What Is Going On With My Body During Perimenopause and What the Heck Can I Do About It?
Have you ever looked in the mirror and thought “What is happening to me?”
Maybe you’ve noticed
Unexpected weight gain
Mood swings
Random hot flashes that seem to show up out of nowhere
Maybe you feel off - mentally foggy, emotionally shaky - and you just can’t quite figure out what’s wrong.
If this sounds like you, you’re not alone. And no, you’re not “too young” to be wondering about menopause.
This is the reality for many women navigating the start of perimenopause, the transition phase before menopause that brings a wave of hormonal changes and symptoms. And it’s not just about physical changes.
It’s the emotional toll of not feeling like yourself anymore.
It’s the stress of having to figure it all out while keeping up with your work, your family, your home, and your sanity.
You may be feeling irritable and overwhelmed. You might wake up each day unsure which symptoms will show up, or how long they’ll last.
And it doesn’t help that the healthcare system often dismisses or downplays what you’re going through.
The result?
You’re left to Google your way through one of the biggest transitions in your life.
Exhausting, right?
Here’s the thing: This isn’t just you.
This is perimenopause.
And understanding what’s happening can bring so much relief. Because when you know what’s going on, you can stop second-guessing yourself, and start doing something about it.
In this blog post, we’re going to talk about what’s really happening in your body, and I’ll share three strategies that will help you start feeling more like yourself again, even as your hormones shift.
Time to dig in!
Strategy #1: Understanding What is Happening to Your Body
Most of us were never taught about what really happens during the menopause transition. Maybe we heard our moms mention “hot flashes” or “the change,” but it didn’t really go beyond that.
And when your body starts doing things you don’t recognize, like suddenly gaining weight in new places, waking up drenched in sweat, or feeling emotional for no clear reason, it’s no wonder you start wondering, “Is this normal? Am I going crazy?”
That’s why the first and most important step is simply understanding the timeline of the menopause journey. Because once you know what’s happening in your body, it becomes so much easier to stop fearing it, and start managing it.
Here’s what the general timeline looks like:
1. Premenopause
This is the phase most of us think of as our “normal” reproductive years. Your hormones (estrogen and progesterone) are cycling regularly, and you typically have predictable periods. You may not be thinking about menopause at all yet, but your body is laying the groundwork long before symptoms start.
2. Perimenopause
This is where the shift begins, and where a lot of confusion sets in.
Perimenopause can start as early as your mid-to-late 30s, but most women notice changes in their 40s. It can last anywhere from a few years to over a decade.
During this time, your hormone levels start to fluctuate wildly. Estrogen and progesterone don’t decline in a straight line, they rise and fall unpredictably. That’s why one week you might feel totally fine, and the next you’re moody, exhausted, and questioning every decision you’ve ever made. Symptoms like irregular periods, sleep issues, hot flashes, anxiety, brain fog, and weight changes are all common.
The thing is, many women don’t realize they’re in perimenopause. They think they’re just stressed or out of shape, or worse, that something is seriously wrong with them. But knowing this is a natural part of your body’s transition can be a huge relief.
3. Menopause
You’ve officially reached menopause when you’ve gone 12 full months without a period. At this point, your ovaries have stopped releasing eggs, and your estrogen and progesterone levels have dropped significantly. The average age of menopause is 51, but it varies for each woman.
By now, many of the symptoms from perimenopause may still be present, but the hormonal roller coaster often starts to slow down. Knowing when you’ve reached this stage helps you understand what to expect next, and how to continue supporting your body.
4. Post-Menopause
This is the phase after menopause, and it lasts for the rest of your life. While some symptoms may ease up, new health concerns can emerge because of the lower hormone levels. Things like bone density loss, heart health, and vaginal dryness become more common, which is why long-term preventative care and lifestyle support are so important.
