Are you feeling exhausted all the time?
No matter how much sleep you get, you still wake up tired and unrefreshed.
Are you struggling with:
Weight gain?
Mood swings?
Brain fog?
Hot flushes?
And does it all feel completely out of control?
Most women blame their hormones—estrogen, progesterone, maybe even thyroid hormones. And yes, they do play a role.
But what if I told you that the real culprit making everything worse isn’t just your hormones?
It’s something even more powerful.
The Missing Piece: Your Adrenal Glands
Your adrenal glands are the key players here. If you don’t support them properly, perimenopause and menopause will feel much harder than they need to be.
Stay with me for the next few minutes, and I’ll break down why your adrenals are the missing piece of the puzzle—and how you can start feeling better almost immediately.
What Do Your Adrenal Glands Do?
Your adrenal glands are two tiny but powerful glands that sit on top of your kidneys, just under your rib cage. Their job? To pump out cortisol and adrenaline—your body’s primary stress hormones.
In your 20s and 30s, most of your estrogen and progesterone come from your ovaries. But as you enter perimenopause and menopause, your ovaries slow down hormone production.
And guess what? Your adrenal glands are supposed to pick up the slack, producing small amounts of reproductive hormones to help with the transition.
But here’s the catch—if you’ve been running on stress and survival mode for years (and let’s face it, many modern women are), your adrenals are already overworked and exhausted.
That means they can’t properly support your hormones, leading to:
- Hot flushes
- Weight gain (especially around the midsection)
- Crazy mood swings and anxiety
- Brain fog that makes you feel like you’re losing your mind
- Sleep issues that leave you waking up exhausted
Does any of this sound familiar?
If so, stress and adrenal burnout could be magnifying your menopausal symptoms.
Signs Your Adrenals Are Struggling
- You wake up exhausted, even after 8 hours of sleep.
- You feel wired but tired at night—your brain just won’t switch off.
- You crave caffeine, sugar, or salty snacks just to get through the day.
- Your weight has started creeping up, especially around your belly.
- You feel constantly overwhelmed, anxious, and emotionally drained.
- Simple tasks now feel like a massive challenge.
If you nodded yes to even a couple of these, your adrenals could be in overdrive—and that’s making your menopausal symptoms worse.
But here’s the good news: you can reset your adrenal glands and make your perimenopausal journey so much easier.
5 Ways to Support Your Adrenals and Ease Menopausal Symptoms
1. Prioritise Deep, Restorative Sleep. Your adrenal glands reset and repair while you sleep, but if you’re staying up late finishing chores or scrolling on your phone, your body isn’t getting the rest it needs.
Try:
- A magnesium bath or supplement before bed.
- A relaxing herbal tea like chamomile or passionflower.
- A consistent bedtime (yes, even on weekends!).
2. Reduce Caffeine and Sugar. I know—you need your coffee to keep going. But too much caffeine spikes cortisol, creating an energy rollercoaster that wreaks havoc on your hormones.
Instead, try swapping your second (or third… or fourth) coffee for:
- Matcha
- Dandelion tea
- A protein-rich smoothie to stabilise blood sugar
3. Support Your Adrenals with Adaptogenic Herbs. Adaptogens help your body adapt to stress and balance cortisol naturally. Some great options include:
- Ashwagandha
- Rhodiola
- Licorice root
- Siberian ginseng
I use these herbs in tailored combinations for my clients—it’s always best to get professional advice on which ones are right for you.
4. Balance Blood Sugar to Reduce Cortisol Spikes. Have you ever skipped breakfast and just grabbed a coffee on your way out? Missed meals because you were too busy? Skipping meals or eating too many carbs without enough protein can stress your adrenals, triggering hot flushes, mood swings and cravings. Try this instead:
- Eat protein with every meal (eggs, nuts, seeds, fish, tofu, tempeh).
- Add plenty of fresh veggies to your plate.
- Avoid processed carbs that spike and crash blood sugar, triggering a cortisol response.
5. Slow Down and Breathe. I know you’re busy. You have a million things on your to-do list. But even 5 minutes of deep breathing can shift your body from fight-or-flight into rest-and-repair mode—helping to reset your nervous system. Try this:
- Set an alarm on your phone as a reminder to take deep breaths.
- Before each meal, take 3 deep belly breaths.
- Focus on breathing deep into your belly, not just shallow in your chest.
It sounds simple, but this small habit can make a huge difference in reducing stress and supporting your adrenals.
You Don’t Have to Suffer Through Menopause
Many women are told: “Just deal with it—it’s menopause, it’ll take years.”
But I’m here to tell you:
It doesn’t have to be this way.
You don’t have to suffer alone. There is another way.
Want to Know if Adrenal Fatigue is Affecting You?
Are you wondering, “Could my adrenals be the issue?“
I’d love to help. If you’re ready for personalised support, book a consultation with me—let’s get your energy and hormones back on track so you can feel like yourself again and start living your best life.
I’m also happy to share my Adrenal Fatigue Checklist with you—so you can check off the symptoms and see where you stand. Just reach out, and I’ll send it over!
Ready to kick start Gut Health? Book a Call!
This is how gut microbes can influence weight!
Probiotics can help you gain weight or lose weight by interacting with our genetics, food and metabolism.
And yes, I did say lose or gain weight……..
Firstly, let me explain that the trillions of microbes in the gut need to be varied, meaning that there should be a large variety of species. There are many different species (or breeds) of microbes, and they all have their place in aiding health — the more variety and balance, the better health results.
Back to the weight loss or weight gain issue….
Do you eat yogurt and berries for breakfast? Thinking that it’s helping you lose weight?
Well, Lactobacillus acidophilus (like the species found in yoghurt) has been connected to weight gain.
I am not saying throw your yoghurt and berries in the bin. Instead, I am suggesting looking at the overall picture. If Lactobacillus acidophilus is the predominant micro-organism of the gut, then weight gain can result.
It is about the variety of species of gut microbes. Imagine if we only have trained german shepherd guard dogs in the world. It may be a safe world, but I am sure that other breeds may be more suitable as a family pet.
While Lactobacillus acidophilus is associated with weight gain, other Lactobacillus species correlate with weight loss.
Species like Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus gasseri, and Bifidobacteria animalis have been found to support weight loss.
Want to lose weight?
Look at your gut flora to support your goal.
Tests can be performed to identify the predominant species of the gut, and specific species can be utilised to support weight changes.
Want more information about your gut health?
Or want to look at all the factors contributing to weight gain, I’d love to be able to help.
