Women in their 40s and 50s often ask me - “Is this burnout or perimenopause?
Or both?
And how do I know?”
Here’s the truth most women aren’t told:
Burnout and perimenopause often feel identical.
But they are different, and sometimes they overlap.
Let’s break this down gently and clearly.
The Emotional Symptoms of Perimenopause
These symptoms surprise women the most:
- sudden anxiety
- irritability or “rage”
- crying easily
- brain fog
- feeling overwhelmed by small things
- night sweats
- low confidence
- sleep disruption
- sensitivity to stress
- not feeling like yourself
Many women tell me:
“I feel like I’m losing my mind.”
You’re not, your hormones are shifting.
The Emotional Symptoms of Burnout
Burnout affects your whole system:
- exhaustion that rest doesn’t fix
- feeling numb or detached
- zero tolerance for stress
- difficulty concentrating
- emotional reactivity
- low motivation
- waking up tired
- feeling disconnected from your life
Women often whisper:
“I used to cope with everything… now everything feels too much.”
Burnout is not weakness.
It’s depletion.
Where They Overlap (and Confuse You)
Both burnout and perimenopause can cause:
- anxiety
- sleep issues
- brain fog
- overwhelm
- irritability
- low confidence
- emotional sensitivity
- feeling unlike yourself
This is why many women misdiagnose themselves, and why support often misses the mark.
So… how do you know which one you’re dealing with?
Here’s a simple rule of thumb:
- If your symptoms fluctuate depending on your cycle → it’s perimenopause.
- If your symptoms improve when you rest → it’s burnout.
- If rest doesn’t help → it may be both.
Most women I see have a combination.
Your system is already overloaded from life…
and then hormones add another layer.
No wonder everything feels too much.
The Good News?
You don’t need a perfect diagnosis, you need the right kind of support.
Both burnout and perimenopause improve when you:
- calm your nervous system
- regulate emotional spikes
- improve sleep
- strengthen inner safety
- reduce stress hormones
- retrain your mind-body patterns
This is exactly what the MenoMind and Burnout Recovery programmes do.
Women often message me weeks later saying:
“I didn’t realise how much easier things could feel.”
You don’t have to guess what’s happening to you.
If you’re unsure whether you’re in burnout, perimenopause or both, we can figure it out gently together.
Let’s make sense of what your body is telling you.
Follow Me for honest insights on perimenopause, burnout recovery, stress management and weight loss and how to keep thriving when life throws you curveballs.
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