Perimenopause, Poor Sleep & Stress: What Chinese Medicine Says

So many women reach their late 30s and 40s and suddenly feel like their body isn’t responding the way it used to. Sleep changes, stress feels harder to handle, digestion shifts and the habits you once relied on don’t seem to work anymore.

In this episode, Becca is joined by Maeve O’Sullivan, a former nurse who left Western medicine to train in Traditional Chinese Medicine, to explore a different way of understanding what’s happening in the body.

They discuss why women often wake around 3am, the Chinese medicine organ clock and the connection between sleep, stress and the liver. Maeve also explains the yin-yang approach to health, why constantly pushing through can become harder in perimenopause and how acupuncture may support the nervous system, sleep, stress and hormonal balance.

They also explore why more isn’t always better when it comes to health, why the way you eat matters as much as what you eat, and how reconnecting with your body’s own signals can simplify an increasingly overwhelming world of wellness advice.

If you’re in your 30s, 40s or beyond and feel like you’re doing everything “right” but your body still doesn’t feel like yours, this conversation offers a different perspective on sleep, stress, hormones and women’s health.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why women commonly wake around 3am according to Chinese medicine
• How stress and perimenopause can change what your body can tolerate
• What yin and yang can teach us about balancing stress, exercise and rest
• How acupuncture may support sleep, stress and hormonal balance
• Why your body needs periods of rest and repair
• Why cold breakfasts and smoothies may not suit everyone
• Why how you eat can matter as much as what you eat
• How to stop adding more and start listening to what your body actually needs

Join the Rebalance Membership for support with sleep, stress and nervous system regulation: https://healthwithholland.com/r_membershp_/

CHAPTERS:

[00:00] Why You Keep Waking Up at 3AM
[00:58] Meet Maeve O’Sullivan: From Nursing to Chinese Medicine
[05:21] What Is Traditional Chinese Medicine?
[09:23] Why Women Feel Different in Their 40s
[13:11] When Your Blood Tests Are Normal But You Don’t Feel Well
[18:24] Why You Can’t Keep Pushing Through in Perimenopause
[19:26] The Chinese Medicine Organ Clock Explained
[21:44] Why You Wake Up Between 11PM and 3AM
[24:47] Why Alcohol Affects You Differently in Perimenopause
[26:21] Yin & Yang: Balancing Stress, Exercise & Rest
[30:09] How Acupuncture Affects the Nervous System
[33:55] Acupuncture for Sleep, Stress & Hormonal Balance
[38:37] How Your Body Moves Into Rest & Repair
[41:15] Nutrition, Inflammation & Perimenopause
[43:00] Why How You Eat Matters as Much as What You Eat
[43:17] Why Cold Smoothies May Not Suit Your Digestion
[46:15] Stop Following Every Wellness Trend
[47:02] Stress, Food & the Blue Zones
[48:23] Supplements, Coffee, Alcohol & Listening to Your Body
[49:23] Where to Find Maeve O’Sullivan
[50:18] Becca’s Final Takeaway & Rebalance Membership

CONNECT & LEARN MORE:

Becca Holland

You can connect with me on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube at @healthwithholland, where I share practical education on nervous system regulation, women’s health and sustainable behaviour change.

If you enjoyed this episode, I’d really appreciate you subscribing, leaving a review or sharing it with someone who might find it helpful.

Ready to go deeper? Join the Rebalance Membership for simple, practical support with nervous system regulation, sleep and building habits that support your body: https://healthwithholland.com/r_membershp_/

You’ll also find courses, resources and more podcast episodes at: healthwithholland.com

Maeve O’Sullivan

You can connect with Maeve O’Sullivan and Escapada Health on Instagram, where she shares insights on Traditional Chinese Medicine, acupuncture and women’s health.

Maeve spent 15 years as a nurse before training in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Through Escapada Health, she supports women with sleep, stress, hormonal health and understanding their bodies more deeply.

Maeve offers treatments at Escapada Health in Dún Laoghaire and online health coaching.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/escapadahealth_official/
Learn more: https://www.escapadahealth.com/

If you enjoyed this episode, I’d really appreciate you subscribing, leaving a review, or sharing it with someone who might find it helpful. 

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