Navigating Perimenopause and Menopause: Stress, the Body, and the Role of Behavioral Science

by Claudia Barton, BCBA, LBA, CTP

Perimenopause and menopause are natural life stages, yet they are often accompanied by profound physical, emotional, and behavioral changes. Many women find themselves navigating hot flashes, disrupted sleep, mood swings, anxiety, or changes in memory and focus. These experiences are not signs of weakness; they are physiological responses to shifting hormones and the body’s natural transition.

While medical support and nutrition play an important role, there is another layer that is often overlooked: how stress and daily behaviors interact with the nervous system during this time of life. Here is where behavioral science, specifically the principles of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), can provide powerful and compassionate tools for building resilience.

The Stress Response During Perimenopause and Menopause

The body’s stress response is primarily managed by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. During perimenopause and menopause, fluctuating estrogen and progesterone levels can impact this delicate system.

  • Cortisol sensitivity increases, which can make women more reactive to stressors.

  • Sleep disruptions (from night sweats or insomnia) can further dysregulate cortisol, leading to fatigue and irritability.

  • Immune system functioning can be altered, as chronic stress weakens natural defenses.

  • Mood and memory changes often occur as both hormones and stress interact with the brain’s neurotransmitters.

This physiological picture explains why many women feel “different” during this transition — not because they lack coping skills, but because their nervous system is undergoing real change.

Why Behavioral Science Matters Here

From a behavioral perspective, what we do daily — our routines, rituals, reinforcements, and environments — strongly shapes how we experience this stage of life. Behavior analysis focuses on:

  • Antecedents (the triggers or cues that set behaviors in motion).

  • Behaviors (our responses, both helpful and unhelpful).

  • Consequences (the outcomes that reinforce or weaken patterns).

By analyzing and adjusting these elements, we can reduce the impact of stress and support healthier responses.

Proactive Strategies: Setting the Stage for Regulation

During perimenopause and menopause, proactive strategies (antecedent interventions) are especially important. These are changes made before stress escalates, so regulation becomes easier.

Examples include:

  • Sleep hygiene cues: Dimming lights, using calming scents (lavender or chamomile), and reducing screen time signal the nervous system that rest is approaching.

  • Cooling routines: Having breathable fabrics, hydration nearby, or a cooling balm ready reduces the impact of hot flashes.

  • Scheduled self-care: Treating skincare or relaxation rituals as appointments increases follow-through and decreases avoidance.

These strategies make it easier for the body to anticipate calm rather than react to stress.

Reactive Strategies: Responding Compassionately to Stress

Even with preparation, difficult moments will occur. In ABA, reactive strategies are used after a behavior or stress response has happened.

For women in perimenopause and menopause, this might mean:

  • Replacement responses: When anxiety peaks, replacing scrolling or overeating with a grounding ritual — applying a calming balm, practicing paced breathing, or sipping a herbal tea.

  • Error correction without judgment: If a night routine was skipped, doing one small step (like using a hydrosol mist) helps maintain the habit chain without self-criticism.

  • Reinforcement for recovery: Rewarding yourself for returning to regulation (a short walk, journaling, or a moment of silence) builds resilience.

Reactive strategies prevent setbacks from snowballing into long-term patterns of avoidance.

Teaching Strategies: Building Skills for Long-Term Wellness

Self-care in menopause is not innate — it is a skill, and like any skill, it can be shaped, taught, and reinforced.

  • Shaping small steps: Starting with one daily ritual, like applying moisturizer, and expanding to a full bedtime routine over time.

  • Chaining: Building consistent sequences (cleanse → hydrate → balm → journaling) that the body learns to expect.

  • Generalization: Practicing coping skills across environments — at home, work, or while traveling — ensures regulation tools are accessible everywhere.

When self-care is treated as a teachable skill, it becomes sustainable and protective against the cumulative effects of stress.

The Role of Reinforcement

Reinforcement is what ensures behaviors are repeated. For women in this transition, reinforcement can be:

  • Natural reinforcement: Relief after a cooling balm, deep rest after sleep, or comfort from calming touch.

  • Planned reinforcement: Pairing a nightly ritual with a favorite book or cup of tea.

  • Social reinforcement: Sharing progress with supportive friends, family, or communities.

The more rituals are paired with reinforcement, the more they become behaviors the body and mind seek out naturally.

