Losing Progesterone: The Shift Into Perimenopause

Women's Health; Chapters of Empowerment: The First Phase, Losing Progesterone

Declining Progesterone

This calming hormone begins to wane, reducing its “stress-buffering” effect and leaving the nervous system more vulnerable to overwhelm.

Progesterone: The Brain’s Gentle Guardian

During the reproductive years, high levels of progesterone offer a calming, nourishing effect on the brain. This powerful hormone acts as a natural buffer against stress, supporting emotional resilience and mental clarity.

Progesterone enhances the activity of GABA receptors—feel-good neurotransmitters that promote relaxation and ease.

 It also helps stabilize the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis, the body’s central stress-response system. When the HPA axis is dysregulated, symptoms like mood swings, sleep disturbances, and fatigue can intensify.

 A drop in progesterone may increase vulnerability to anxiety and depression.

 Meanwhile, declining oestrogen can impair glucose metabolism, leading to a hypometabolic state—a slowdown in cellular energy production that can make weight loss more challenging for women.

Some common signs and symptoms of hormonal imbalance

may include:

• Significant changes in menstrual cycle patterns

• Anxiety

• Panic attacks

• Heart palpitations

• Migraines

• Insomnia

• Night sweats

• Hot flushes

• Late luteal spotting

• “Rib” symptoms (such as tenderness or discomfort around the

        ribcage)

Healing Is Collaborative

Together, we gently correct and recalibrate—using herbal medicine, targeted nutritional support, and meaningful shifts in diet and lifestyle. We unravel long-standing habits that no longer serve your vitality, and replace them with choices that nourish body, mind, and spirit.

 You’re not alone in this. Support is just a conversation away.