If you’ve been dragging yourself out of bed lately, chugging caffeine just to make it through the morning, and collapsing on the couch by 8 p.m., you’ve probably told yourself: “It must be my hormones.”
And yes…hormones play a huge role. During perimenopause, estrogen and progesterone start to fluctuate like a rollercoaster, which can absolutely mess with your sleep, mood, and energy. But here’s the thing most women don’t realize: it’s not just hormones that are draining you.
Your nervous system is tired too.
When you’ve been living in a constant state of “go, go, go” for years… raising kids, managing a household, building a career, keeping everyone else afloat, your body eventually hits a wall. Even if your calendar looks manageable, your system might still be in overdrive.
When stress builds up (and let’s be honest, modern life is stressful), your body moves into survival mode. Cortisol, the stress hormone, stays elevated, your heart rate stays a little too high, and your brain stays alert long after the “danger” has passed. You might not even notice it anymore because you’ve gotten used to that wired-but-tired feeling.
Then add in the hormonal shifts of midlife, poor sleep, skipping meals, scrolling at night, and trying to be superwoman, and it’s no wonder you wake up feeling like you didn’t sleep at all.
This kind of fatigue isn’t something a nap or an extra cup of coffee can fix. It’s nervous system fatigue. Your body has forgotten how to truly rest.
You might lie down, but your mind doesn’t turn off. You may sleep eight hours but still wake up tense, because your body never dropped out of stress mode long enough to repair and recharge.
So what can you do? You start by slowing down on purpose.
Not quitting your job or dropping every responsibility—just finding small ways to signal safety back to your body throughout the day. Here are a few simple shifts that can make a huge difference:
1. Breathe before you react.
When something stressful happens, pause for a few slow exhales. It sounds small, but it tells your nervous system: “I’m safe.” Try the 4-6 breath—inhale for 4 counts, exhale for 6.
2. Eat real meals.
Skipping breakfast or grabbing something sugary mid-morning sends your blood sugar on a rollercoaster, which crashes your energy later. Aim for protein, healthy fat, and fiber at every meal.
3. Move your body gently.
If you’re exhausted, intense workouts may be working against you right now. Swap a few HIIT sessions for walks, yoga, or stretching. Movement should leave you more energized, not depleted.
4. Create a bedtime wind-down.
Turn off screens 30 minutes earlier. Dim the lights. Stretch. Read. This signals your brain it’s time to rest, so sleep actually feels restorative.
5. Refill your joy tank.
When’s the last time you did something just because it felt good? Laughter, creativity, music, time in nature, these all calm your nervous system and remind your body that life is more than a to-do list. Life needs to be lived, that’s part of how we thrive in this physical transition in our bodies. I was recently inspired by a creator who focuses on bringing more whimsical moments into her experiences. I live by a motto: my life is magical and so now I am following her lead and being purposeful with adding some whimsey into my day. Sprinkling the glitter.
Here’s the truth: fatigue in midlife isn’t a sign you’re broken. It’s a sign you’ve been doing too much for too long without letting your system recover.
Your body is whispering for rest, nourishment, and nervous system repair. Hormones might be part of the story, but they’re not the whole book. The key to really thriving is a whole picture approach.
Once you start listening to what your body needs instead of pushing through, you’ll be amazed at how much energy returns. Not because you’ve fixed your hormones overnight, but because you’ve finally started caring for the woman living inside them.
