Feeling exhausted but wired at night? Waking up at 3:00 AM, struggling with anxiety, brain fog, or sudden mood shifts—and wondering if this is just who you are now? In this episode, Heather Hausman breaks down what’s really happening inside the body during perimenopause and why so many women experience sleep disruption, nervous system dysregulation, anxiety, and cognitive changes during midlife. She explains how fluctuating estrogen impacts the autonomic nervous system, stress hormones, neurotransmitters like GABA and serotonin, and the body’s ability to regulate sleep, focus, and emotional resilience.

Listeners will learn why perimenopause can trigger sympathetic dominance (the body’s fight-or-flight response), why sleep quality often declines before other symptoms appear, and how hormonal shifts can mimic or worsen issues like anxiety, insomnia, and even ADHD-like symptoms. Heather also explores the connection between hormone fluctuations, cortisol spikes, night waking, mood instability, and the increasing sensitivity of the brain’s threat-detection system during this stage of life.

If you’ve ever wondered why your body feels different after 40—or why strategies that used to work suddenly don’t—this episode offers clarity, validation, and a powerful reminder that your nervous system isn’t broken. It’s responding to real biological changes. Tune in to understand what your body is trying to tell you, and learn how to start working with it instead of against it.

Listen now and be sure to subscribe to the podcast for more science-based conversations on perimenopause, hormone health, nervous system regulation, strength training, and building resilience in the second half of life.

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