Waking up at 3AM with a racing heart, sudden anxiety, or unexplained weight gain—and being told it’s “just stress” or “just aging”? What if it’s actually a specific hormone shift in perimenopause…and there’s a simple way to start fixing it today? In this episode of The BeingBrigid Show, Brigid sits down with Dr. Carrie Jones, naturopathic doctor, Menopause Society Certified Practitioner, and hormone testing expert. Together, they break down why perimenopause can feel like the “zone of chaos,” what’s really driving sleep and mood changes, how blood sugar and cortisol influence hormone health, and what’s legit (or overhyped) in viral wellness trends.

What You’ll Learn In This Episode:

1. Why GABA declines with age—and why women get hit harder in perimenopause
2. The most effective non-HRT strategies to improve sleep (and 3AM waking)
3. How cortisol and blood sugar swings can worsen PMS, anxiety, weight gain, and insomnia
4. The “zone of chaos” explained and the common stages of perimenopause
5. Lesser-known symptoms: joint pain, frozen shoulder, itchy ears, phantom smells, gut shifts
6. Which wellness trends can support hormone health: lymphatic drainage, castor oil packs, seed cycling
7. Why alcohol suddenly affects sleep, hot flashes, and anxiety more in your 40s
8. HRT benefits beyond hot flashes: brain, heart, bones, mood, sleep, microbiome
9. Bioidentical vs synthetic hormones—what the science says about risk and side effects
10. Where to start with hormone and foundational lab testing (and what to do first)

Timestamps:

1. 00:00 Introduction to Hormone Health and Perimenopause
2. 02:49 Understanding Hormonal Imbalances
3. 06:05 Non-HRT Interventions for Sleep and Anxiety
4. 08:51 The Impact of Cortisol on Hormones
5. 12:14 Navigating the Zone of Chaos: Perimenopause Stages
6. 14:57 Identifying Symptoms of Perimenopause
7. 17:52 The Connection Between Hormones and Gut Health
8. 21:05 Exploring Wellness Trends: Lymphatic Drainage and More
9. 23:52 The Role of Alcohol in Hormonal Changes
10. 27:13 Hormone Replacement Therapy: Benefits and Risks
11. 29:48 Understanding Bioidentical Hormones
12. 33:00 The Importance of Hormone Testing
13. 35:50 Blood Sugar and Hormone Health
14. 39:02 Key Interventions for Hormonal Balance
15. 41:52 Conclusion and Resources

Resources & Links:

+ Watch the full episode on YouTube

+ Brigid’s Website

+ Brigid’s Instagram

+ Dr. Carrie’s Free Labs ebook

+ Dr. Carrie’s Website

+ Dr. Carrie’s Instagram