Life transitions aren’t always easy, and they come in the form of external circumstances and internal shifts; sometimes many at one time. I know this first-hand. Over time, I’ve had to find and adopt simple, steady changes that make a real difference. I’ve learned that supporting hormone health, one of our most powerful drivers of wellbeing, is crucial along the way.
My approach is shaped by both lived experience and formal study, including An Introduction to the Science of Menopause, and further learning with Dr Linda Dear through her menopause guides and webinars. I champion Linda and Menodoctor for their work in New Zealand workplaces, creating awareness and driving change.
Midlife for anyone, is not just about supplements or blood tests - though tracking results has its place, as you’ll see in the PDF guide. These days, I like to keep things as simple as possible, with the hope that this information serves everyone. Being a women, the guidance leans to our experiences. But there is information for all. If you’re fully immersed in your career and need practical ways to stay steady, or you’re beginning to shift toward a simpler lifestyle with more room for health and reflection, I hope this helps.
What I Wish More People Knew About Midlife
Over more than ten years of moving through peri-menopause and now post-menopause, I’ve learned that the real shift happens in how we move, eat, breathe, rest and most of all, in how we reconnect to life in ways that feel meaningful. These midlife changes often arrive alongside family and career shifts, which can make the transition even more layered.
And let’s remember: you’re not broken.
You’re responding to a natural shift in rhythm. Let’s honour that shift, and reflect on what truly needs to be prioritised for long-term health. If you ever needed an excuse to simplify life and put yourself first, this is it. I support you, fully!
(And if you ever need a chat or a sounding board, please do reach out.)
In midlife, hormones shift, for women this becomes more evident, for males it feels more gradual. Most of the messaging out in the world of ‘self-help’ is focused on trying harder: take supplements to fight the fatigue, ignore the symptoms, or “biohack” our way through.
But the body? It’s asking for something else:
More strength, less stress
More rest, deeper breath
More nature, fewer screens
More nourishment, less noise
Over the past few years, moving through midlife, I’ve researched, trialled and tested various natural ways to reclaim energy, clarity, sleep and stability. This information is the distillation of what’s worked (and what I wish I had known earlier).
Important note: while this information refers to ‘women’ and ‘men’ to describe common midlife hormone patterns, hormones don’t follow binary rules. Everybody is unique. This resource is designed to support all people navigating midlife hormone shifts, including those on gender-affirming journeys, those who’ve had medical interventions and anyone curious about how hormones influence their energy, mood and connection to self.
What Really Happens to Hormones in Midlife
It’s not just women who experience change, although the hormone changes are more intense for women. Both women and men experience hormonal shifts. They show up differently and aren't talked about equally. These are the key hormones that change most in midlife and shape how we feel, function and age:
Estradiol (E2) – the strongest form of estrogen, supporting mood, bones, brain, libido, skin and heart health.
Progesterone – a calming, sleep-supportive hormone that balances estrogen, mainly important in the reproductive years and early menopause.
Testosterone – supports strength, muscle, libido, drive, motivation, confidence and recovery in all genders.
DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) – produced in the adrenal glands and converted into both estrogen and testosterone. In women, especially after menopause, DHEA becomes a key backup source of estrogen through conversion in fat tissue, skin and other sites. In men, it contributes more to testosterone production, although the testes remain the main source.
Human Growth Hormone (HGH) – essential for repair, metabolism, lean muscle, fat-burning, skin and bone strength.
Cortisol – the main stress hormone that helps regulate energy, metabolism and immune function, but can easily become imbalanced with chronic stress.
These shifts happen gradually for men, but for women they occur more abruptly during perimenopause and the transition into menopause. Once in post-menopause, hormone levels stabilise at a lower baseline and continue to change more gradually with age.
The Key Hormones That Shift in Midlife
Estradiol (E2)
Estradiol is the most potent form of estrogen. It plays a crucial role in stabilising mood, protecting bone density, supporting memory and cognition, maintaining vaginal health and libido, enhancing skin elasticity and hydration, and supporting cardiovascular health.
Decline pattern: Drops significantly in perimenopause and even more after menopause. Declines slowly in men with age.
Why it matters: A sharp drop in E2 can lead to hot flushes, anxiety, poor sleep, dry skin, joint pain and brain fog.
