Why perimenopause feels like midlife puberty - and 2 free tools to help you feel better fast

The hormonal chaos of perimenopause is no joke. Oestrogen and progesterone — the hormones that once made our cycles tick like clockwork (even if we moaned about them!) — start to fluctuate wildly. Some days, you’re fine. Other days, you're sobbing into your tea because someone finished the last of the milk.

Perimenopause can feel like falling apart. But often, it’s just a recalibration — and with the right support, you can navigate it feeling calm, clear-headed, and more connected to yourself than ever.

There was a time — several months, if I’m honest — when I didn’t recognise myself. I was snapping at my husband for breathing too loudly, crying over a supermarket advert, and genuinely questioning whether I was losing the plot. My poor kids were walking on eggshells and I was exhausted but couldn’t sleep. My moods were swinging harder than a 90s school disco and I honestly thought: what is happening to me?!

Turns out, I wasn’t going mad. I was going through perimenopause.

And despite supporting women everyday in my treatment room, I had really no idea how much it would feel like a second round of puberty — only this time with a mortgage, a job, and dependents expecting me to make dinner.

Mood swings, rage and "Who even am I right now?"

The emotional rollercoaster caught me completely off guard. I wasn’t prepared for the irritability, the sudden bursts of anger, the weepiness, the anxiety… and the crushing guilt that followed.

It was actually my own mood swings that nudged me to seek help. I realised I didn’t want to feel like a harpee version of myself anymore. I wanted to feel steady, calm, and in control again — or at least like I wasn’t one hormonal spike away from losing it over a mislaid school jumper.

How reflexology helped me feel like me again

That’s when I came back to reflexology — not just as a practitioner, but as a woman in desperate need of a reset.

Reflexology works by activating specific reflex points on the feet, face, or hands that correspond to systems in the body. During perimenopause, it’s especially powerful because it helps:

• Calm the nervous system 

• Balance hormones naturally

• Improve sleep and reduce anxiety

• Support your body through this transition instead of fighting it
  

It’s one of the few times in your week where you get to fully relax, switch off, and let your body do what it needs to do to restore balance.

I’ve now worked with so many women going through perimenopause who tell me things like:

“I don’t feel so emotionally wobbly anymore.”

“I’m not crying in the toilet at work every day.”

“I actually feel like me again.”

Start feeling calmer today (even if you've just screamed into a pillow)

If you’re nodding along thinking YES this is me, I’ve got something to help you start feeling better today — even if you’ve only got five minutes and no privacy (hello, hand reflexology!).

👉 Download my free mood-boosting hand reflexology guide here — it walks you through five simple techniques you can do at your desk, in the car, or hiding in the loo, to feel calmer and brighter in less than five minutes.

And if you want more holistic tools to support your mind, body, and hormones?

👉 Grab your free Empowered Peri/Menopause Handbook here — it’s full of practical, feel-good tips that have helped me and my clients thrive during this rollercoaster season. We’re talking pelvic floor health, sleep hacks, journaling prompts, and even prioritising pleasure (because yes, that matters too).

If you’re ready to stop just surviving and start feeling empowered, I would love to see you in my Broadstairs, Sandwich or Deal treatment rooms for personalised treatments tailored just for you 💛

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