Stress and Metabolism

Stress is a normal, healthy part of life. We are supposed to experience stress, and in fact, we don’t function well without it. We need the “stress” of waking up and getting going for the day to jump start our metabolism. We need to encounter new organisms to keep our immune system well-tuned. We need to push our muscles past their current capability in order to build stronger, bigger muscles. That, in essence, is the benefit of stress: “What doesn’t break us does make us stronger.”

As women age, however, the stress response changes. A big factor in this change is how

hormones interact. When estrogen and progesterone levels are no longer stable or drop off

entirely, our stress hormone, cortisol, also becomes less predictable - which tends to pull insulin along for the ride. This is one of the reasons insulin resistance is worse for women in

menopause. A little stress goes a long way when estrogen and progesterone levels are

fluctuating. All of this to say, what used to make us stronger now makes us, well, less resilient.

So what used to work for maintaining metabolic health (blood sugars, cholesterol, blood pressure, weight) in a woman’s 20’s and 30’s, doesn’t work the same way in her 40’s, 50’s and beyond. This adjustment takes some getting used to. The temptation to keep doing what used to work is strong and ends up creating more frustration when it ‘backfires’ which could look like worsening glycemic markers and increased weight.

What needs to happen as hormones are changing is a new approach. It doesn’t need to be a

total lifestyle overhaul, sometimes it’s as simple as a few adjustments to the diet and a new

mindset around exercise. “More” isn’t better – cutting calories ‘more’, doing high-intensity cardio training ‘more’ ends up creating frustration when nothing changes or when weight goes up.

How to approach a change to metabolic health? Yes, high intensity

workouts can still be part of your routine. AND the exercise routine now needs to include

exercises that lower metabolic stress, such as walking. Dietary changes don’t have to be “all or nothing” at this stage, either. Often a very slight adjustment to carbs and protein can be enough to move the metabolic dial.

Because the metabolism is incredibly responsive and adaptive, other factors such as stress

become even more important to consider. While it might feel tempting to “quit everything and go live on the beach”, such dramatic changes are rarely necessary - however appealing. Finding the right amount of metabolic “stress” and metabolic “rest and adjustment” are key for navigating the changing landscape of metabolic health from perimenopause through menopause.