Your body feels different lately. Sleep is off. Emotions are running high. Your periods are getting weird. And you’re wondering: what’s going on with my hormones?
Chances are, progesterone is quietly leaving the building.
This underappreciated hormone is often the first to decline in perimenopause—and when it drops, your body and brain notice.
In this article, you’ll learn:
- What progesterone does in your body
- Why it starts dropping in your 30s and 40s
- The signs and symptoms of low progesterone
- How to support your hormone balance naturally
What Is Progesterone, and What Does It Do?
Progesterone is a key hormone produced after ovulation, mainly by the ovaries. It works in partnership with estrogen to:
- Regulate the menstrual cycle
- Support mood and calm the nervous system.
- Promote deep sleep
- Prepare the uterus for pregnancy
It also has anti-anxiety and anti-inflammatory effects. Think of it as estrogen’s grounding, soothing counterpart.
When estrogen is the gas pedal, progesterone is the brake.
But here’s the catch: as you enter perimenopause and ovulation becomes less frequent, your progesterone production naturally declines.
What Happens to Progesterone During Perimenopause?
Progesterone is typically the first hormone to decline during perimenopause.
Why? Because it’s only produced after ovulation. As ovulation becomes irregular (often starting in your late 30s or early 40s), progesterone levels begin to fall—even if your estrogen is still relatively high.
This leads to a state called “estrogen dominance”: more estrogen relative to not enough progesterone. And that imbalance? It shows up in a lot of uncomfortable ways.
Symptoms of Low Progesterone in Perimenopause
You might be experiencing low progesterone if you notice:
- Anxiety, irritability, or mood swings
- Trouble sleeping or waking around 2–3 AM
- Shorter cycles or mid-cycle spotting
- Heavier or more painful periods
- Breast tenderness
- Increased PMS
It’s not in your head. It’s in your hormones.
A 2017 review in the Journal of Steroid Biochemistry found that progesterone influences mood, stress response, and sleep quality—especially in midlife women.
Why This Matters: Progesterone and Mental Health
Low progesterone doesn’t just impact your cycle. It also affects your:
- Emotional regulation (hello, mood swings)
- Sleep architecture (fewer deep, restorative cycles)
- Stress resilience (higher cortisol sensitivity)
Without progesterone’s calming influence, you may feel more reactive, wired, or emotionally fragile.
And because estrogen may still be fluctuating or high, the result is a hormonal rollercoaster that makes it hard to feel stable.
How to Support Progesterone Naturally
While perimenopause is a natural transition, there are things you can do to ease the symptoms of low progesterone:
1. Support Ovulation (even if cycles are irregular)
- Eat enough healthy fats and protein
- Manage stress (chronic cortisol suppresses ovulation)
- Avoid over-exercising
2. Use Nutritional Support
- Magnesium and vitamin B6 help your body make progesterone.
- Chasteberry (vitex) may support luteal phase hormone production
3. Try Calming Practices
- Yoga, breathwork, journaling, or therapy can reduce cortisol, allowing progesterone to do its job
4. Consider Bioidentical Progesterone
- For some women, low-dose bioidentical progesterone cream or capsules (prescribed by a provider) can improve sleep, anxiety, and cycle regularity
Final Thoughts
Progesterone decline is one of the first hormonal shifts in perimenopause—and one of the most overlooked.
If you’re feeling moody, wired, or worn out, your body might tell you it needs more support.
The good news is that starting today, there are ways to rebalance and restore your sense of calm, clarity, and stability.
Sources
NAMS: Understanding Hormones
PubMed: Progesterone and Mood
Anna Haotanto is the Founder of Zora Health and a passionate advocate for women’s empowerment. Anna’s personal experiences with egg-freezing, PCOS, perimenopause and the challenges of fertility have fueled her mission to provide high-quality information, financing, and support to help women and couples navigate their fertility journeys with confidence. She is also recognised for her achievements in finance, entrepreneurship, and women’s empowerment, and has been featured in various media outlets. You can also follow her on Linkedin or Instagram.
