Menopause and Stress: Understanding Cortisol & Building a Calmer Routine
Updated: Sep 7
Menopause can bring physical and emotional changes at the same time life itself may already feel demanding. Sleep disruptions, hot flashes, changing energy levels, work, family responsibilities and everyday stress can all add up.
If stress seems to feel different during perimenopause or menopause, there may not be one simple explanation.
Cortisol is part of the body's normal stress-response system, but menopause, stress and emotional wellbeing involve much more than a single hormone. Understanding that bigger picture can help you focus on practical habits that support your overall wellbeing without blaming every difficult day on “high cortisol.”
What Is Cortisol?
Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands. It plays several important roles in the body and is involved in the normal response to physical and psychological stress.
Cortisol isn't inherently bad. Your body needs it.
Levels naturally change throughout the day and can also respond to factors such as stress, sleep, illness and physical activity.
Problems can arise when stress becomes chronic, but symptoms such as fatigue, sleep difficulty, changes in mood or weight shouldn't automatically be assumed to mean that your cortisol is “too high.”
Those symptoms can have many possible causes.
Why Can Stress Feel Different During Menopause?
Estrogen and other hormones change during the menopause transition, and researchers continue to study how those changes interact with mood, sleep and the body's stress-response systems.
But the relationship isn't as simple as:
estrogen drops → cortisol stays high → menopause symptoms get worse.
Sleep disruption, hot flashes and night sweats can be stressful on their own. Changes in mood may occur during the menopause transition, and everyday responsibilities don't disappear just because your body is changing.
Individual health, lifestyle, relationships, work, physical activity and existing sources of stress can all influence how you feel.
Instead of focusing on controlling one hormone, it can be more useful to consider the different parts of your daily routine that you can realistically influence.
Stress, Sleep and Menopause Can Overlap
Stress and sleep often affect one another.
A stressful day can make it harder to settle down at night, while repeatedly sleeping poorly can leave you feeling less prepared to handle the following day's demands.
Menopause can add another layer when hot flashes, night sweats or other symptoms interfere with sleep.
If sleep has become an issue for you, read:
Build Movement Into Your Routine
Physical activity is an important part of overall health and can also be a useful way to manage everyday stress.
You don't have to make every workout intense.
Walking, gardening, strength training, stretching, yoga or another form of movement you enjoy can all have a place in a sustainable routine.
Choose activities appropriate for your health and fitness level. If you're starting a new exercise program or have health concerns that affect exercise, seek appropriate professional guidance.
Try a Simple Breathing Exercise
Slowing your breathing can be a useful relaxation practice when you're feeling tense.
Rather than presenting the 4-7-8 technique as something that directly “reduces cortisol,” I'd make it optional:
Try sitting comfortably and taking several slow, controlled breaths. Breathe in gently through your nose and exhale slowly, allowing your shoulders and jaw to relax.
You can also use a structured breathing practice if you enjoy having a rhythm to follow.
The goal isn't to force yourself to feel calm immediately. It's simply to give yourself a few quiet moments without another demand competing for your attention.
Create an Evening Wind-Down Routine
A consistent evening routine can help create a transition between the demands of the day and bedtime.
Your routine might include:
Dimming the lights
Putting away work
Taking a warm shower or bath
Gentle stretching
Reading
Listening to music
Journaling
Meditation or breathing exercises
Moisturizing and massaging your skin
You don't need to do everything on the list. Choose a few things you actually enjoy and can maintain.
Where Does Magnesium Fit In?
Magnesium is an essential mineral involved in many normal functions in the body, including normal muscle and nerve function.
Food sources include leafy greens, nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains.
Magnesium supplementation has also been studied in different areas of health, but that research shouldn't automatically be applied to magnesium-containing products used on the skin.
In particular, we don't position topical magnesium as a treatment for stress, anxiety, elevated cortisol or sleep problems.
Magnesium & Arnica as Body Care
At The Smel Gud Shop, our topical Magnesium & Arnica products are designed to fit into massage, moisturizing, post-activity and evening body-care routines.
Our Organic Magnesium & Arnica Body Butter combines magnesium chloride and arnica oil with avocado oil, shea butter and mango butter in a rich moisturizing formula.
Taking a few minutes to massage your moisturizer into your arms, shoulders, legs or feet can simply be part of slowing down and caring for your skin at the end of the day.
Prefer a Lighter Option?
Our Ultra Concentrated Magnesium Spray provides another way to incorporate magnesium chloride into your body-care routine without the richness of a body butter.
What About Fragrance and Your Evening Routine?
Scent can be a personal and enjoyable part of creating an atmosphere that feels like your own.
A favorite fragrance, candle or room scent may help mark the transition from daytime activity to your evening routine simply because you enjoy the experience and associate it with that part of your day.
At The Smel Gud Shop, fragrance products can be enjoyed for scent and atmosphere rather than being positioned as treatments for stress or anxiety.
The Avocado Oil Connection
Avocado oil is a signature ingredient throughout The Smel Gud Shop's skin, body and hair care collections.
We choose it for its nourishing, conditioning qualities and the soft, moisturized feel it contributes to our formulations.
Practical Ways to Manage Everyday Stress During Menopause
Your routine doesn't have to revolve around “lowering cortisol.”
Instead, consider the basics:
Make regular movement part of your week
Protect time for sleep when possible
Eat regular, balanced meals
Stay hydrated
Create boundaries around work and other demands
Spend time with people who support you
Make room for activities you enjoy
Experiment with mindfulness, journaling or relaxation practices
Create simple morning or evening routines that provide consistency
Small habits are often easier to maintain than an elaborate wellness routine.
When Stress Feels Like More Than Everyday Stress
Some stress is part of life, but persistent anxiety, significant changes in mood, ongoing sleep problems or feelings that interfere with everyday functioning deserve attention.
A healthcare professional can help determine whether symptoms may be related to menopause, another health condition or several factors occurring together.
You don't need to diagnose yourself with “high cortisol” based on symptoms you see in a social-media post or online checklist.
Supporting Yourself Through Menopause
Menopause doesn't come with one universal experience.
Hormonal changes are part of the transition, but so are sleep, stress, relationships, physical health, work and everything else happening in your life.
Rather than trying to control one hormone, focus on creating habits that support your overall wellbeing.
Move your body. Give yourself opportunities to rest. Create boundaries where you can. Build an evening routine you enjoy.
And if body care, fragrance or a few quiet minutes are part of that routine, allow them to be exactly that: small moments of care rather than miracle solutions.
FAQs
Does menopause cause high cortisol?
The relationship between menopause and the body's stress-response systems is complex. Hormonal changes may interact with stress and mood, but symptoms shouldn't automatically be interpreted as evidence that cortisol is abnormally high.
What is cortisol?
Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands that has several normal functions, including participating in the body's response to stress. Cortisol isn't inherently harmful, and its levels naturally vary.
Can stress feel different during menopause?
Some women report changes in stress, mood and emotional wellbeing during the menopause transition. Hormonal changes may be one factor, while sleep, symptoms, health, relationships and everyday life can also contribute.
Does topical magnesium lower cortisol?
There isn't sufficient evidence to position topical magnesium cosmetics as treatments for elevated cortisol or stress. The Smel Gud Shop positions its topical Magnesium & Arnica products as body-care products.
Can Magnesium & Arnica Body Butter help me relax?
We recommend using it as part of a moisturizing, massage or evening body-care ritual rather than as a treatment for stress or anxiety.
What should I do if stress or anxiety is affecting my daily life?
Persistent anxiety, significant mood changes or symptoms that interfere with everyday functioning should be discussed with an appropriate healthcare professional.
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