The mindbodygreen Podcast 617: The surprising brain symptoms of perimenopause | Mariza Snyder, D.C.
Sep 28, 2025
Dr. Mariza Snyder, functional practitioner and women's hormone expert, shares vital insights on navigating perimenopause. She highlights how this phase can feel like a second puberty due to hormonal changes. Surprising symptoms, like sudden dread, can emerge, which understanding can alleviate. Mariza emphasizes the importance of nutrition, particularly maintaining blood sugar balance for brain health. She discusses resistance training, recognizing the difference between burnout and perimenopause, and the thoughtful use of HRT, urging women to prioritize community support during this transition.
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Perimenopause As A Second Puberty
- Mariza Snyder frames perimenopause as a 'second puberty' because hormones and the brain reorganize, causing instability and mood shifts.
- Recognizing this context helps women respond with self-compassion and targeted lifestyle strategies.
Waking Up With Unexpected Dread
- Mariza describes waking with sudden dread on otherwise fine days as her most surprising perimenopause symptom.
- She used toolbox strategies and self-care to manage those destabilizing episodes.
Use Nature Walks To Regulate Stress
- Get outside and walk in nature frequently to regulate your stress response and feel more manageable emotionally.
- Go barefoot briefly, listen to something pleasant, and prioritize being phone-free when possible.
