If there is one symptom women never expect in perimenopause, it is the way their nervous system changes.

Many of the women I work with say:
“I used to cope with everything and now the smallest thing sets me off.”
“I feel anxious for no reason.”
“Noise, pressure and responsibility feel heavier.”
“I feel overstimulated all the time.”

They blame themselves.
They wonder if they are breaking down.
They think something is wrong psychologically.

But it is not a breakdown.
It is physiology.
And more importantly, it is normal.

Perimenopause is a neurological transition, not just a hormonal one.
Your brain and nervous system are reorganising the way they respond to stress, emotion and internal signals.

Let me explain what is really happening.

1. Declining Progesterone Removes Your Natural Calming Buffer

Progesterone has a soothing, regulating effect on the brain.
It increases GABA, the neurotransmitter that helps you feel calm, grounded and centred.

As progesterone decreases, many women feel:
• more sensitive
• more reactive
• easily overwhelmed
• emotionally fragile
• unable to wind down at night
• unable to access the calm they once had

This is not psychological weakness.
It is biochemistry.

You lost your internal buffer.
Your body is adjusting.

2. Oestrogen Fluctuations Heighten Sensitivity

Oestrogen affects serotonin, dopamine, temperature regulation, cognition, memory and emotional processing.

When oestrogen spikes and crashes, your brain feels it intensely.

This can create:
• sudden waves of anxiety
• irritability
• emotional surges
• crying spells
• brain fog
• memory lapses
• overstimulation

Women often think they are “losing control” but this is exactly what we expect when oestrogen becomes unpredictable.

3. Cortisol Rises as Your Stress Threshold Drops

For years your nervous system may have been carrying stress, responsibility, emotional load or burnout.
Perimenopause removes your ability to suppress it.

Your cortisol response becomes louder and more reactive.

This leads to:
• racing thoughts
• panic sensations
• heart palpitations
• fatigue crashes
• wired and tired states
• difficulty calming down
• overthinking
• rumination
• feeling “on edge”

Your nervous system is not failing.
It is showing you what has been stored inside your body that now needs attention.

4. Your Brain Is Rewiring Itself

During perimenopause the brain reorganises how it communicates with hormones, emotions and internal cues.

This is similar to adolescence and postpartum.
Transitions in hormones create transitions in identity and nervous system function.

This can feel like:
• questioning everything
• identity shifts
• emotional clarity followed by emotional confusion
• needing more solitude
• craving deeper truth and boundaries

This is normal.
Your brain is restructuring.

5. Your Body Is Asking for a New Pace

Many women have pushed through stress for years.
When progesterone drops and cortisol rises, the body no longer tolerates the pace that once felt manageable.

Your system begins to say:
“I cannot keep living this way.”
“I need rest.”
“I need different priorities.”
“I need space.”

This is wisdom, not weakness.

Perimenopause is a call to slow down and recalibrate your life into something more aligned with your true energy.

How Nutrition Helps Regulate the Nervous System

Nutrition directly influences:
• blood sugar stability
• neurotransmitter production
• inflammation
• sleep quality
• hormone balance

Women in perimenopause benefit from:
• balanced meals that prevent blood sugar drops
• magnesium rich foods for relaxation
• omega three fats for brain health
• reducing alcohol, caffeine and inflammatory foods
• increasing fibre for gut brain regulation
• protein to stabilise mood and energy

Food is not just fuel.
It is information for your nervous system.

How Somatic Therapy Helps You Feel Safe Again

Somatic therapy teaches your body how to regulate itself during hormonal transitions.

It supports:
• grounding
• emotional processing
• nervous system regulation
• release of stored tension
• improved stress resilience
• reconnection with inner safety
• increased clarity and calm
• gentler mood and emotional stability

Women often tell me they feel like they have returned to themselves after learning these tools.

Your nervous system can heal.

Your body can regulate again.

You are not stuck this way.

You Are Not Broken You Are Transitioning

Perimenopause is not a mental health crisis.
It is a nervous system recalibration.

When you understand this, you stop judging yourself and start supporting yourself.

You can navigate this phase with clarity, compassion and empowerment.

About Anca Vereen

I am an Accredited Practising Dietitian, somatic psychotherapist and women’s health practitioner specialising in perimenopause, menopause, hormone balance, gut health, weight changes and nervous system regulation.

I help women understand their body, regulate their system and move through perimenopause with confidence. My approach integrates nutrition, somatic therapy, stress regulation and personalised support.

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If you are experiencing anxiety, overwhelm or nervous system changes in perimenopause, personalised support can transform your experience.

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You deserve calm.
You deserve clarity.
You deserve support that understands the full woman you are.