Stress and Hormones: What Every Woman Over 40 Needs to Know

Margot Hiller
Feb 7
4 min read

Updated: May 16

Life after 40 can feel like a whirlwind, right? Between juggling personal goals, family, and work, stress is already a lot to handle. And just when you think you’ve got things under control, your body starts changing in ways you didn’t expect.

Suddenly, your energy isn’t what it used to be, your moods feel all over the place, and your sleep? Let’s not even go there. It’s not just in your head—stress and shifting hormones can team up and make everything feel harder.

But here’s the good news: understanding how stress and hormones interact can help you take back control. And no, this isn’t about drastic changes or impossible routines. It’s about small shifts that support your body through this phase, so you can feel more like yourself again.

How Stress and Hormones Affect Each Other

Stress is your body’s natural alarm system. You know that rush you feel when you’re running late, staring down a deadline, or getting bad news?.That's where your body's fight-or-flight response steps in.

Your brain sends a signal to your adrenal glands to release cortisol and adrenaline—your main stress hormones. Adrenaline gets your heart pumping and energy flowing, while cortisol fuels you with quick energy by raising blood sugar levels and shutting down non-essential processes like digestion and reproduction

This system works great in short bursts. But when stress lasts for a long time, the constant flow of cortisol harms your body badly. Because perimenopausal hormonal changes intensify the impact of chronic stress, this is especially important for women over 40.

Your Adrenal Glands and Hormonal Changes

Besides handling stress, your adrenal glands also play a role in hormone production—especially when estrogen starts declining. When your ovaries slow down estrogen production, your adrenal glands try to step in and pick up the slack.

But if they’re too busy pumping out stress hormones, there’s not much left for estrogen and progesterone. And that can make perimenopause symptoms like mood swings, hot flashes, and fatigue even worse.

For men, chronic stress can lower testosterone levels, leading to fatigue, low libido, and other health issues. While the mechanics are a bit different, the key takeaway is the same: too much stress throws your hormones off track.

How Stress Makes Perimenopause Symptoms Worse

When stress is running the show, it amplifies many of the symptoms women already experience during perimenopause:

Hot flashes & night sweats: Higher cortisol levels make it harder for your body to regulate temperature, leading to more frequent and intense hot flashes.
Sleep problems: Cortisol should drop at night so your body can rest, but stress keeps it elevated, making it harder to fall and stay asleep.
Mood swings & anxiety: Cortisol messes with serotonin and dopamine (your feel-good hormones), leading to increased anxiety, irritability, or even low moods.
Weight gain & sugar cravings: Stress makes your body store more fat, especially around your belly. It also increases cravings for high-sugar, high-fat foods.
Digestive issues: Ever get bloated, gassy, or constipated when you're stressed? That’s cortisol interfering with digestion.

Why Stress Management is a Game Changer

Taking care of stress isn’t just about feeling calmer—it’s about keeping your hormones in check so your body can function the way it’s supposed to. Lowering cortisol levels can:

Lift your mood: When stress is under control, your brain can produce more feel-good hormones like serotonin and dopamine.
Improve sleep: Balanced cortisol means better, deeper sleep (and no more tossing and turning at 3 AM!).
Boost energy: No more afternoon crashes—your energy stays steadier throughout the day.
Support hormonal balance: Less stress means your adrenal glands can focus on producing the right balance of estrogen and progesterone, easing perimenopause symptoms.

Practical Ways to Reduce Stress and Support Your Hormones

The good news? You don’t have to overhaul your life to feel better. Here are a few simple, realistic ways to lower stress and support your hormones:

Breathe & slow down: Try deep breathing exercises, meditation, or simply taking a few quiet minutes for yourself every day. Even 5-10 minutes can make a real difference.

Prioritize sleep: Make your bedroom a calming space—cool, dark, and quiet. Wind down with a book or herbal tea instead of scrolling your phone.
Eat for balance: Fill your plate with whole foods, fiber, and healthy fats. Omega-3s (found in salmon, walnuts, and chia seeds) are great for fighting inflammation and keeping hormones in check.
Move your body: Exercise helps burn off excess cortisol and boosts mood. It doesn’t have to be intense—even a walk, dancing, or stretching counts.
Make time for joy: Whether it’s reading, gardening, or catching up with a friend, do things that bring you joy. Connection and laughter are powerful stress-busters.
Set boundaries: Protect your time and energy. It’s okay to say no when you need to.
Practice gratitude: Shifting focus to what’s going well can help bring more ease into your day.

When to Get Professional Support

If stress is running your life and you feel like you just can’t get back on track, don’t hesitate to reach out for support. Talking to a health professional, coach, or therapist can give you the tools to manage stress more effectively and improve your overall well-being.

A professional can help you pinpoint underlying issues, create a plan that actually works for your life, and keep you accountable so you don’t have to figure it all out on your own.

Let’s Make This Easier for You

Balancing stress and hormones in your 40s (and beyond) isn’t always easy, but you don’t have to do it alone. If you’re ready to take control of your well-being, let’s talk.

I offer 1:1 coaching sessions where we can dive into your specific challenges and create a plan that works for YOU. Because you deserve to feel good inside and out.