Menopause Isn’t the Problem… Ignoring It Until It Arrives Is
A new series on hormone health for the modern, high-achieving woman entering perimenopause.
If you’re in your 40s (or even your late 30s) and starting to feel… different… you’re not imagining it. Perimenopause is a profound biological shift — but not the dramatic cliff-jump culture makes it out to be.
And here’s the perspective I want to lead this entire series with:
Menopause isn’t the problem. Ignoring your hormones until they’re screaming for help is.
Hormones aren’t villains. They’re messengers. When life feels off — your energy, sleep, mood, metabolism, or stress tolerance — it’s not a character flaw. It’s information. Something is asking for support.
This December post kicks off a monthly series on hormone health, starting right at the top with the questions women ask me most.
Let’s get into it.
Perimenopause FAQs
(Real, honest answers without overwhelm)
1. What exactly is perimenopause?
Perimenopause is the transitional phase before menopause — a hormone recalibration period that typically lasts 4–10 years. Estrogen and progesterone begin to fluctuate more unpredictably, and your brain and nervous system are often the first to feel it.
But here’s the key:
Perimenopause is not your body shutting down. It’s your body shifting into a new hormonal operating system. And like any system upgrade, there can be glitches — but also opportunities.
This phase is where the right support makes the biggest difference.
2. How do I know if I’m in perimenopause?
Some of the most common early signs include:
Waking up around 2–4am and struggling to fall back asleep
Feeling more irritable or sensitive
Cycles that are still regular but… different
Weight changes despite similar habits
More intense PMS
Brain fog
Feeling wired-but-tired
Afternoon energy crashes
You don’t need a lab test to “prove” you’re in perimenopause — symptoms often speak louder than numbers. These shifts are real, they’re hormonal, and they’re common.
3. How is perimenopause different than menopause?
Menopause is just one day — the day you’ve gone 12 consecutive months without a period. Everything before that day is perimenopause.
Menopause is not the “beginning of the end.” It’s simply a new hormonal baseline.
And the way you support yourself now determines how smooth (or choppy) that transition becomes.
4. Why do I feel so moody?
Hormone shifts affect your brain chemistry — estrogen influences serotonin and dopamine, while progesterone interacts with GABA (your calming neurotransmitter). When these levels fluctuate, your emotional resilience can feel lower.
Many women tell me they find themselves snapping at the people they love most (their partner, their kids, etc.) and then feeling awful afterward. Not because they don’t care, but because their nervous system feels overstimulated and under-resourced.
You’re not “too emotional.” You’re not broken. Your system is simply more sensitive right now, especially if sleep, stress, or blood sugar are stretched thin.
This is information, not a character flaw. And it’s incredibly common.
(We’ll talk about why this happens and how to rebuild emotional bandwidth in January’s post.)
5. Why am I gaining weight when nothing about my habits has changed?
Perimenopause affects metabolism in a few key ways:
Lower progesterone → water retention + bloating
Estrogen swings → increased stress sensitivity
Cortisol rises more easily → more fat stored around the midsection
Disrupted sleep → more cravings + less appetite control
Natural muscle decline → slower metabolism
You’re not doing anything wrong. Your body’s operating system has changed. And now it needs a different strategy, not restriction or harder workouts.
6. Why am I waking up at 3am every night?
Ah, the classic wired-but-tired pattern.
The two biggest culprits:
Cortisol rhythm disruptions
Blood sugar dips
Layer hormone fluctuations on top of that and sleep gets messy fast.
The good news? Sleep is one of the easiest symptoms to improve once you understand the root causes.
7. Should I get my hormones tested?
Here’s my honest answer: labs can be helpful… but only if you know what to do with the information.
Hormones are messengers, not the starting point. If stress, sleep, gut health, nutrient deficiencies, and blood sugar are out of balance, your labs will simply confirm the downstream effects.
Supporting the foundations first makes hormone testing far more meaningful.
And yes, this is where Lionheart Longevity Labs (and eventually the Lionheart Inner Circle) will play a big role — when you're ready for deeper data.
So what do you do with all of this?
Perimenopause isn’t a problem to solve — it’s a transition to prepare for.
And the women who feel empowered through it are the ones who stop waiting for symptoms to get worse… and start supporting their body now.
Over the next few months, we’ll go deeper into:
Sleep + stress + nervous system regulation
Blood sugar and metabolism
Emotional bandwidth + mood
Strength training + muscle preservation
Hormone testing (and how to interpret it)
Nutrition that supports your new baseline
Ready for your next step?
If you read this and felt understood or relieved — you’re exactly who this series is for.
1. Lionheart Longevity Labs
Get 80+ biomarkers mapped out through a functional lens so we can see exactly how your inflammation, metabolism, stress, and nutrient status are influencing your hormones. Or, take it a step further and get a specialty DUTCH test to get an in-depth detailed look at your hormones.
2. The Lionheart Inner Circle
(coming soon)
A small-group program for women who want a clear, confident, personalized plan for navigating perimenopause. Spots will be extremely limited to create an intimate experience. Join the waitlist to be the first to know when this opens up.
More details inside the next posts of this series.
