The One Thing I Stopped Doing That Changed Everything in Perimenopause

If there’s one thing I stopped doing that changed everything in perimenopause…

It was this:

I stopped trying to fix every symptom separately.

Because let’s be honest — that’s what most of us do.

Weight gain?
Find a supplement.

3am wake-ups?
Find another supplement.

Anxiety?
Add magnesium.

Hot flashes?
Try something new.

Brain fog?
Google at 2am.

Before you know it, you’ve got a kitchen counter that looks like a natural health store and you still feel off.

Sound familiar?

Here’s What No One Explains

Your hormones aren’t randomly malfunctioning.

They’re reacting.

In perimenopause and menopause, estrogen and progesterone fluctuate — yes. That’s normal.

But what makes symptoms feel chaotic is usually this:

Your stress response is dysregulated.

And your stress response is controlled by your circadian rhythm.

Which means…

If your rhythm is off, everything feels off.

The Root System No One Talks About

Cortisol (your stress hormone) is the conductor.

When cortisol spikes at the wrong times or stays elevated too long:

Blood sugar becomes unstable
Insulin increases
Estrogen clearance changes
Progesterone drops
Sleep suffers
Cravings increase
Anxiety rises

And then we panic and chase symptoms.

But symptoms are messengers.
They’re not separate problems.

So What Did I Do Instead?

I stopped chasing.

And I started regulating my daily rhythm.

Not perfectly.
Not obsessively.
Just consistently.

Here’s the simple structure.

The Daily Rhythm Reset

Not 27 steps.
Just anchors.

🌅 Morning: Anchor Your Cortisol

1. Light in your eyes within 10–30 minutes of waking.
No sunglasses. No phone. Even cloudy light counts.

This tells your brain: “It’s morning.”
Cortisol rises properly.
Melatonin lowers appropriately.

Everything downstream improves.

2. Hydrate before caffeine.
Water first. Coffee second.

Dehydration spikes cortisol.
And coffee on an empty stomach? That’s gasoline on a hormonal fire.

3. Eat protein within an hour.
25–35 grams.

Stable blood sugar = calmer hormones.

Optional Morning Support

Young Living oils available in Canada:

Peppermint for brain fog
Lemon for clarity
Frankincense for grounding

Diffuse or apply diluted to wrists/neck.

🌤 Midday: Stabilize

Eat every 3–4 hours.
Walk after meals when you can (10–20 minutes is enough).

This improves insulin sensitivity and reduces afternoon crashes.

Stress support oils:

Stress Away
Valor
Lavender

Because stress regulation is hormone regulation.

🌙 Evening: Protect Sleep Like It’s Sacred

Dim lights after sunset.
No scrolling in bed.
Magnesium glycinate before sleep if needed.

Young Living oils for wind-down:

Lavender
Peace & Calming
Cedarwood
Frankincense

Sleep is when progesterone gets supported.
Sleep is when repair happens.
Sleep is not optional in this season.

What We’re Not Doing Anymore

We’re not:

Starting 10 supplements at once
Fasting aggressively
Over-exercising
Drinking coffee as breakfast
Panic-Googling symptoms

We are not broken.

We are dysregulated.

And dysregulation is reversible.

The Truth Most Women Need to Hear

Perimenopause doesn’t require perfection.

It requires rhythm.

When you regulate your nervous system and circadian rhythm:

Hot flashes often lessen
Sleep improves
Anxiety softens
Weight becomes more manageable
Energy stabilizes

Not because you attacked each symptom…

But because you supported the system.

If You Do One Thing

If you do ONE thing tomorrow morning:

Go outside.
Let the light hit your eyes.
And stop believing you need 47 new products to feel better.

Start with rhythm.

The body follows.

Want an easy checklist? Download HERE

Daily Rhythm Reset Checklist