Total Health in Midlife Episode #221: Menopause, Sleep, Stress, & Recovery

 So, we’ve all heard the same health advice a thousand times, right? Eat right and exercise. People think that that’s the whole story, but quite honestly, it’s not. In reality, there’s a big piece missing, and it’s usually ignored because it’s not sexy or simple. That missing peace is stress, sleep, rest, and recovery.

Now, if you’re a woman in midlife who knows what to do, but you’re not getting the results that you think you should, this episode is probably for you. I’m not giving you another list of tips. I’m not here to show you how stressed, lack of rest, and unpredictable sleep can undo all of your best efforts, even if you have.

I am here to show you how stress, lack of rest, and unpredictable sleep can all undo your best efforts. Even if you have every diet rule memorized. I remember a time in my early thirties when I was dead set on getting back on track. You are not lazy or broken. You are just wiped out.

And today, we are talking about why eating and exercising aren’t enough. They’re not the only pieces of the puzzle. And how stress, sleep, rest, and recovery secretly, run the show. Let’s get started.

Welcome to Total Health and Midlife, the podcast for women embracing the pivotal transformation from the daily grind to the dawn of a new chapter. I’m Elizabeth, your host and fellow traveler on this journey.

As a Life and Health Coach, I am intimately familiar with the changes and challenges we face during this stage. Shifting careers, changing relationships, our new bodies, and redefining goals and needs as we start to look to the future and ask, what do I want?

In this podcast, we’ll explore physical, mental, and emotional wellness, offering insights and strategies to achieve optimal health through these transformative years.

Yes, it’s totally possible.

Join me in this amazing journey of body, mind, and spirit, where we’re not just improving our health, but transforming our entire lives.

Hey everyone, welcome to the Total Health and Midlife Podcast. I am Elizabeth Sherman, your host. And I am so incredibly excited that you are here with me today because this is something that I don’t think gets enough airplay when we are talking about our health.

Now, most of us know the basics of healthy living, right? We can recite the right foods and name a dozen workout methods. Yet here we are stuck and frustrated wondering, why we can’t seem to do what we already know or we’re not getting the results even though we think that we should be.

That frustration ramps up even more in midlife when your body suddenly plays by new rules. Sure, we’re told it’s simple. Eat fewer calories. Take more steps, done deal. But anyone who’s tried to follow that formula in their forties or fifties knows that that’s not the only thing, right?

Your hormones are shifting and that changes how your body responds to food, exercise, sleep, and stress. Throw in that endless noise of Dia-gurus often contradicting each other, and it feels like you’re running in circles. So, here’s the truth. It’s rarely about willpower. And it’s more about living in a body that’s under constant stress while trying to keep pace with a life that’s busier than ever.

Midlife stress can amplify every tiny little hiccup. If your sleep is off or your mind won’t shut down, cravings might skyrocket. And it’s not because you’re weak, it’s because your body perceives stress as a threat, and it tries to protect you. Often, by clinging to weight or pushing you towards quick energy fixes.

And this is where the missing piece comes in. Rest and recovery. They are not part of the standard health equation because they are so hard to measure. And quite honestly, they’re not really flashy. No one sells a 30 day sleep and recovery challenge, right? With bright before and after photos. But without decent sleep and actual downtime, your hormones and hunger signals can go a little bit crazy.

Cortisol, your stress hormone climbs and suddenly your body is storing fat instead of burning it. Even if you’re eating salad every single day and hitting the gym, you might not see the results that you’re hoping for. This isn’t about tightening up or toughening up. It’s about understanding that your body and midlife isn’t the same body that you had at 30.

You need a different plan. One that accounts for stress, sleep, and rest, and recovery. Otherwise, every diet or workout program will feel like you’re trying to outrun a storm that you just can’t see. The good news here is that once you acknowledge how all these factors play together, you can start making real progress.

So, let’s talk about why so many of us push ourselves to the brink without even realizing it. Women in particular are taught from day one to put everyone else’s needs first. Whether it’s kids, partners, aging parents, or coworkers we’ve learned that a quote unquote good woman keeps the whole show running smoothly.

We also picked up the unspoken rule to never complain about it. And to just keep smiling and carry on that no one wants to hear, what we have to say. And then, we hit midlife and our bodies just don’t bounce back as easily. We might feel more tired, more anxious, or just plain off. Hormones can change everything. Your mood, your appetite, even how you handle stress.

Meanwhile, our culture beams this message at us. Stay young. Be perfect. We are bombarded with ways to quote unquote fix ourselves, so that no one notices that we’re actually aging. This invisible weight on our shoulders adds to everyday stress.

You might not call it stress because maybe you pride yourself on juggling it all. You’ve gotten really good at it. But if you suddenly snap at someone, burst into tears for no reason, or can’t seem to get quality sleep, there’s probably a good chance that your system is maxed out. And guess what? That makes healthy habits even harder to maintain.

It’s like carrying around a secret backpack filled with rocks, labeled family, work, society’s expectations, and ‘should haves.’ You might know exactly how to cook a balanced meal. But by the time you get home from work, you mental energy is completely drained. And you order takeout instead because you don’t have the capacity to make dinner. It’s not that you’re lazy, it’s that you’re completely overwhelmed.