There are three main types of estrogen:
Estradiol (E2): most potent and dominant during reproductive years, supporting mood, libido, bones and brain function
Estrone (E1): becomes more prominent after menopause, is produced in fat tissue and acts as a backup source
Estriol (E3): gentler, anti-inflammatory form mostly active in pregnancy, with protective effects on skin, bladder and mucous membranes
The Simple Ways to Start Support:
Support estrogen by eating a variety of plants like flaxseeds, soy (organic, non GMO), beans and greens. Move daily to protect bones and heart. Reduce stress with yoga, breath or meditation, and choose colourful, whole foods rich in fibre to help balance hormones.
Progesterone
Often called the soothing hormone, progesterone calms the nervous system, supports deep sleep, regulates cycles and ovulation, and balances estrogen during perimenopause. It also influences GABA receptors which help with calm focus.
Decline pattern: Levels begin to fall in the mid-to-late 30s, dropping sharply in perimenopause as ovulation becomes less regular, and are very low after menopause.
Why it matters: Low progesterone may show up as mood swings, disturbed sleep, irritability, heavy or irregular cycles, or estrogen dominance symptoms.
Perimenopause vs Post-Menopause:
In perimenopause, progesterone plays a key role in easing symptoms and balancing fluctuating estrogen. Many women find supplementation helps with sleep, anxiety and heavy bleeding.
In post-menopause, progesterone is naturally very low and often no longer needed unless you are on estrogen therapy, in which case it protects the uterine lining. Some women may still benefit from low-dose progesterone for sleep or anxiety, but its role as a primary balancer becomes less important once cycles have stopped.
The Simple Ways to Start Support:
Support progesterone by maintaining steady blood sugar levels with regular, balanced meals, reducing stress through meditation or relaxation, and prioritising quality sleep daily. Magnesium-rich foods or calming herbs may also help.
Testosterone
Produced in smaller amounts by the ovaries and adrenals in women, only half of a woman’s testosterone comes directly from the ovaries (25%) and adrenal glands (25%). The remaining 50% is made through peripheral conversion, where the body converts precursor hormones into active testosterone within tissues throughout the body.
T is made in larger amounts by the testes in men. Testosterone builds muscle and strength, supports drive, libido and motivation, sharpens focus, maintains bone density and supports stamina.
Decline pattern: Gradual drop in both men and women from around age 30, more noticeable for women after menopause.
Why it matters: Low testosterone can reduce muscle mass and strength, slow recovery, lower libido and cause fatigue or low motivation.
The Simple Ways to Start Support:
Support testosterone production by:
lifting weights and/or doing strength-based exercise.
eat enough quality protein and healthy fats
limit alcohol and give your body time to rest and recover.
Women, if your energy has bottomed out, you can request low-dose testosterone for women and/or start taking 1-2tsps of Maca powder per day.
(Maca doesn’t supply hormones - it works through the hypothalamus and pituitary - the master endocrine regulators - helping your body find better hormonal rhythm. This is why its effects are often described as “balancing” rather than “boosting.”)
Read more about Testosterone here: ‘The T Word”
DHEA
A precursor hormone mainly produced in the adrenal glands. The body can convert it into both estrogen and testosterone, making it a building block for hormonal balance as we age. It also supports skin, collagen, libido, mood and adrenal recovery.
Decline pattern: Peaks in your 20s then declines gradually with age, faster under chronic stress.
Why it matters: Low DHEA reduces your ability to make other hormones and may show up as fatigue, weaker immunity, low mood or higher sensitivity to stress.
The Simple Ways to Start Support:
Support DHEA by getting deep, regular sleep and reducing stress with a steady practice of yoga, breath or meditation. Keep your body strong with regular movement such as strength training and some cardio. Choose whole foods with good fats and protein. Limit or eliminate alcohol and sugar; both strain the adrenals.
Human Growth Hormone (HGH)
HGH is a regenerative hormone that supports muscle and tissue repair, metabolism, fat-burning, skin firmness, bone strength and deep Stage 3/4 sleep.
Decline pattern: Naturally declines with age and stress.
Why it matters: Low HGH is linked to muscle loss, slower recovery, poor sleep and increased belly fat.
The Simple Ways to Start Support:
Support HGH by getting enough deep sleep, doing strength and high-intensity movement, eating adequate protein and manage stressors. Regular fasting or long breaks between meals can also stimulate natural release.
Cortisol
Cortisol is the main stress hormone made in the adrenals. It helps regulate energy, metabolism and immune function. Short bursts are useful, as a morning “wake-up and get going” hormone, but ongoing high levels cause problems.
Decline pattern: Can become imbalanced with busy life stress, either too high or too low, leading to fatigue, poor sleep and disrupted hormones.
Why it matters: Chronically high cortisol is linked to weight gain around the middle, poor sleep, lowered immunity and higher risk of heart disease. Very low cortisol leaves you exhausted and unable to cope with stress.