Understanding these phases isn’t just about having the right terminology. It’s about reclaiming a sense of control in a time when your body might feel anything but predictable. When you know where you are in the journey, you can:
Make informed decisions about your health
Understand what’s normal (and what might need medical attention)
Plan ahead for how to support your body, your mind, and your lifestyle
Inside my Reset to Radiate coaching program, we spend time mapping out your personal menopause timeline. This isn’t one-size-fits-all. Together, we walk through your symptoms, menstrual history, and lifestyle to identify where you are in the transition. I break down the hormone shifts in everyday language (no medical dictionary required!) and show you how they connect to what you’re feeling.
This is where you’ll have that “a-ha” moment, when you finally feel like things make sense. And when things make sense, you can stop guessing and start taking real, grounded steps toward feeling better.
Strategy #2: Create a Personal Symptom Journal to Help Get the Support You Need
Ever feel like your body is sending you mixed signals?
One week you’re sleeping fine, the next you’re staring at the ceiling at 2 am. One day your mood is steady, and the next you’re snapping at your family for no reason!
You are not alone.
This kind of unpredictability is a hallmark of perimenopause. But here’s the good news: there is a way to make sense of it.
The key? Start tracking your symptoms with a personal symptom journal.
This might sound simple, but it’s one of the most powerful tools you can use during your menopause journey. By writing down what you’re experiencing each day, patterns start to emerge. You connect the dots between how you’re feeling and what’s happening in your hormones, lifestyle, or routine.
And over time, this journal becomes more than a log, it becomes a guide.
What to Track (and Why)
Your journal doesn’t need to be fancy or time-consuming. A notebook, an app, or a printable tracker all work. The most important thing is consistency. Here are a few things I recommend tracking:
🛌 Sleep quality: Did you fall asleep easily? Did you wake up during the night?
😌 Mood/emotions: Were you feeling calm, anxious, down, irritable? Was there something that triggered a reaction?
⚡️ Energy levels: Were you feeling drained or did you feel focused and clear?
🩸Menstrual changes: Was your period early, late, heavier, lighter?
🥵 Physical symptoms: Hot flashes, joint pain, bloating, headaches, etc.
🥗 Nutrition & digestion: What you ate and how it made you feel.
🚶🏻♀️Movement/stress levels: Did you exercise? How stressed were you?
Over time, your journal will reveal recurring patterns.
Maybe your anxiety spikes a few days before your period. Maybe poor sleep always follows wine at dinner. Or maybe you notice hot flashes flare up on days when your stress is high.
This kind of clarity can be a game-changer because now, instead of feeling like symptoms are popping up randomly, you can start to be more proactive about them.
How This Helps You Get Better Support
Your symptom journal is also an incredible tool when it comes to seeking help. Whether you're working with your doctor, a therapist, or a coach like me, having this information at your fingertips makes it so much easier to get the support you need.
It allows us to:
Identify patterns and possible triggers
Create targeted strategies based on your actual experience
Track improvements over time
Validate that what you’re experiencing is real and not “just in your head”
So often, women feel dismissed when talking to medical providers about perimenopause. But when you walk in with documented symptoms and data, it becomes pretty difficult to ignore.
The truth is, you can’t change what you don’t understand. Your symptom journal is your first step toward understanding and regaining a sense of control.
When you have that awareness, you stop living in reactive mode. You can plan better. You can advocate for yourself more effectively. You can choose foods, habits, and support systems that actually make a difference.
And perhaps most powerfully, you start rebuilding trust with your body. Instead of feeling anxious or confused, you begin to see that your body is always communicating. Your journal helps you listen.
Strategy #3: Learning Lifestyle Habits and Triggers That Can Have Immediate Impact
Here’s something every woman in perimenopause needs to hear:
You’re not helpless in this process (good news, right?)
Yes, hormones are shifting in ways that are outside your control, but how your body responds to those shifts is something you can influence, every single day, through your habits.
Your daily lifestyle plays a major role in how smoothly (or not-so-smoothly) your menopause journey goes. Think of it like this: your body is going through a natural transition, and your habits are either helping it adjust, or making things harder than they need to be.
