resolutions for many of us. Whether we stick to them or not is a whole other story! Health and wellness goals are some of the most common, and for women in perimenopause, these goals take on even greater significance. Perimenopause brings fluctuating energy levels, heightened stress, and challenges to emotional and physical balance. By focusing on practices that nurture your Qi, or life force energy, you can recharge your internal battery, reduce perimenopause symptoms, and encourage balance in your mind and body.  

If you've noticed mood swings, brain fog, disrupted sleep, or heightened anxiety during perimenopause, your gut health might be partly to blame. Many of us think gut health is solely about digestion, but it plays a vital role in our overall well-being—especially during perimenopause. Your gut, often called your "second brain," is intricately connected to hormonal health. It produces many neurotransmitters—like serotonin and dopamine—influencing mood, energy, and sleep. As hormones fluctuate in perimenopause, the balance of your gut microbiome and the production of these critical chemicals can be disrupted, amplifying physical and emotional symptoms.

If you're navigating the journey of perimenopause, you're likely familiar with the well-known symptoms: hot flashes, brain fog, fatigue, anxiety, and weight gain. These hallmark signs are often expected and widely discussed. However, perimenopause encompasses far more than these symptoms, and many women may experience less common signs that can feel puzzling or even concerning. Because estrogen receptors are located throughout our bodies, hormone fluctuations during this phase can affect many different systems—sometimes in surprising ways.

Heart palpitations are the sensation that your heart is racing, pounding, or fluttering. You may feel them in your chest, neck, or throat; while they can be alarming, they're typically harmless. During perimenopause and menopause, hormonal fluctuations—especially in estrogen and progesterone—can affect the autonomic nervous system, which controls heart rate and rhythm. These hormone shifts often lead to palpitations, making them a common perimenopause symptom.

Embracing the aging process is essential, but when it comes to my face, I'm not giving up without a fight. Daily Gua Sha and facial massage are my secret weapons. Gua Sha focuses on lymphatic drainage, circulation, and rejuvenation. By promoting the movement of lymph fluid, it aids in detoxification and reducing puffiness. Gua Sha enhances health and beauty, particularly for women over 40 by helping lift and define facial contours, offering a sculpted and refreshed appearance.

Protein, fat, and carbohydrates are the three macronutrients your body needs to function, and are required in larger quantities, hence the name "macro" nutrients. These three macronutrients help our bodies to function optimally, support metabolism, and keep us feeling our best. They are essential to understand when it comes to perimenopausal weight loss.

I'm finally spilling the tea on my secret perimenopause weapon—Maca. This supplement has changed my entire perimenopause experience. The fascinating thing about Maca is that it helps to naturally increase hormone levels, alleviating numerous symptoms instead of targeting just one or two.

Changes in our skin are a natural part of aging, and the hormonal changes we go through in our 40s as we enter perimenopause can significantly impact the texture and appearance of our skin. While most women associate skin aging with the natural aging process, the hormonal changes during perimenopause often amplify these effects, sometimes making women feel as though they've aged drastically in a short period. 

Many women don't realize that gut health has a critical role in managing perimenopause symptoms and can provide a potential pathway to relief. The gut is our "second brain" and is a complex system that goes beyond digesting food. It is crucial in hormone regulation, immune function, and mental health.

Joint pain is one of the most common symptoms of menopause, yet this musculoskeletal complaint often goes undiscussed, unlike hot flashes and night sweats. Research shows that between 51-59% of perimenopausal/menopausal women experience joint pain, stiffness, or backache. Decreasing estrogen levels can lead to reduced bone density and affect muscle and tendon strength. Estrogen also helps lubricate joints and reduce inflammation, so its reduction leads to increased joint pain and stiffness.

Diet is one of the best ways to help reduce perimenopause symptoms, and blueberries are a particularly beneficial addition. Who knew? These small, vibrant berries are powerhouses packed with nutrients that offer numerous health benefits, especially for perimenopausal women. They are a great boost for cognitive function and offer incredible antioxidant protection.

When it comes to supplements, magnesium doesn't get the attention it deserves. It's overshadowed by more popular nutrients like multivitamins, vitamin D, omega-3s, and calcium. Yet magnesium is a superhero supplement and has an incredible impact on managing perimenopause symptoms.

When the topic of testosterone arises, there's a common misconception that it's a topic for men only. However, that couldn't be further from the truth. Testosterone holds significant importance for women as well, yet it often remains overshadowed in discussions revolving around women's hormones.

Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands in response to stress. It is instrumental in our fight-or-flight response and helps us cope with stressful situations. Cortisol is crucial to our body's stress response system but when hormone levels change daily during perimenopause, maintaining optimal cortisol levels can seem nearly impossible.