If your periods have become horribly heavy and unpredictable, your sleep is shot, and you’re suddenly wondering if you have ADHD… you’re not alone. This is perimenopause, and it isn’t about ageing, it’s hormonal chaos.
Let’s unpack what’s really going on.
The Symptom Storm
Lots, if not most, women in perimenopause will experience some sort of combination of:
- Heavy, flooding periods
- Irregular cycles
- Swollen, tender breasts
- Anxiety and irritability
- Sleep disturbances
- Migraines
Other common symptoms include:
- Trouble focusing or feeling “wired but tired”
- Feeling less resilient to stress
- Starting to feel “not like yourself” anymore
- An emergence (or diagnosis) of neurodivergent traits, such as ADHD
These symptoms aren’t random or imagined and there is nothing wrong with YOU. There’s a physiological reason behind all of it.
What’s Really Happening?
Perimenopause isn’t simply about “getting older”, it’s about your hormones shifting.
- Oestrogen becomes unpredictable
- Progesterone is consistently declining
- Cortisol jumps in, adding to the chaos
The real roller-coaster? Oestrogen levels can become up to three times higher than usual, and fluctuate wildly, while progesterone remains consistently low. This imbalance is what drives many of the symptoms.
What’s Causing the High Oestrogen?
Enter: Inhibin, a hormone that normally keeps the release of Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) in check.
During perimenopause, inhibin levels start to drop, which removes that “brake” on FSH. Without inhibin’s regulation, FSH levels rise significantly, and this drives:
- Multiple follicles being recruited and stimulated each cycle
- More oestrogen being produced as a result
So instead of a smooth hormonal rhythm, we get extreme hormonal volatility, leading to both oestrogen highs and lows, sometimes in the same month.
The Impact of This Hormonal Volatility
This “double dose” of oestrogen, plus its erratic nature, can lead to:
- Heavy bleeding: Oestrogen overstimulates the endometrial lining, making it over-thicken. Cue: heavy, flooding periods.
- Breast tenderness: Oestrogen receptors in breast tissue respond by growing (aka proliferating), making breasts feel swollen and sore.
- Mood and focus issues: Oestrogen influences brain chemicals like dopamine and serotonin, both vital for mood, memory, motivation, and sleep. So when oestrogen dips, you may feel low, foggy, scattered, or “off.”
Serotonin also plays a crucial role in sleep, as it’s the precursor to melatonin — your sleep hormone.
What You Can Do About It
The good news? You don’t have to just “deal with it.” Supporting your body can dramatically reduce how chaotic perimenopause feels.
Lifestyle habits and nutrition have a huge impact on riding out the oestrogen highs and lows with more ease.
Practical Support Tips
Here’s what I recommend starting with:
Prioritise Sleep & Circadian Rhythm
- Consistent bed and wake times
- Morning daylight exposure to anchor your body clock
Focus on Blood Sugar Balance
- No skipping meals
- Eat protein with every meal
- Choose slow-release carbs to stabilise energy and mood
Key Nutrients to Support Hormone & Brain Function
- Magnesium
- B Vitamins — especially B12, B6, and folate (B9)
- Omega-3 fatty acids
- Protein — essential for hormone and neurotransmitter production
- Iron (check ferritin) — especially important if your periods are heavy
Support Your Stress Response
- High cortisol adds fuel to the hormonal fire
- Prioritise nervous system regulation through:
- Breathwork
- Setting boundaries
- Stress management techniques like journaling, gentle movement or guided meditation
You’re Not Alone — and You Can Feel Better
My podcast, Empowered Perimenopause, is dedicated to helping you navigate this transition. I cover my four foundational health pillars, as well as more advanced support when you’re ready to go deeper. These are the exact steps I walk through with one-to-one clients and inside my Midlife Thrive programme.
You don’t have to white-knuckle it through this transition, there’s a better way!
Ready for more personalised gut support? Book a free discovery call with me to explore how we can work together.