The Simple Ways to Start Support:
Support healthy cortisol by waking and sleeping at regular times, calming your system daily with yoga, breath or meditation, and getting morning light exposure. Keep caffeine intake low, limit or eliminate alcohol and reduce late-night screentime, which disrupts your body clock.
These hormone shifts aren’t limited to women. Men also experience gradual changes; testosterone, DHEA and human growth hormone (HGH) all decline with age.
The result? Slower recovery, reduced muscle mass, lower energy and sometimes shifts in mood or drive. The good news is that many of the same lifestyle strategies - from strength training to focused nutrition - can benefit all genders.
Why “Balancing” Hormones Can Feel So Hard
Hormones don’t work like switches. They’re part of a responsive, full-body feedback system. Your body is constantly responding to what you eat, how you sleep, how safe you feel, how much you’re exposed to light and natural rhythms and if you’re overdoing it with stress, alcohol, exercise, stimulants or poor nutrition.
You can influence these systems. Naturally. Hormones are messengers. They respond to the environment you create in your body. When you change the environment to help create positive messages, the signals begin to shift too.
Also, when hormones start to drop, our energy levels change, and our brains are starting to rewire, so this can feel tiring and confusing. It’s not something you are imagining.
What Helped Me Most
I’ve always prioritised movement, strength and feeling well in my body.
But as I moved through perimenopause into post-menopause, I noticed that what used to work - pushing harder, staying social with alcohol, long cardio sessions - began to drain me rather than energise me.
What made the biggest difference was refining how I trained, how I nourished myself and how I recovered.
Some changes had immediate effects: better sleep, calmer energy, clearer thinking. Other changes rebuilt strength and balance over time. Below is an overview of what works for me. Each person is unique, but some things can be prioritised that are known to help the majority of people.
Here’s what helped me through perimenopause and menopause:
Shifting my nutrition
I now focus on high-quality plant-based protein and a wide variety of vegetables. I’ve been vegan since 2016 to manage endometriosis, and this way of eating continues to support my hormones, gut and energy without triggering inflammation.
Daily sunlight and outdoor time
Morning light has a huge impact on my circadian rhythm, energy and mood. I aim to be outdoors every day, even in wild Wellington weather, because nature regulates me more deeply than any supplement.
Evening walking
Walking at sunset supports digestion, lymph flow, mood and sleep. A brisk 30-minute walk is enough to shift brain chemistry and help wind down the nervous system.
More high-intensity training, less draining cardio
Short, explosive sessions like stair sprints, box jumps or hill intervals are far more effective for hormone support and energy than long, draining runs. These practices boost growth hormone, testosterone and mental clarity.
Menopause Hormone Therapy (MHT) was a useful tool
For women in career projectory mode, or those balancing demanding work and family responsibilities, it’s not always realistic to overhaul your schedule overnight. This is where Menopause Hormone Therapy (MHT/HRT) can play a role. Some research highlights its protective effects, including lowering the risk of certain cancers, but it will never override the body’s need for the basics; good nutrition, sleep hygiene, rest, restorative practices, sunlight and time in nature.
I used the lightest effective versions - transdermal patches - for around 24 months while working full-time, studying postgrad, and navigating the emotionality of supporting my father through his final illness. As a temporary bridge, MHT eased symptoms like sleep disruption, irritability, night sweats, energy changes and brain fog. It gave me space to stay steady while I gradually wove in more natural, soul-aligned changes.
If you consider this option, it’s important to know that both estrogen and progesterone are usually prescribed together. Estrogen alone can stimulate the uterine lining to thicken, while adding progesterone helps keep the lining balanced and can also ease the above symptoms. In some cases, a low dose of testosterone may also be offered, particularly if fatigue, low drive or reduced confidence are part of your experience. For some women this addition makes a noticeable difference.
Think of MHT as a supportive tool during the transition, not the destination itself. Explore the option if you feel it will help you navigate peri-menopause with more clarity and resilience, while laying the groundwork for longer-term lifestyle support. And remember, you can always stop taking it if it doesn’t feel right for you.
Deep rest through Yoga Nidra
Just one session can shift your nervous system. Over time, Yoga Nidra has helped me, especially when sleep has been elusive.
Eating my main meal earlier
I’ve noticed better energy and more restful sleep when I eat my main meal earlier in the day - when digestion and insulin sensitivity are at their peak. My hunger signals have changed, so adapting my meals helps significantly.
