Ep. 7 | How Stress Hijacks Every Hormone (Perimenopause + Cortisol)

Dr. Greg calls this a must-watch episode because stress, cortisol, and nervous system health can override everything else — hormones, workouts, supplements, and even diet. In perimenopause, stress isn’t occasional, it’s constant, and it can quietly drain the body’s ability to make and balance progesterone, thyroid hormones, DHEA, and testosterone.In this episode, you’ll learn how the hormone cascade shifts under chronic stress, why your body can feel stuck in fight-or-flight, and how simple daily resets can help restore calm, sleep, inflammation balance, and hormonal stability.Key TakeawaysStress isn’t just emotional — physical, chemical, relational, financial, blood sugar swings, inflammation, and poor sleep all count.Chronic stress can divert pregnenolone into cortisol, leaving less available for progesterone and DHEA/testosterone (“pregnenolone steal”).Elevated cortisol suppresses thyroid conversion (T4 → T3), contributing to fatigue, weight gain, and metabolic slowdown.You can’t heal in a body that feels unsafe — regulation comes before optimization.Small daily resets matter: breathwork, nasal breathing, prayer or spiritual grounding, silence, morning light, protein intake, and blood sugar balance.Simple, low-cost ways to calm the nervous system and support cortisol rhythm:Breathwork (box breathing, Wim Hof–style breathing)Nasal breathing (tongue resting behind the front teeth)Optional mouth taping at night (test during the day first)Prayer or spiritual practice“Pause rituals” (2 minutes of silence and breathing)Morning light exposureBalanced meals with adequate protein and steady blood sugarResources & Next Steps:Initial Eval Link: ⁠⁠https://drgreg.practicebetter.io/#/5e8a349a2a982306d08c1c14/bookings?s=62290cf8c925874c9b56b394&step=date ⁠⁠Hormone Symptom Tracker: Use our comprehensive tracker to map symptoms related to estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, cortisol, insulin, thyroid, vitamin D, and more. https://drgreg.practicebetter.io/#/5e8a349a2a982306d08c1c14/forms?f=6807f2f8c009a18d7c98e558Testing, Functional Hormone Panels & More:  Want to explore your functional lab markers more closely? Wondering about working with Dr. Greg and the team? Learn more about our functional medicine approach and care options at www.vitaefm.comAsk Dr. Greg a Question: Have a question you’d like Dr. Greg to answer on a future episode? Email us at [email protected] & Contact:Subscribe for weekly insights on hormones, gut health, detox, and women’s wellness. Got a question or want to inquire about becoming a patient? Send a message to our team! Email us at ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠.Keywords: perimenopause stress, cortisol imbalance, hormone disruption, nervous system regulation, fight or flight, pregnenolone steal, adrenal health, progesterone depletion, thyroid conversion, metabolism slowdown, fatigue and burnout, women’s hormone balance, functional medicine, Dr Greg Mongeon, women’s health podcast