3 Lifestyle Changes To Support Your Brain During Perimenopause
Think back to your teenage years: the mood swings, the bursts of energy, the moments of self-discovery, and the changes in your body that seemed to happen overnight. Society has long recognized puberty as a major life stage, filled with transformation and growth. What’s less talked about is that a similar shift happens again later in life.
According to Mariza Snyder, D.C., a functional health practitioner and author of eight books on women’s health, perimenopause is essentially a “second puberty,” a time when your body and brain go through another profound recalibration.
On the mindbodygreen podcast, Snyder shared her own experience navigating this stage and the science-backed habits that helped her move through it with more energy, clarity, and confidence, proving it’s not just a transition to get through, but an opportunity to thrive.
The brain-hormone connection
Snyder's approach to perimenopause centers on a crucial understanding: this isn't just about hot flashes and irregular periods. "The most common symptoms of perimenopause are brain-related," she explains.
Estrogen acts as the "master CEO of the brain," supporting neurogenesis, neuroplasticity, and most importantly, energy metabolism in brain cells. When estrogen levels fluctuate erratically during perimenopause, women experience a decline in brain energy metabolism, which manifests as those frustrating cognitive symptoms.
This neurological shift explains why so many women suddenly feel like they can't rely on their mental sharpness anymore. Your brain isn't failing you—it's reorganizing itself for the next phase of life, just like it did during puberty.
Hot flashes, night sweats, sleep issues, brain fog, lack of word recall, mood swings, rage, depression, anxiety—all of this is brain-related.
Lifestyle changes to implement today
After years of navigating her own perimenopausal symptoms, Snyder honed in on three lifestyle shifts that made the biggest difference for her: strategic movement, balanced blood sugar, and prioritizing restorative sleep.
While these aren’t the only ways to support your body during this transition, they were the pillars she shared on the podcast, each playing a powerful role in boosting energy, sharpening mental clarity, and helping the brain adapt to this new hormonal landscape.
Exercise snacking: The new workout strategy
Forget grueling 45-minute HIIT sessions that leave you depleted. Snyder advocates for "exercise snacking," brief bursts of movement throughout the day.
"Movement is life," she emphasizes. "I have traded in my coffee and snack at three o'clock in the afternoon for a pair of sneakers and some water and electrolytes."
Her approach includes:
- Walking 12,000-15,000 steps daily, often in nature without her phone
- Two to three days of heavy resistance training (6-rep max compound movements)
- Two days of moderate hypertrophy training (10-12 reps)
- Mini HIIT sessions: 60 jump squats in three minutes or 10-minute Peloton sprints
- Simple 5-minute walks outside whenever energy crashes hit
Blood sugar & the brain
Since energy metabolism in the perimenopausal brain becomes compromised, maintaining stable blood sugar becomes non-negotiable. Snyder builds every meal around three foundations: protein, fiber, and healthy fats. This combination prevents the glucose rollercoaster that triggers cravings, mood crashes, and brain fog.
"If I know that energy metabolism in my brain is already a little bit off, I want to guarantee that I'm setting my brain up for success," she explains. This means minimizing refined carbohydrates and added sugars while prioritizing nutrient-dense whole foods that support cellular energy production.
Her sleep protocol
Snyder treats sleep "like it's a million-dollar meeting," and her evening routine reflects this priority. After her son goes to bed at 8:30 PM, she enters protection mode: no emails, no TV, no stimulating activities.
Her wind-down ritual includes:
- Taking magnesium and omega supplements (plus progesterone during the second half of her cycle)
- Dim amber lighting with blackout curtains
- Maintaining a cool bedroom temperature
- Lights out religiously at 9:45 PM
This consistency isn't just about feeling rested; it's also about laying the foundation for long-term cognitive health and hormonal balance.
Reframing the perimenopause narrative
Perhaps Snyder's most powerful insight is her reframe of perimenopause itself. Rather than viewing symptoms as problems to eliminate, she sees them as signals for deeper self-care. "You are not broken," she tells women. "You are just going through a profound transition, and the symptoms and signs are signals to attune to yourself, to become more intentional."
This shift from victim to empowered participant changes everything. Instead of just surviving perimenopause, women can use this transition to establish habits that will serve them for decades to come—what Snyder calls "training for your future self."
The takeaway
Perimenopause doesn't have to be something you endure in silence. By understanding it as a neurological transition that requires specific support strategies—movement, blood sugar balance, quality sleep, and community—you can not only manage symptoms but also emerge stronger on the other side.