Perimenopause = Your New Operating System

Perimenopause: Your New Operating System

If you’re finding that what used to work has stopped working, you’re not alone. Perimenopause and menopause bring about fundamental hormonal changes that shift how your body operates. Think of it as running on a new operating system. The old rules no longer apply.

But once you understand the science behind these changes, you can make the right upgrades and thrive in this season of life.

What’s Happening in Your Body

When estrogen and progesterone begin to decline and eventually flatline in menopause the body rewrites its rules:

 • Inflammation rises: Lower estrogen removes a protective anti-inflammatory effect, increasing risk of joint pain, heart disease, and autoimmune flare-ups. [¹]

 • Insulin sensitivity drops: This makes it easier to gain fat, particularly around the midsection, and harder to regulate blood sugar. [²]

 • Mood, memory, and bone turnover decline: Estrogen supports neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, as well as bone remodeling. Its loss is linked to brain fog, mood changes, and osteoporosis risk. [³]

 • Muscle growth and fat metabolism slow down: With lower estrogen and growth hormone, muscle protein synthesis decreases, making it harder to build and maintain lean muscle. [⁴]

It may feel discouraging, but these shifts aren’t the end of your mojo, they’re signals to adapt your approach.

What Actually Works Now

✨ Lift weights with intention

Research shows resistance training not only preserves muscle but also improves insulin sensitivity, bone density, and mental health. [⁵] Heavier weights with lower reps are particularly effective for strength and bone health.

✨ Prioritise protein

Post-menopausal women need at least 1.2–1.6 g of protein per kg of body weight daily to support muscle repair and growth. [⁶] Protein also aids satiety and helps regulate blood sugar.

✨ Support recovery

With a reduced ability to tolerate stress, your nervous system needs deliberate care. Quality sleep, restorative breathwork, and parasympathetic practices reduce cortisol and support hormone balance. [⁷]

✨ Add lifestyle anti-inflammatories

Daily movement, whole-food nutrition, omega-3 fats, and stress regulation strategies are proven to lower systemic inflammation and improve longevity. [⁸]

The Mindset Upgrade

This is not a season of decline. It’s an opportunity for upgrading. If you view perimenopause and menopause as a chance to reset your foundation - to build strength, energy, and resilience for the decades ahead, you’ll step into this chapter feeling empowered.

During perimenopause and menopause, the brain is undergoing neuroplastic changes as it adapts to lower estrogen levels. Estrogen affects neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, as well as brain regions linked to memory and emotional regulation. Researchers now see this transition as a kind of neurological remodeling, the brain is literally rewiring itself.

 That means while some women experience symptoms like brain fog or mood shifts, it’s also a window of opportunity to strengthen new neural pathways through habits, mindset, and practices.

 • If you’ve been meaning to reframe negative self-talk, now’s the time.

 • If you want to build resilience through breathwork or meditation, your brain is especially primed to lock those in.

 • If you want to redefine who you are in this next chapter, you have a physiological window to do so.

In other words: your brain is changing, so you get to change with it. Instead of clinging to the old operating system, you can consciously write the new one.

References

 1. Straub RH. “The complex role of estrogens in inflammation.” Endocr Rev.2007.

 2. Carr MC. “The emergence of the metabolic syndrome with menopause.” J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2003.

 3. Brinton RD. “Estrogen regulation of glucose metabolism and mitochondrial function.” Ann NY Acad Sci. 2008.

 4. Pöllänen E, et al. “Effects of aging and menopause on skeletal muscle function.” Front Physiol. 2011.

 5. Watson SL, et al. “Resistance training and bone health in women.” Sports Med. 2014.

 6. Traylor DA, et al. “Optimal protein intake for older women.” Nutrients. 2018.

 7. Meerlo P, et al. “Sleep restriction alters the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal response to stress.” Endocrinology. 2002.

 8. Calder PC. “Omega-3 fatty acids and inflammation.” Nutrients. 2010.

 9. Mills PJ, et al. “The role of gratitude in spiritual well-being in asymptomatic heart failure patients.” Spiritual Clin Pract. 2015.