Grief, Loss and Menopause: How to Cope | 261

Show Notes Grief in midlife is different. When you’re navigating perimenopause and you lose someone you love, the emotional weight doesn’t just sit in your heart—it moves through your body. Sleep changes. Blood sugar swings. Energy drops. Irritability rises. You question your strength. You wonder why you’re not “handling it better.” In this Tuesday solo episode of Hello Hot Flash, I share personally about losing my last great aunt—the keeper of our family history—and my sister, who fought cancer with courage and strength. And I teach what’s actually happening inside your body when grief and hormonal change collide. We’ll explore how cortisol, the HPA axis, estrogen shifts, and nervous system dysregulation all interact during seasons of loss. And we’ll look at how faith, lament, and community are not emotional crutches—they are biologically supportive tools that help your body process stress. This episode will help you stop criticizing yourself about the way you grieve and help you to start understanding your body. Grief and menopause are both transitions. And both require informed stewardship, not self-judgment. What You Will Learn What happens to cortisol, blood sugar, sleep, and immunity when you experience grief during perimenopause or post-menopause How the HPA axis and fluctuating estrogen can intensify emotional and physical symptoms in midlife Why pushing through, staying busy, or “praying harder” can prolong stress physiology instead of resolving it How lament, prayer, and safe community relationships help regulate your nervous system Practical strategies to support your body, metabolism, and faith during seasons of loss About Our Host This is a Tuesday Solo Episode with Stephanie Shaw, host of Hello Hot Flash. Stephanie teaches midlife women how to navigate menopause with science-backed strategy, metabolic clarity, and faith-informed confidence. To learn more about this episode, click here: https://hellohotflash.com/grief-loss-and-menopause Additional Resources Listen to the limited-series podcast Christian Women and Menopause: https://hellohotflash.com/christian-women-and-menopause