I am thrilled to bring you this week’s guest, Dr. Mariza Snyder. Dr. Mariza is a functional practitioner, women’s hormone expert, author, and host of Energized with Dr. Mariza. In this conversation, we talk about the transition that so many women experience but are still not prepared to understand: perimenopause.

Perimenopause is often reduced to hot flashes and night sweats. But the reality can be much broader. It can affect sleep, mood, brain fog, energy, cycle patterns, body composition, exercise recovery, libido, and the way you experience yourself. If you have been wondering whether a symptom is related to your thyroid, stress, blood sugar, mold exposure, hormones, or something else, this conversation will help you see the bigger picture.

Dr. Mariza also shares the personal story that changed the direction of her work. When her high-functioning mother entered perimenopause, she experienced weight gain, low energy, brain fog, hot flashes, night sweats, severe mood changes, and depression. Dr. Mariza describes how they focused on nutrition, metabolic health, thyroid health, and the whole picture of her care. She says her mother experienced a major turnaround within 90 days and later went on to run three marathons in five weeks. That story led Dr. Mariza to dedicate her work to helping women navigate this transition with more information, more options, and more support.

What I Cover In This Episode

Perimenopause Is More Than Hot Flashes

Dr. Mariza explains why many women do not recognize perimenopause when it begins. There is no single lab test that announces, “You are in perimenopause.” Instead, the clinical picture includes symptoms, cycle changes, age, and the need to consider other factors such as thyroid function, blood sugar, inflammation, and cortisol. Perimenopause can show up as a moving target: one month may bring disrupted sleep or mood changes, while another feels relatively normal. Tracking your cycle and symptoms can help you notice patterns instead of assuming you are imagining them or simply getting older.

The Neuroendocrine Shift Behind Brain Fog and Changing Resilience

Dr. Mariza describes perimenopause as a neuroendocrine transition—almost like a second puberty—because the brain and hormones are adapting at the same time. She explains that estrogen and progesterone changes can affect the way women experience sleep, mental energy, word recall, mood, tolerance, and resilience. She also describes how the transition can unmask years of over-functioning, people-pleasing, chronic stress, and carrying too much responsibility. The goal is not to fear this transition. It is to understand what is changing so you can respond proactively.

Blood Sugar, Movement, Strength, and the Tools in the Toolbox

Dr. Mariza shares practical ways to become an observer of your own body. She discusses tracking cycle symptoms, HRV, resting heart rate, and sleep quality, as well as using blood-sugar information to understand how your body responds to meals, stress, and poor sleep. Movement after meals is one of her simplest recommendations for supporting metabolic health. She also encourages women to build their lives around movement, use short exercise sessions and “exercise snacks,” and begin strength training where they are. In the conversation, she discusses hormone replacement therapy as one tool among many, not a substitute for individualized care or the other foundations of health.

Building Resilience and Refusing to Wait for Permission

A central message of this conversation is that women deserve to take up space in their healthcare. Dr. Mariza encourages listeners to gather information, track what is happening in their bodies, and advocate for meaningful conversations rather than waiting until symptoms become unbearable. She also closes with three simple reminders: you are worthy of healing, walking after meals can be a meaningful place to start, and strong relationships are a powerful part of a long and healthy life. Her message is direct: perimenopause does not have to mean accepting a downhill decline.

About Dr. Mariza Snyder

Dr. Mariza Snyder is a functional practitioner, women’s hormone expert, author, and host of Energized with Dr. Mariza. Her work focuses on helping women understand perimenopause, hormones, metabolism, and the changes that can occur in midlife. She is the author of The Perimenopause Revolution, which she discusses throughout this episode.

Resources and People Mentioned:

• The Perimenopause Revolution and official book bonuses: https://peri-revolution.com/
• Dr. Mariza Snyder’s website: https://drmariza.com/
• Energized with Dr. Mariza on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4OtFNfUpSPtq5OT5XXfVXE

Connect with Dr. Myers:

• Website: https://www.dramymyers.com/
• Dr. Myers’ Inner Circle: https://www.drmyersinnercircle.com
• Newsletter: https://dramymyers.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dramymyers
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dramymyers

Connect with Dr. Mariza Snyder:

• Website: https://drmariza.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drmariza/?hl=en
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/drmarizasnyder
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmariza/
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4OtFNfUpSPtq5OT5XXfVXE

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Episode Timestamps

• 00:01 — Welcome and introduction to Dr. Mariza Snyder
• 01:23 — Dr. Mariza’s background and her mother’s perimenopause story
• 06:48 — How her mother’s experience shaped Dr. Mariza’s work and why perimenopause can blindside women
• 08:06 — Why perimenopause was historically overlooked and misunderstood
• 10:38 — Why perimenopause symptoms can overlap with thyroid issues, mold exposure, autoimmunity, or chronic stress
• 14:49 — Hormones, rage, boundaries, and the “I’m not tolerating this anymore” moment
• 18:40 — How perimenopause is diagnosed and common early symptoms
• 22:24 — Additional symptoms, including sleep, UTIs, temperature regulation, cravings, joint pain, recovery, body composition, and libido
• 24:33 — Why sleep becomes a force multiplier during perimenopause and menopause
• 25:38 — The neuroendocrine transition and why perimenopause is like a second puberty
• 29:03 — Brain fog, word recall, multitasking, and executive function
• 33:38 — Hormone decline, health-span protection, and the role of proactive care
• 35:25 — Tracking cycles, symptoms, HRV, resting heart rate, sleep, and blood sugar; movement after meals
• 39:11 — HRT as one tool for brain, bone, muscle, gut, and quality-of-life support
• 44:26 — Earlier perimenopause, chronic stress, metabolic health, environmental factors, and strength training
• 48:03 — Movement, weight-bearing exercise, micro-workouts, and the book’s workout plans
• 49:21 — Dr. Mariza’s three ways to take back your health: worthiness, walking after meals, and relationships
• 51:02 — Where to find Dr. Mariza, the book, and the book bonuses
• 52:20 — Closing