165: New Life Perspectives with Liz Larson and Bill McKenna - Menopause and the Nervous System165: New Life Perspectives with Liz Larson and Bill McKenna - Menopause and the Nervous System
UK Health Radio Podcast
Liz Larson chats with physical therapist Laurie Thompson and Dr Heather Elton about how shifting hormones in perimenopause and menopause affect the nervous system, stress and weight. They share personal stories, testing options and practical tools like breathwork, strength training and protein-rich breakfasts to help women feel calmer and sleep better.
45:02•15 Jun 2026
Menopause, Hormones and the Nervous System: Why Working Harder Can Make You Feel Worse
Episode Overview
- Shifts in oestrogen and progesterone can directly disrupt the brain’s stress command centre, driving anxiety, hot flashes, sleep problems and weight gain.
- The Dutch test helps map cortisol, DHEA and sex hormone patterns so support can match a woman’s specific stage of perimenopause or menopause.
- Endless cardio and intermittent fasting can raise cortisol and stall fat loss in midlife, while strength training and gentler movement often work better.
- Diaphragmatic breathing in a good postural position can calm the autonomic nervous system and mimic some of progesterone’s soothing effects on the brain.
- Eating 20–30 grams of protein within an hour of waking, and delaying coffee until after food, can support blood sugar, adrenals and mood stability.
“If the nervous system feels more stressed out, it feels under threat and it's going to store fat.”
How do people manage co-occurring mental and physical health issues while recovering their sense of balance? This conversation on UK Health Radio’s *New Life Perspectives* zeroes in on menopause, perimenopause and the nervous system, with a refreshingly honest mix of science, personal stories and a few good laughs about cheese in cutlery drawers.
Host Liz Larson talks with physical therapist Laurie Thompson and functional medicine practitioner Dr Heather Elton about the “mystery” changes women report during menopause: anxiety, sleepless nights, brain fog, weight gain, hot flashes and feeling like they’re losing themselves.
Laurie shares how, despite doing all the “right” things—HIIT workouts, strength training, hormone support—“the harder I’m working, the worse I’m feeling,” until advanced hormone testing (the Dutch test), postural restoration work and targeted supplements finally helped her sleep and feel calm again. Heather explains how shifting levels of oestrogen and progesterone scramble the brain’s stress command centre, sending cortisol and DHEA on a rollercoaster and dragging mood, energy, libido and metabolism along for the ride.
She breaks down why endless cardio and fasting can backfire for women in their 30s, 40s and 50s, ramping up stress hormones and stalling fat loss, while strength training, protein-rich breakfasts and blood-sugar balance support a steadier nervous system. Laurie adds practical tools from postural restoration and diaphragmatic breathing, showing how specific breathwork can mimic the calming effects of progesterone and help the body feel safe again.
The trio also touch on trauma patterns resurfacing in midlife, withdrawal from social life, and women worrying they’re developing dementia when hormones and stress are the real drivers. This is a candid, science-based chat for anyone wondering if they’re “going crazy” in perimenopause or menopause and wanting concrete, body-and-brain-friendly ways to feel like themselves again. Which small change—breathwork, breakfast, or gentler exercise—could be your first experiment?
Do you want to link to this podcast?
Get the buttons here!
More From This Show
The latest episodes from the same podcast.
Related Episodes
Similar episodes from other shows in the catalogue.