You don't need another alarming headline to know when something isn't right.

Women, especially mums and high-functioning women, are holding everything together on the outside, but inside they are exhausted, anxious, emotionless and inflamed.
Their hormones are unpredictable, sleep is disrupted and not restful and their energy is crashing every afternoon. Despite all the supplements, coffees, spa days and green smoothies - nothing is getting better.

You probably aren't even feeling "stressed" as you've know it before - that's because it isn't just stress. It is nervous system depletion. And it's the common thread running through burnout, hormonal imbalance and even chronic illness.

The modern world doesn't match how we are made - especially women going through perimenopause while working, caregiving and parenting.

Unless we start paying attention to how our nervous system is being depleted by everything we consume - digitally, emotionally and physically - we are going to keep seeing the same patterns.

What is the Nervous System - and Why Does it Matter?

Your nervous system is your body's common centre and it what's keeping you alive, safe and able to connect with other people.

When it is regulated, you feel calm, connected, energised and focused.

When it's dysregulated, you feel anxious, flat, reactive or numb - and your body stays stuck in a stress cycle it struggles to complete.

Your nervous system influences everything:

• Hormonal balance (including cortisol, insulin, oestrogen and progesterone)

• Digestion and gut health

• Immune function

• Sleep cycles

• Emotional resilience and mental clarity

Burnout, stress and hormone disruption aren't just about "doing too much" - they are an overloaded nervous system.

We are Consuming More than We Realise.

Everything we put into our body is impacting our nervous system, and its not just what we eat - it's what we scroll, watch, absorb and perform.

From the moment we wake up, we are consuming:

• Content (news, social media, emails)

• Processed foods and stimulants (caffeine, alcohol)

• Chaotic noise (literal and emotional)

• External pressure

Every one of these inputs activated the stress response, it might not be in a big way, and you might feel like you can handle it in the moment, but the effective is cumulative. Over time, burnout creeps in, hormones go haywire, you get more colds/sniffles. That's your body whispering for you to take action, and it will whisper until it starts to scream.

The Hidden Cost: Burnout, Hormonal Imbalance & Chronic Illness

I'm already seeing the effects around me, and you probably are too.

• A 2023 study found that 46% of working women in their 30's and 40's report feeling burned out most days

• Autoimmune conditions (which disproportionately affect women) are rising globally

• Perimenopause symptoms are starting earlier, lasting longer and seem to be more prominent - they are often unrecognised because they overlap with signs of chronic stress or anxiety

• Anxiety, depression, fatigue and gut health issues are becoming normalised.

Something needs to change.

We need to prioritise our nervous system

When we recognise the patterns early, we can start improving our health and wellness. When we regulate our nervous system:

• Hormones stabilise

• Energy returns

• Rest helps us feel restored

• Cravings lessen

• Boundaries are easier to enforce

• Decision making is easier.

It's all about changing our response.

Where to start: small shifts

You don't need a complete life overhaul, you just need to start listening to what your body is trying to tell you.

Ask yourself:

• What am I consuming that makes me feel worse?

• Where can I reduce overstimulation?

• Can I give myself 5 minutes of calm instead of checking my phone?

It's worth noting that your nervous system is just trying to do its job which is to protect you. The modern world doesn't fit how our nervous systems were built - the constant demands of the world are putting it into overdrive.

With the right support, you can start regulating your nervous system again.

If I can support you in this journey, take a look at the ways you can work with me.