Is this perimenopause, burnout or both? A gentle guide for when everything feels too much.
We know what it’s like to suddenly find yourself deep in brain fog, with unpredictable emotions and struggling to do the everyday tasks that used to feel so effortless in comparison. Women often tell us that when they hit this stage of life, they find it confusing, overwhelming and even unsettling. Of course, it doesn’t help that these symptoms often overlap with work pressure, stress and the general fatigue that comes with modern life.
When everything feels too much in mid-life
This disorienting mix of symptoms can leave you wondering if what you are experiencing is burnout or perimenopause or even an unfortunate combination of the two. If this is the case, you’re not alone. Both experiences can feel and look very similar and leave you questioning whether you are so exhausted you can no longer cope like you used to or whether you are going through a deeper physical and emotional shift.
The way that women think, feel and manage the demands of daily life can change dramatically due to hormonal changes during perimenopause, so it’s no wonder that when paired with work, caring responsibilities and the mental load that women often carry, it can all feel a bit too much. If everything feels harder right now, it’s worth exploring what might be contributing, and what support you might need to start making things feel a little more manageable.
Why perimenopause and burnout can feel so similar
It can be really difficult to distinguish between the burnout and perimenopause symptoms. Many of the emotional and cognitive changes women experience in perimenopause resemble the signs of chronic stress or burnout. Hormonal fluctuations at this time can influence mood, energy, memory and even our ability to tolerate stress. These are the very same areas that are affected by heavy workloads, pressure and fatigue.
You might notice that you have a shorter fuse than you used to, or that you now have difficulty concentrating or being organised. Maybe you now get overwhelmed much more easily or find yourself suffering with low mood or irritability more often. Perhaps you have started to experience sleep disruptions and a sense of mental fog or detachment.
These experiences often present simultaneously in perimenopause and burnout. It’s not surprising that women start to suspect burnout as the logical outcome of years of carrying the mental load of that comes with work, raising a family and managing a household, not to mention the emotional labour that women often bear the brunt of. Carrying the weight of all this has often been happening for many years before perimenopause begins. So, when hormonal changes happen on top of that, the result can feel like a burden we are no longer able to carry.
Whether it’s perimenopause, burnout or a combination of both, it should not be seen as a sign of weakness. Both are responses to significant internal or external pressures, and both deserve understanding and support. Experiencing these symptoms does not mean you are “failing”. It simply means your mind and body are asking for care and compassion
Why the overlap can feel so confusing
When the signs of perimenopause and burnout coincide, it’s totally understandable to feel unsure about what’s happening to your body and your mind. Many women describe this stage as a blur: a time when emotions intensify, routines get disrupted, their brain stops working like it did and their usual coping strategies just don’t work in the way they used to. When several things change at once, it’s much harder to know where one experience ends and the other begins.
Part of the confusion comes from the fact that both perimenopause and burnout can be invisible. For anyone looking in from the outside, life may look perfectly normal. You may still be working, taking care of your family and managing your day-to-day responsibilities in the same way. But internally, you may be dedicating a lot more energy and effort to these tasks than you used to leaving you mentally and physically drained. That contrast can leave you wondering why you can’t quite do things the way you used to and whether you’re simply not coping anymore, instead of acknowledging that something real is shifting.
But it doesn’t just stop there. There is an added layer of complexity because of course the symptoms tend to fluctuate. You may feel on top of things one week but totally overwhelmed the next. You might have a week of uninterrupted sleep, then suddenly find yourself awake at 3am with racing thoughts. This inconsistency is common in both burnout and perimenopause, which makes it even harder to pinpoint a single cause.
The combination of long-term stress and perimenopause symptoms can leave the nervous system stretched thin. When hormonal changes arrive during this already-demanding time of life, the combined effect can leave women feeling totally disorientated.
If you’re finding it difficult to name exactly what you’re experiencing, please know that this is a natural response to a complex moment in a woman’s life and you deserve care and support while you make sense of it.
Common perimenopause and burnout patterns women report
While every woman’s experience is unique, and there are no hard and fast rules, there are some common patterns that women notice during this time of life. Many women report these experiences when hormonal changes and prolonged stress overlap.
Shifts in emotional steadiness
Many women describe feeling more emotionally reactive or sensitive than usual. Small frustrations can suddenly feel much bigger or harder to ignore, and moments of sadness or irritability can appear without an obvious trigger.
Changes in concentration and clarity
Tasks that once felt simple can suddenly require much more effort and planning. You might find it harder to focus, lose your train of thought, misplace everyday items, or forget even the most obvious and well used words.
Feeling easily overwhelmed
You may have handled all manner or responsibilities with ease and now suddenly it all feels so much heavier. It’s also very common to have less tolerance for noise, interruptions and pressure.
Disrupted or unpredictable sleep
Nighttime waking becomes commonplace and many women find themselves with racing thoughts and anxiety at 3am. This broken sleep then intensifies other symptoms the following day.
Fluctuating energy levels
Your daily routine may be exactly as it has always been yet your energy levels are not. You may feel capable one day and depleted the next, without any obvious cause.
Anxiety or a sense of dread
Many women start to experience new or heightened perimenopause anxiety or stronger feelings of worry, and this can be very unsettling when it comes on seemingly out of nowhere.
A sense of disconnection from your usual self
So many women say that they no longer feel like themselves and this can be one of the most confusing aspects of this transition. It is very common to notice shifts in your confidence, your motivation and even your sense of identity.
These patterns can appear in burnout, perimenopause, or both, and noticing that you’re experiencing them is a meaningful first step, along with knowing that there are gentle ways to support yourself as you navigate this season.
Taking a moment to understand what you’re feeling
Stopping for long enough to notice these shifts doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll have everything figured out. It simply helps you understand yourself with a little more compassion. Many women tell us that even acknowledging how they’ve been feeling brings a small sense of relief and a reminder that what they’re experiencing is real.
Finding support through perimenopause and burnout
If at any point your symptoms become too difficult to manage, or start to negatively impact your daily life or work, it’s important not to suffer through this alone. There is no shame in reaching out for additional support. Medical practitioners and menopause-informed healthcare professionals can provide medical guidance for any physical symptoms you may be experiencing. But many women also benefit from supportive spaces that help them better understand the emotional and mental health impact of perimenopause.
At MenoMinds, we offer a gentle, structured programme designed to help you make sense of what you’re feeling, develop practical tools for coping and build confidence during perimenopause. It isn’t a medical service, but it provides a safe place to explore your experience with expert-led and evidence-based guidance and emotional support. You deserve to feel supported, and reaching out to healthcare professionals, community services or programmes like MenoMinds is a sign of strength and a positive step toward understanding what you need.