Lifting heavier weights
Heavier strength training has helped me feel more stable, powerful and ready for anything. It’s vital for bone density, body composition and overall energy in midlife. For me, heavier lifting improved bone density and power.
For men, resistance training is equally vital - it’s one of the best natural ways to support testosterone, metabolic health, increase HGH and boost confidence in midlife.
Slow, grounding breathwork and meditation
Five minutes of breath can bring clarity and peace. I keep it simple and consistent, plus I meditate on-the-daily.
Cold-water immersion
I never liked the cold. And still don’t like cold water. But once I began cold showers, sauna and eventually sea swims, I was hooked. The clarity and calm I feel after ocean immersion is unmatched. I now swim up to 2 km in the sea when water temperatures are 13–15°C + , and keep it going as regularly as possible through winter. The body adapts; you still feel the cold, but your whole brain approach and brain chemistry have changed. You have forged new neural pathways.
Research shows the same for men; cold immersion can boost dopamine, norepinephrine and mental clarity, helping to reset energy pathways in midlife.
Reminder - everybody is different.
You may thrive on a different approach that includes a focus on nutrition and movement. Or you may not want to be as active as currently or you may wish
to become more active and focused. Midlife is a call to prioritising self-care.
Find the physical activities that you love and do more of them, while adjusting to make them as effective as possible for feeling good and building strength.
If you aren’t sure and need to chat, feel free to get in touch.
Natural Alternatives and Supplements
Maca powder is one of the most researched adaptogens for midlife. In controlled trials, maca reduced hot flashes, improved mood and libido, and even helped increase estradiol and bone-density markers in early postmenopausal women. For men, maca has been linked to improved sexual function, energy, and stamina, without artificially altering testosterone levels. This makes it a rare plant ally that supports both women and men through midlife change.
Milk thistle, usually known for liver support, has also shown promise in menopause studies, where 400 mg daily for 12 weeks significantly reduced the frequency and severity of hot flashes. Its role in supporting detoxification and reducing inflammation means it may also benefit men by protecting the liver during times of stress, alcohol use, or metabolic strain.
Other trending supplements - such as spirulina, NAC, curcumin, black seed oil, or hemp seed oil - are best understood as allies against “inflammaging” (the chronic, low-grade inflammation that accompanies ageing and can be reduced significantly with lifestyle changes). Theses suppliments may not directly change sex hormone levels, but they help create a healthier internal environment for energy, recovery and long-term balance for all genders.
When it comes to hormone-specific support, some remedies shine more clearly in research:
Ashwagandha helps regulate stress and nervous system responses, useful for women and men in high-pressure environments.
Black cohosh, red clover, and peony have stronger evidence in easing peri- and post-menopausal symptoms.
Balanced omegas (such as hemp seed oil) and vitamin D protect bones, cardiovascular function and brain health in both women and men.
Tulsi (holy basil) and other traditional herbs are often used by herbalists for peri-menopause, but their adaptogenic effects also help men stabilise mood and immunity.
Magnesium has shown promise in recent trials for reducing hot flash severity and frequency, easing sleep disruption and supporting mood and nervous system calm
These herbs and nutrients aren’t just about “fixing menopause.” They’re about supporting the whole body during transitions - reducing inflammation, protecting bones and the brain, sustaining energy and balancing mood.
Why Yoga Still Matters (More Than Ever)
Here’s why it works: Yoga supports your hormones through rhythm, not force.
Midlife is a time of repatterning, not pushing. Yoga regulates the nervous system, which in turn signals safety to your endocrine system. When your body feels safe, it can regulate estrogen, progesterone, testosterone and cortisol more effectively -without external inputs.
Yoga doesn’t discriminate; all genders benefit just as much. Studies show yoga regulates cortisol and supports testosterone balance, alongside improving flexibility, heart health, stress resilience and reducing inflammation.
• Slower flows and breath-led movement reduce cortisol, the stress hormone that competes with your sex hormone production.
• Forward bends, twists, and inversions help regulate the pituitary, thyroid and adrenal glands.
• Yoga Nidra and restorative practices encourage parasympathetic dominance - essential for digestion, brain rest, deep healing and hormone recalibration.
It Encourages Detox Without Depletion
You don’t always need to fast, restrict, or push your body to detox. Yoga supports daily detoxification through:
• Twisting and compression postures that help stimulate the liver and lymphatic flow
• Deep diaphragmatic breathwork that massages the gut and enhances elimination
• Sweat, movement, and rest rhythms that encourage toxin release through natural pathways
This isn't “cleanse culture”; this is daily recalibration through movement, breath and presence.