Integrating Skincare and Nervous System Support

The skin is the largest organ of the body, lined with millions of receptors connected to the nervous system. When touched with intention — through a balm, mist, or oil — these receptors send messages of safety to the brain. This is why skincare rituals can become powerful behavioral wellness tools during perimenopause and menopause.

Luna & Lavender™ products support both the skin and the nervous system:

  • Lavender and Chamomile Balms calm the nervous system and soothe irritation, creating predictable cues for rest.

  • Valerian Body Balms support relaxation and deeper sleep, helping regulate mood and energy.

  • Turmeric Scrubs or Soaks reduce inflammation and provide mood-boosting reinforcement through scent and touch.

  • Tepezcohuite-Based Creams aid tissue repair and regeneration, supporting skin integrity and immune defense.

  • Menopause Relief & Circulation Balm helps reduce discomfort from hot flashes and supports circulation, offering sensory grounding during moments of stress.

  • Rosemary Hair Balm nourishes the scalp and hair while providing an uplifting aromatic cue that can shift mood and focus.

  • Firming Gotu Kola Balm supports skin elasticity and renewal, reinforcing both physical confidence and the sensory experience of self-touch.

  • Hormone Support Oil offers a soothing, intentional ritual of massage that not only nourishes the skin but also provides reinforcement through calming scents and tactile grounding.

Each product is more than topical care. With daily use, they become sensory reinforcers — small, consistent experiences of touch, scent, and comfort that train the nervous system to expect calm and resilience.

Final Thoughts

Perimenopause and menopause are profound transitions, but they do not need to be defined by struggle. With an understanding of stress physiology and the tools of behavior analysis, women can build proactive, compassionate routines that honor both their bodies and their nervous systems.

Through small, consistent rituals — reinforced with intention and supported by botanicals — this stage of life can become a season of renewal rather than depletion.

Note: These practices are supportive and educational and are not a substitute for medical or mental health care when needed.

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The Science Behind Health & Wellness

Why behavior matters. Why healing is possible. Why small steps work.

When we think of health and wellness, we often think of the body — nutrition, sleep, hydration, movement. But at the core of every lasting change is something deeper: behavior.

As a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and Certified Trauma Professional (CTP), I view health and wellness through a scientific and compassionate lens. I don’t just ask what someone is doing — I ask why.

That’s where the real healing starts.

Why Behavior Matters in Wellness

Every time you choose to care for yourself — by applying a salve, setting down your phone, or pausing to breathe — you’re engaging in a behavior. These actions might seem small, but over time, they shape patterns. Patterns become habits. Habits become a lifestyle.

Behavior analysis teaches us that change doesn’t happen all at once — it happens one moment at a time, with reinforcement, consistency, and care.

The Nervous System & Trauma-Informed Support

For many of us, especially those with trauma histories, even the simplest self-care routines can feel overwhelming or unfamiliar. That’s why trauma-informed care matters. It reminds us that healing isn’t just about doing more — it’s about feeling safe enough to begin.

Behavioral wellness honors the body’s signals, works with the nervous system, and builds safety through predictable, gentle routines. When we approach wellness with compassion and structure, we help the body and mind slowly unlearn survival and relearn connection.

The Foundation of Behavior-Based Wellness

In behavior science, we use tools like:

  • Reinforcement to encourage healthy habits (rewarding what we want to see more of)
  • Prompting and shaping to help build routines gradually
  • Environmental design to make wellness easier and more accessible
  • Data and reflection to track what’s working — and why

These aren’t just clinical strategies. They can show up in your daily life as:

  • A lavender roller next to your bed to signal rest
  • A gentle balm you use after brushing your teeth to mark the end of your day
  • A sensory spray that helps your child transition more smoothly
  • A mantra you whisper each morning as a private moment of grounding

Why This Matters

Because true wellness isn't about extremes.
It’s about repeatable, nourishing actions that help you feel more like yourself.

And the science is clear: when we build wellness routines around behavior, not pressure, we make healing more accessible — for children, for parents, for everyone.

This is the foundation of my work and the intention behind every product I create. I want to help you feel safe in your routines, confident in your care, and connected to the deeper why behind the choices you make.

Mini Mantra:

“Small acts. Safe patterns. Lasting change.”

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