Cortisol and Perimenopause: How Your Hormones Impact Stress

What if everything you’ve been told about stress and hormones is backwards? The common narrative says that chronic stress “steals” your progesterone, leading to hormonal imbalance. But what if it’s actually the lack of hormones—specifically estradiol and progesterone—that’s driving your stress response into overdrive?

Ask Dr. Sarah: How Can Women Tell If Their Hormones Are Low or Unbalanced?

Question from a 40-Year-Old Woman: “Dr. Sarah, I feel like something is off, but my doctor says my labs are normal. I’m tired all the time, I can’t lose weight like I used to, I am so irritable with my husband and kids, I can’t sleep and my cortisol is high. Could this be my hormones?

Ask Doctor Sarah: Can You Start HRT Before Menopause?

Women are often told that they have to wait until their period stops (menopause) to start hormone replacement therapy. And when we hear about hormones dropping, we often associate it with menopause. However, most women start to experience symptoms in their 30s and 40s – long before their period stops.