Menopause Isn’t the End of Hormones: Why Your Adrenals Matter More Than You Think

Most women are taught that menopause is simply the day their ovaries “quit” and you stop making sex hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone.

But here’s the truth: menopause is not a full stop — it’s a handoff.

When your ovaries “retire”, they’re supposed to pass the hormone baton to your adrenal glands. And how well that transition goes often determines whether you experience menopause as a gentle shift or as a brick wall.

The Adrenal–Ovary Handoff

Your adrenal glands are two small but mighty glands that sit on top of your kidneys. Once the ovaries slow down, the adrenals are meant to keep producing smaller amounts of:

• Estrogen (mainly estrone)

• Progesterone (through precursors)

• Testosterone

• DHEA (a hormone that can convert into estrogen and testosterone)

• Cortisol (your main stress hormone)

Sounds simple, right? Except there’s a catch.

Why Stress Makes Menopause Symptoms Worse

If your adrenals are already maxed out from years of chronic stress, under-eating, over-exercising, and never giving your body time to recover, they can’t keep up with this new responsibility.

That’s when symptoms show up loud and clear:

• Hot flashes

• Night sweats

• Mood swings

• Insomnia

• Stubborn weight gain

• Fatigue

In other words: if your adrenals are overworked, your menopause transition feels less like a graceful handoff and more like hitting a wall.

What You Can Do to Support Your Hormones

The good news? You’re not powerless here. There are daily strategies that strengthen your adrenals and create more space for your body to keep producing those stabilizing hormones you still need post-menopause.

1. Focus on Foundational Habits

Nutrition, sleep, stress regulation, and movement are the non-negotiables. Knowing how, what, and when to eat, move, and de-stress in midlife is essential to supporting your hormonal health.

That’s exactly why I created the 28 Day Nourished Challenge — to teach women how to fuel and care for their bodies so they feel steady, anchored, and energized through perimenopause and beyond.

2. Use Essential Oils for Adrenal & Nervous System Support

Essential oils aren’t a replacement for healthy habits, but they are powerful tools that can give your adrenals and nervous system the extra support they crave while you’re making changes.

Some of my favourites for this stage of life include:

• Adaptiv® Blend → Calms the stress response, eases anxious thoughts.

• Copaiba → Supports the endocannabinoid system to regulate mood and stress.

• Tulsi (Holy Basil) → Buffers the stress response and supports adrenal function.

• Clary Sage → Traditionally used to balance estrogenic activity and ease mood swings.

• Frankincense → Restores balance, supports cortisol regulation, and cellular health.

• Balance® Grounding Blend → Helps your body shift out of “fight or flight” into “rest and repair.”

Menopause doesn’t mean your hormones vanish — it means your body is relying on a different system to keep producing them.

When you create pockets of calm for your adrenals through daily habits and essential oils, you give your body the capacity to make the hormones you still need for steady mood, restful sleep, healthy weight, and lasting energy.

Because you deserve to feel anchored — not wrecked — through this stage of life.