Lifestyle•Feb 20, 2026

A Guide to Perimenopause

By The Sculpt Society

If you've been feeling like something's off—struggling with sleep, noticing shifts in your mood, or just not feeling like you—you could be experiencing the first symptoms of perimenopause. If so, these symptoms aren’t all in your head, and you’re far from alone. As board-certified OB/GYN and perimenopause specialist, Dr. Alicia Robbins, recently told Megan, “The classic thing I hear in my practice is ‘I just don’t feel like myself.’ It’s almost diagnostic for perimenopause.” Perimenopause, the transitional midlife phase that can last anywhere from 2 to 10+ years before menopause, often catches women completely by surprise.

During this time, progesterone and estrogen begin their gradual decline, but the changes in your period typically happen much further along in the process. Long before you miss a cycle, you might experience sleep disruption, mood changes, and other perimenopause symptoms that are often overlooked or misdiagnosed because so much focus is placed on menstrual irregularities. Learning more about perimenopause and menopause, and developing a greater understanding of what’s happening in your body, is the first step toward feeling more like yourself again.

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What to know about hormone fluctuations during perimenopause

During perimenopause, your hormones aren’t just declining, they're fluctuating wildly. While progesterone levels tend to decrease more consistently, estrogen can spike high relative to progesterone for months at a time, triggering symptoms similar to the early stages of pregnancy: breast tenderness, bloating, and intense moodiness. These hormonal swings impact far more than your menstrual cycle—they influence your mood, anxiety levels, sleep quality, energy, mental clarity, and even how your body responds to stress. Day to day, your hormones are unpredictable…which is why you might feel perfectly fine one month and completely off the next. It's often compared to puberty in reverse—the same dramatic hormonal shifts, only in the opposite direction. This variability is exactly why perimenopause symptoms can feel so confusing and inconsistent.

Why your body might look and feel different—even if your habits haven’t changed

Even if your workout routine and eating habits have stayed consistent, perimenopause can shift how your body looks and feels due to changes in body composition, water retention, inflammation, and insulin sensitivity. Fat may redistribute to different areas, muscles may respond differently to your usual workouts, and fluctuating hormones can cause bloating. It's crucial to reframe these changes as biological—a natural response to hormonal shifts—and try not to take these fluctuations personally. As we always emphasize at The Sculpt Society, fitness and movement should feel good and support you, not serve as a punishment or form of compensation. (Now more than ever!) Your body is navigating a significant transition, and you deserve self-compassion, not self-criticism.

Woman wearing a gray bodysuit against a light gray background

Woman in athletic wear with dumbbells on a gray background

How perimenopause can affect your nervous system and stress levels

As estrogen and progesterone fluctuate during perimenopause, your nervous system becomes more sensitive to stress, and your body may produce higher levels of cortisol in response to everyday challenges. This heightened stress response can leave you feeling more anxious, irritable, or emotionally raw, even when nothing in your external life has changed. Because your body is working harder to maintain balance during this transition, prioritizing rest, recovery, and me-time is a must. Quality sleep, stress-reducing practices, and supportive daily habits, like joyful movement, can help regulate your nervous system and offset these hormonal shifts. The goal here isn’t to overwhelm you with a long self-care checklist; it’s to help your body feel safe and supported in the midst of these shifts.

How to feel strong, supported, and grounded during perimenopause

It’s a challenge and a process. The first step to navigating perimenopause with confidence is education—understanding what's happening in your body helps you respond with intention and greater self-awareness, rather than confusion. From there, daily rituals like balanced nutrition, prioritizing sleep, managing stress, and consistent movement can become your foundation for feeling grounded through the ups and downs. Many women find that adaptable, low-impact Sculpt workouts, combined with strength training, help them feel strong, confident, and energized, not exhausted. We created our Midlife Program—a long-term fitness and wellness plan for midlife, combining guided workouts, adaptable daily movement, and expert education—to support your mental and physical health during perimenopause.

Person performing a lunge exercise with a dumbbell on a plain background

Along with menopause, perimenopause is a hugely significant life transition. This stage of life—and the symptoms that come with it—is completely normal, even though it looks and feels different for everyone. While hormonal shifts and physical changes can feel overwhelming, understanding what’s happening in your body empowers you to navigate this transition with confidence. With the right combination of education, movement, rest, and self-compassion, you’ll navigate perimenopause feeling informed, strong, and more like yourself.

Please note: This post is intended for education and support only, and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical advice, a diagnosis, or a treatment plan. If you’re experiencing perimenopause symptoms or have additional questions about perimenopause, please speak to a qualified healthcare professional.

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