P is for Perimenopause: How Acupuncture & Chinese Herbal Medicine Can Help You Feel Like Yourself Again

If you are a woman in your 40s or early 50s and suddenly feeling unlike yourself, you are not alone. Many women enter perimenopause without even realizing it. One day you are sleeping well and feeling emotionally steady — and the next you are waking up at 3am, feeling anxious, exhausted, overheated, or emotionally overwhelmed for no obvious reason.

Perimenopause is the transitional phase leading up to menopause, and it can begin years before periods fully stop. During this time, hormones naturally fluctuate, which can affect nearly every system in the body.

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Common symptoms of perimenopause include:

• Hot flashes and night sweats
• Anxiety and irritability
• Insomnia or restless sleep
• Brain fog and forgetfulness
• Fatigue and low motivation
• Weight gain or bloating
• Irregular or heavier periods
• Headaches and joint pain
• Low libido
• Feeling emotionally “off” or disconnected

Many women are told these symptoms are simply something they have to live with. But from a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) perspective, these symptoms are signs that the body is out of balance — and acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine are designed to help restore that balance naturally.

In TCM, perimenopause is viewed as a major transition in the body’s energy systems. Over time, the body’s nourishing Yin energy can become depleted, which may lead to symptoms such as heat, dryness, anxiety, poor sleep, and irritability. Stress, overwork, lack of rest, and years of putting everyone else first can also contribute to the body feeling depleted during this stage of life.

Acupuncture works by stimulating specific points on the body to regulate the nervous system, improve circulation, calm stress responses, and support the body’s natural ability to rebalance itself. Many women notice they begin sleeping better, feeling calmer, and experiencing fewer hot flashes after a series of treatments.

Research supports what many women have experienced firsthand. A meta-analysis published in the journal Menopause found that acupuncture significantly improved hot flash frequency and severity, along with overall quality of life during menopause and perimenopause.

Additional studies have shown acupuncture may also help improve sleep quality, anxiety, mood, and emotional wellbeing during this transition. 

Chinese herbal medicine can also be incredibly supportive during perimenopause. In TCM, herbal formulas are customized to the individual rather than using the same approach for everyone. Some women may need support for sleep and anxiety, while others may need help with hot flashes, fatigue, digestion, or emotional overwhelm.

Research on Chinese herbal medicine has shown promising results for symptoms such as hot flashes, fatigue, mood changes, and sleep disturbances.

The most important thing to understand is that perimenopause is not “all in your head,” and you do not need to simply push through it exhausted and depleted. Your body is changing, and it deserves support during that transition.

At Wellness on 1st, we take a holistic and individualized approach to women’s health. Through acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, nutrition, and lifestyle support, we work to help women feel more balanced, rested, emotionally grounded, and connected to themselves again during every stage of life. If you’re curious whether acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine may be right for you, I invite you to book a complimentary consultation to learn more and explore a personalized approach to care.

-- Dr. Susan Newman, Dr. Ac