It Works on the Subtle Body - Not Just the Physical One
One of the most overlooked aspects of yoga is its ability to work on the energetic level, where so much of midlife disruption is happening.
• Your pranic system (life force energy) can become depleted or stagnant in modern life. Yoga awakens and circulates this energy.
• Chakra-based practices help restore vitality to the pelvic, heart and throat centres, areas often affected during menopause.
• Mantra and sound vibrate through tissues and subtle channels (nadis), clearing mental fog and emotional residue.
When you reconnect with your subtle energy bodies, you begin to feel whole again, start to become hormonally balanced and more soul-attuned. Yoga reminds us that
we are not made of disparate, separate systems. Hormones, breath, muscle, mind, emotion and our subtle energy fields - are all connected. This is why I return to yoga every day. Not to stretch. Not to sweat. But to listen, reset and align with what feels right and real for me.
Want to Go Deeper?
If you’ve made it this far, you’re probably ready for more than just inspiration.
Find protocols and easy-to-integrate options to take charge of your journey here.
Download this free Soul Fuel Midlife Thrive PDF.
Free Yoga Nidra Guided Practice
Try this Free Yoga Nidra – 6-Stage Version
A deeply restorative practice to calm your nervous system and support sleep.
Listen on Insight Timer.
Need Support?
If you need a chat or a plan ahead, I can provide levels of ongoing support to help plan for the rest of your best life, keep things grounded, and easy to incorporate.
My approach is a bit more soulful and backed by lived experience and study.
If you would like to make time for a chat about what is next for you,
Please get in touch. Thank you for being here.
Interested in finding out more?
Natural & Herbal Therapeutics
Maca root and menopause – RCTs show maca reduces hot flashes, supports libido and mood, and improves bone density markers in early postmenopause
PubMed Central | Rupa HealthMilk thistle for menopause – 400 mg/day for 12 weeks significantly reduced hot flash frequency and severity in a placebo-controlled trial
NutraIngredients-USABlack Cohosh – Meta-analysis shows significant improvements in hot flashes and somatic symptoms vs. placebo
PubMedAshwagandha root extract – RCT found improved quality of life and changes in estradiol, FSH, and LH in perimenopausal women
ResearchGateRed Clover isoflavones – Meta-analysis of phytoestrogenic activity suggests potential for reducing hot flashes
PMCHoly Basil (Tulsi) capsules – 2024 clinical study: reduced overall menopausal symptom scores in postmenopausal women
PubMed
Yoga & Health
Yoga and menopause – Review highlights yoga’s impact on psychological, somatic and urogenital symptoms
Journal of Mid-life HealthYoga Nidra and women’s health – Narrative review shows improved mood, sleep, cognition and reduced menopausal symptoms. The PDF download has an in-depth review of Yoga Nidra and women’s health.
JAIMSExercise + hormone therapy – Systematic review: best outcomes for bone health when resistance training is combined with MHT
Frontiers in Reproductive Health
Menopause Hormone Therapy (MHT / HRT)
Timing of MHT – Most effective when started within 10 years of menopause or before age 60
ACOG | IFMLow-dose MHT – Effective for vasomotor and vaginal symptoms
PubMed CentralMHT and bone health – Long-term estrogen + progesterone therapy helps preserve bone mineral density and reduce bone loss
Frontiers in Reproductive Health
Men in Midlife
Maca and men’s health – Clinical studies suggest maca supports libido, energy, stamina, and mood without altering testosterone directly
PubMed CentralAge-related testosterone decline – Harvard overview: testosterone falls ~1% per year after age 30; linked to fatigue, loss of muscle, mood shifts
Harvard HealthDHEA supplementation – Studies suggest benefits for mood, libido, and bone density in ageing men, though evidence is mixed
Mayo ClinicExercise vs Testosterone Therapy for Artery Health - In middle-aged and older men (aged 45–70), 12 weeks of structured exercise significantly improved artery function (an indicator of cardiovascular health). Testosterone therapy did not yield benefits for arterial health.
American Heart AssociationOmega-3s & cardiovascular health – Balanced omega oils reduce inflammation, support brain health, and protect men’s heart health in midlife
PubMed Research
Disclaimer
The information I share is for education, insight and general guidance only. It is not a substitute for personalised medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. I do not prescribe, diagnose or claim to treat any condition.
Please consult a qualified health professional before making changes to your medication, supplements, or treatment plan, especially if you have existing health concerns or are under medical care.
If you’re unsure what’s right for your body or would like support applying this information, you’re welcome to get in touch.