Midlife also comes with a new level of reflection. You’re asking yourself, where is my life going? Am I really okay with how things are? Those deeper questions can ramp up stress in ways that we don’t talk about openly.

All of this forces you further away from taking simple, consistent actions that support good health. The key is recognizing these hidden pressures for what they are. Real obstacles that can turn even the best health plans upside down. You’re not failing because you don’t know enough about nutrition or fitness. You’re just running on empty, trying to carry everyone else’s load on your back.

Now, I’ve been in the health and coaching world long enough to spot a clear pattern. Most women aren’t missing information. They’re missing the space and support to put that information into practice, especially in midlife.

Back when I started coaching, I was convinced that the secret sauce lay in the perfect and right meal plan or the ideal exercise routine. But after guiding countless women and going through my own sh!zz, I realized that knowledge isn’t the main sticking point. Stress, overwhelm, and hormone changes actually are.

One of my clients, Renee, was a textbook example. She tracked her calories to the gram. She tried every probiotic on the market and yet still felt bloated and stuck. Turns out her biggest problem wasn’t the food at all. It was the constant pressure to please everyone in her life. Leaving her with zero downtime. Once we addressed that stress load, literally giving her permission to slow down. She saw quick progress. No fancy cleanse needed.

Another one of my clients, Chris shed more than 50 pounds in six months. She was consistent with her habits and the scale rewarded her. Then, life got a little chaotic. Her stress spiked, and out of the blue she started retaining water. Same eating plan, same workouts. Stress alone was enough to disrupt her progress.

That’s why I say, ‘diet and exercise matter,’ but if you ignore the mental and emotional side of it all, especially in midlife. You are only seeing part of the puzzle. When your body hits a certain stress threshold, it doesn’t care if you’re eating spinach or nachos. It reacts to the stress first.

After seeing so many transformations up close, I’ve come to a firm conclusion. Knowledge isn’t what’s holding most women back. It’s the mountain of expectations, family obligations, hormonal upheaval, and the belief that we should just power through it like we’re 25. Recognizing that bigger picture changes everything. Suddenly, ‘I know what to do, I’m just not doing it’ becomes solvable rather than a dead end.

Take a second to think about what you consider normal right now. Maybe you’re the go-to person for everyone around you. You’re juggling work, family, and who knows what else. You might even feel a sense of pride at how much you can handle. But just because you’re good at it doesn’t mean that it’s not stressful, and it doesn’t mean that it’s not hurting you.

You’ve probably heard the ‘put your own oxygen mask on first’ analogy a million times. I personally, can’t stand that phrase. It implies that we only look after ourselves so that we can get back to serving others. It treats self-care like a quick pit stop so that we can run more errands and do more.

Honestly, that’s not real self-care. You deserve to rest and to feel good simply because you’re a person who matters, not just because it helps you to do more for everyone else. If you keep living in survival mode, what’s it costing you? Not ready or too busy, often means living another day, another month, or another year, feeling exhausted or stuck. That’s no way to live.

Picture, waking up with energy, like real energy. Where your body and mind are working together. This isn’t about cramming in more tasks; it’s about recognizing that you too have limits and needs. I don’t want you surviving on fumes. Life is too short to stay in a cycle of burnout, especially in midlife where you deserve to enjoy this stage. Your wellbeing isn’t a luxury. It’s a basic human right.

Now, before we wrap up, I want to put something truly helpful in your hands. I’ve created a free listener’s guide that highlights the most relevant podcast episodes for you. If you’re ready to tackle your stress, your sleep, your rest, and your recovery head on. Because I have more than 250 episodes, this guide will point you straight to the ones that can get you the results the fastest. No endless scrolling or guesswork needed.

To grab your copy, go to elizabethsherman.com/roadmap, and that’ll be in the show notes. Inside, you’ll find a curated list of episodes covering the specific midlife hurdles that might be weighing you down. Think of it as your personal roadmap. Rather than sifting through a huge archive, you’ll start with the exact episodes that speak to your biggest concerns.

You don’t have to figure out this journey on your own. And you certainly, don’t have to keep spinning your wheels with another new diet or exercise program that ignores the reality of midlife. This guide is my way of helping you focus on the parts of your health that so many plans leave out. Stress management, quality, sleep, proper rest, and real recovery.

So, head over to elizabethsherman.com/roadmap, and download your free listeners guide and start exploring the episodes that will make the biggest impact on your health right now. You deserve to feel better. Let’s make it happen together.

That’s all I have for you today. Have an amazing day. I will talk to you next week. Bye-bye.

Thank you for tuning in today. Now, if you enjoy the podcast and are ready to take the next step in addressing your health concerns, I would love to invite you to schedule an I Know What To Do, I’m Just Not Doing It strategy call.

In this 60 minute session, we will explore what’s holding you back and create a personalized action plan. You will gain clarity, support, and practical steps to move you forward. Visit elizabethsherman.com/call to book your call now. You can transform your health and I would love to be there to help.