It’s easy to dismiss the changes happening in your 40s and 50s as “just stress.” But as Dr. Rocio shared on The Tamsen Show Podcast, that’s a dangerous and common oversight.
“Chronic stress increases cortisol, which promotes weight gain, disrupts sleep, and suppresses the immune system,” said Dr. Rocio. “This is especially critical in perimenopause, when fluctuating hormones already create vulnerability.”
Many women report symptoms like anxiety, insomnia, brain fog, and fatigue and are often prescribed antidepressants or told their labs look normal. But hormone fluctuations during perimenopause don’t always show up clearly in lab work. That doesn’t make the symptoms less real.
Midlife is also when autoimmune conditions like Hashimoto’s thyroiditis often emerge, potentially triggered by stress-related immune suppression. Dr. Rocio encourages comprehensive evaluations and body composition scans, not just blood tests.
If you're being told “you’re fine” but you don’t feel fine, this conversation is a wake-up call.
Want to learn more? Listen to this episode of The Tamsen Show Podcast.
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