The Truth Behind Midlife Burnout in Women

Is this a weird topic for business? Maybe. But I can’t sit quiet anymore while brilliant women—leaders, team members, mentors—are silently unraveling because their bodies are staging a hormonal coup.

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They’re showing up. They’re doing the work. But behind the scenes, it’s unraveling.

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• They're bone-tired

• They're convinced they’re failing. At work. At home. At everything.

• They’re trying their best to stay healthy and still feel like garbage.

• They’ve read all the books. Done the inner work. And it’s still a daily grind.

• They snap in meetings. Snap at their kids. Then feel guilty for all of it.

• They rely on reminders for basic tasks and still forget them five minutes later.

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The bottom line? They feel awful and have no idea why. And it’s not just burnout—it’s something deeper. Something hormonal. Something medical.

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It’s Not Just Stress

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Let’s talk about what this actually looks like. Crying into your coffee for no reason. Forgetting words mid-sentence. Waking up at 2 AM drenched in sweat and filled with dread. And then still trying to lead a team, close a deal, or help your kid with homework like everything’s normal.

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Spoiler: it’s not.

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These aren’t just symptoms of burnout. They are signs your hormones are shifting—specifically, that perimenopause might be kicking the foundation out from under you.

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But here’s the problem: most doctors don’t ask. They don’t check hormone levels unless you push. Instead, women get labeled with anxiety. Or depression. Or ADHD. But the real culprit might be your cycle, even if it still shows up on schedule.

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What the Science Is Starting to Say

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In a recent conversation, neuroscientist Andrew Huberman sat down with the brilliant Dr. Mary Claire Haver—and the takeaway was loud and clear: estrogen isn’t just about reproduction. It actively shapes the brain circuits that control memory, mood, and stress response. So when those estrogen levels start roller-coastering during perimenopause, your brain’s reaction isn’t subtle—it’s chaos. Think: “What the heck just happened?” followed by “I think I’m gonna barf.”

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This isn’t drama. It’s biology.

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Let’s stop tiptoeing around this. The system isn’t built to support high-achieving women navigating the bio-bombs of perimenopause. Doctors miss it. Wellness advice rarely includes it. And the business world? Doesn’t know where to file it.

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That changes now.

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Why We Need to Talk About This Now

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So here’s where I land: this needs to stop being a quiet struggle. Because our companies need these women. Their teams need them. Their families need them. And they deserve to feel like themselves again.

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• Speak up. Share your “Wait—that’s why I flooded the laundry room like Halle Berry in a rom-com meltdown?” moments. The ones that seemed random but now scream hormonal chaos in hindsight.

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• Ask better questions. The next time your doctor says, “How are you sleeping?” don’t stop there. Say, “And how does that connect to my cycle?” Force the conversation to go deeper.

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• Join the movement. Drop your stories, your wild hunches, your aha-moments. Let’s crowdsource the insights we were never given.

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Dr. Haver has the meno-posse—now we build our own. This isn’t a side issue. It’s a leadership issue. It’s a health issue. And it’s time we stop whispering and start helping professional women actually thrive.

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Talk to your doctor. Ask about hormones. Push for more than a pat on the back and a sleep app. Share your stories with other women. And if someone tells you you’re just burned out, ask them if they’ve ever woken up in a panic at 3 AM for no reason and still crushed a client pitch the next morning.

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You’re not weak. You’re not broken. You’re not alone.

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At StringCan, we believe in building strategies that support the whole person, because a strong team starts with healthy leaders. If your business growth depends on thriving women, let’s build something sustainable together.