The Refined Fit

If you feel like your body suddenly reacts differently to stress, you’re not imagining it. I’ve talked to so many women who say the same thing - situations that used to roll off their backs now leave them exhausted, anxious, or wide awake at 3 a.m. There’s a real reason for that, and it has a lot to do with cortisol. During perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause, shifting hormone levels change how your body produces and responds to cortisol - your primary stress hormone.