Let’s look at some of the most common lifestyle factors that impact your perimenopause symptoms:
🥗 Nutrition
During perimenopause, hormonal fluctuations can increase inflammation, cause blood sugar swings, and affect your gut health, all of which can make symptoms like weight gain, bloating, fatigue, brain fog, and mood swings worse.
That’s why food isn’t just fuel right now, it’s a tool.
Balanced nutrition can help:
Stabilize energy levels and mood
Improve sleep and digestion
Support hormone detoxification
Reduce hot flashes and bloating
🧘🏽♀️ Stress Management
Chronic stress is like throwing gasoline on the hormonal fire. When stress levels are high, your body produces more cortisol, which can:
Disrupt sleep
Increase belly fat
Make you more reactive and emotional
Exacerbate anxiety and brain fog
During perimenopause, stress doesn’t just feel bad, it can make your symptoms worse. That’s why managing stress isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity.
💤 Sleep
Sleep? What’s that? Hormonal shifts can throw off your natural sleep-wake rhythm, cause night sweats, or leave you waking up at 3 am for no good reason.
Poor sleep impacts everything - your mood, your focus, your appetite, and your ability to cope.
🏃♀️ Movement
Exercise becomes even more important during this life stage, but it’s not about going harder or burning more calories. In fact, too much high-intensity exercise can increase stress on the body.
The right kind of movement during perimenopause should:
Build muscle and protect bones (think strength training)
Support cardiovascular health (brisk walking, cycling)
Lower stress (gentle yoga, stretching, mobility work)
When you feel overwhelmed by your symptoms, it’s easy to think there’s nothing you can do. But in reality, your day-to-day habits are powerful tools.
You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be intentional.
Every small shift adds up to better symptom management, more energy, and greater confidence in your own skin.
Inside Reset to Radiate, lifestyle support is central to everything we do. I help you take what we’ve uncovered in your symptom journal and menopause timeline, and turn it into a plan that fits your life. No one-size-fits-all templates here, just real conversations, real strategies, and real support from someone who gets it.
You Might Be Wondering… “Is it too early for me to be thinking about menopause?”
Many women believe they’re too young to be experiencing these changes, especially if they’re in their late 30s or early 40s. But here’s the truth: perimenopause can start earlier than you think.
If you’re noticing changes in your cycle, mood, sleep, or energy levels, and nothing else seems to explain it, it’s very possible that perimenopause is the reason. The earlier you understand what’s happening, the more proactive you can be in managing it.
To recap, 3 strategies that can help you feel more in control of your menopause journey include:
Learn the timeline so you know what stage you’re in and what to expect.
Track your symptoms so you can spot patterns and get the support you need.
Start simple lifestyle shifts that will help you feel better now and protect your health long-term.
Imagine waking up without the cloud of confusion and anxiety - knowing what’s happening in your body, and actually feeling equipped to handle it. That’s what’s possible when you take the time to understand your perimenopause journey and give your body the support it needs.
Ready for the Next Step?
Want to see how your current eating habits might be affecting your symptoms?
Check out my Nutrition Audit to see where your food could be supporting, or sabotaging, your menopause journey.
This isn't about dieting. It’s about learning how to support your hormones with food during a time when your body’s needs are changing. Because in perimenopause, what worked before often stops working, and that’s not your fault. It just means it’s time to shift your approach.
When you take the Nutrition Audit, you’ll:
Get a clear picture of how your current food choices might be helping or hurting your symptoms
Uncover hidden patterns (like blood sugar crashes, gut triggers, or missing nutrients) that could be affecting your mood, energy, and sleep
Learn simple, realistic shifts you can make to feel better in your body, without cutting everything you love
If you’re tired of second-guessing every bite and wondering why you still feel off, this is your chance to find out what’s really going on. Check out my Nutrition Audit. You’ll walk away with insights, clarity, and a starting point that can make a real difference, starting with your very next meal.
You don’t have to figure this out alone. I’m here to help every step of the way. 💛