Why Yoga and Meditation Aren’t Enough for Perimenopause
Tessa Tovar talks with Siddhali Shree and Anubhuti—Jain monks, spiritual teachers and the filmmakers behind the docuseries Balance—about why decades of spiritual practice could not fix what was happening in their bodies, and what finally helped.
What if the symptoms you thought were stress, burnout or “just getting older” were something deeper?
Siddhali Shree and Anubhuti have devoted their lives to meditation, breathwork and spiritual discipline. Yet in midlife, they experienced anxiety, rage, exhaustion and confusion that their practices could not resolve—the feeling many women describe as no longer feeling like themselves.
In this episode, they share how their search for answers led them to hormone testing, medical research and the often misunderstood world of hormone therapy—and how that experience inspired them to create Balance, a docuseries about perimenopause and midlife wellbeing.
The conversation explores the emotional, physical and spiritual unraveling many women experience during this transition, the gaps in women’s healthcare and medical education, and why knowledge and community matter so much.
The message is not that spiritual practice is useless. It is that meditation and yoga can support you through perimenopause, but they cannot replace understanding what is happening in your body or getting informed medical care.
Ideas explored in this conversation
- Perimenopause can begin earlier than many women expect, and its signs are often mistaken for stress, burnout or aging.
- Anxiety, insomnia, fatigue and emotional overwhelm can be connected to hormonal changes.
- Even a dedicated spiritual practice may not resolve symptoms rooted in hormonal or nutritional deficiencies.
- Testing and informed medical guidance helped the guests understand what was happening in their bodies.
- The 2002 Women’s Health Initiative study changed how hormone therapy was viewed and prescribed for years afterward.
- Meditation, breathwork and other spiritual practices can still support emotional balance during the transition.
- Lifestyle changes such as adequate protein, resistance training and replenishing nutrients are discussed as part of the picture.
- Knowledge, community and open conversation help women advocate for the care they deserve.
The Heart of the ConversationWhen spiritual practice isn’t enough on its own
Many women turn to yoga and meditation when they start to feel anxious, irritable or depleted. Those practices can be genuinely helpful. But when symptoms are driven by physical changes, calming the mind does not always address the cause.
Siddhali and Anubhuti describe reaching that point themselves. Their wake-up call included discovering severe deficiencies and a pre-diabetic state—problems no amount of meditation would have revealed. Understanding what was happening physically allowed them to make informed choices, while their spiritual practice helped them move through the emotional side of the transition.
It is a message that matters in wellness spaces, where struggling can sometimes feel like a personal or spiritual failure. It isn’t. Needing medical support is not a sign that your practice has failed you.
Understanding the HistoryHormone therapy and the 2002 WHI study
The guests discuss how the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI), a large study funded by the National Institutes of Health, shaped attitudes toward hormone therapy. Published findings from 2002 onward led many women and doctors to avoid hormone therapy for years, and in the episode, Siddhali and Anubhuti describe how that history affected women seeking relief.
Current federal health guidance offers a more nuanced picture. According to the U.S. Office on Women’s Health, menopausal hormone therapy can help treat symptoms during perimenopause, menopause and after menopause, but it can raise the risk of blood clots, stroke and some cancers. It may be an option for women up to age 59, usually within 10 years of menopause, and should be used at the lowest dose that works for the shortest time needed. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute notes that hormone therapy should not be used to prevent chronic diseases such as heart disease.
In the episode, the guests describe hormone therapy improving their sleep and emotional stability. Individual experiences vary, and whether hormone therapy is appropriate depends on your health history. It is a decision to make with a qualified healthcare provider.
A Whole-Person ApproachWhat can help alongside medical care
The conversation does not treat medicine and spiritual practice as opposites. Siddhali and Anubhuti describe a combined approach that includes:
- Meditation and breathwork to support emotional balance
- Adequate protein intake
- Resistance training
- Replenishing nutrients that testing showed were low
- Community and honest conversation with other women
They also discuss fasting as part of their spiritual practice. If you are considering fasting or significant dietary changes—especially with blood sugar concerns—talk with a healthcare provider first.
The DocuseriesAbout Balance: A Perimenopause Journey
Balance is a docuseries created by Siddhali Shree and Anubhuti that explores perimenopause, healing, mindfulness and women’s health. Its goal is to reshape the global conversation around perimenopause and midlife wellbeing. Rosie Acosta is an Executive Producer of the series.
Episode ChaptersTimestamps
Topics DiscussedExplore the conversation
Questions explored in this episode
Can yoga and meditation help with perimenopause?
Yoga, meditation and breathwork can support emotional balance, stress and self-awareness during perimenopause. They may not resolve symptoms caused by hormonal changes or nutritional deficiencies, so they work best alongside informed medical care rather than in place of it.
Why might meditation not be enough for perimenopause symptoms?
Some perimenopause symptoms, such as anxiety, insomnia and fatigue, can be connected to hormonal or physical changes. Calming the mind can help you cope, but it does not always address the underlying cause, which is why evaluation by a qualified healthcare provider matters.
What was the WHI study?
The Women’s Health Initiative is a large National Institutes of Health study of women’s health. It found that hormone therapy did not prevent heart disease in postmenopausal women as was once thought, and its findings led many women and doctors to avoid hormone therapy for years.
Is hormone therapy an option for perimenopause symptoms?
According to the U.S. Office on Women’s Health, menopausal hormone therapy can help treat symptoms during perimenopause, menopause and after menopause, but it carries risks including blood clots, stroke and some cancers. Whether it is appropriate depends on your age, health history and preferences, and should be discussed with a qualified healthcare provider.
Can lifestyle changes help during perimenopause?
In the episode, the guests discuss adequate protein, resistance training, replenishing nutrients and spiritual practices as part of their approach. Lifestyle changes can support overall health during the transition and are best tailored with guidance from a healthcare provider.
What is the Balance docuseries?
Balance: A Perimenopause Journey is a docuseries by Siddhali Shree and Anubhuti exploring perimenopause, healing, mindfulness and women’s health. Rosie Acosta is an Executive Producer of the series.
Mindfulness and medical care work better together.
Rosie offers mental health coaching grounded in mindfulness, self-compassion and practical tools for the emotional side of perimenopause and midlife change. Coaching complements—never replaces—care from your healthcare providers, and is available in English and Spanish.
This page summarizes topics discussed in the episode and is intended for educational purposes. It does not provide medical or mental-health advice, diagnosis or treatment. Seek qualified professional care for persistent, severe or concerning symptoms.