199: Perimenopause, Nervous System Health & How Stress Impacts Your Hormones

Hi friends! I have a brand new podcast episode live, and today we’re diving into a topic that so many women are confused about but deeply affected by: perimenopause.

I’m joined by the amazing mother-daughter duo, Candace and Jess from Your Hormone Balance, and we’re breaking down what perimenopause actually is, why it can start earlier than most women expect, and how chronic stress and nervous system dysregulation play a huge role in hormone imbalances, fatigue, mood swings, weight gain, and more.

This episode is especially for you if you’re in your 30s or 40s, feeling “off” in your body, struggling with sleep, energy, anxiety, or changes in your cycle – and being told everything is “normal.”

Here’s what we chat about:

• What perimenopause really is (and why it’s an 8–10 year transition, not a single moment)

• The early signs of perimenopause, including changes in your cycle, mood, sleep, and energy

• Why progesterone is often the first hormone to decline — and how that impacts anxiety, PMS, and stress tolerance

• How chronic stress, overworking, under-eating, and people-pleasing disrupt ovulation and hormone balance

• The connection between nervous system dysregulation and symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, bloating, and low libido

• Why so many women are estrogen dominant — and how stress drives that imbalance

• The importance of hormone testing (and why symptoms alone don’t tell the full story)

• Simple, realistic nervous system practices to lower cortisol and support healing

• Breathwork techniques like the “physiological sigh” to calm anxiety in real time

• Everyday vagus nerve tools: humming, singing, grounding, and gentle movement

• How boundaries, asking for help, and reducing people-pleasing can literally improve your hormones

• Why heavy, painful, or irregular periods are not something you should ignore

• The role of protein, nourishment, and avoiding extremes with exercise and caffeine

199: Perimenopause, Nervous System Health & How Stress Impacts Your Hormones

This episode is such a powerful reminder that your body isn’t broken;  it’s responding to the life you’re living. And with the right tools, support, and awareness, you can move through perimenopause feeling calmer, stronger, more regulated, and more in tune with your body.

I hope you enjoy this episode!

Connect with Candace and Jess here:

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Detailed show notes here: https://fitnessista.com/podcast

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