Survival or Restoration?

How your nervous system and your nutrition shape your midlife health.

As midlife women, many of us are no strangers to stress. Whether it's juggling careers, family, ageing parents, or hormonal shifts, our bodies can spend far too much time in survival mode and not enough in restoration. But what does that actually mean for your health, your energy, your mood, and even your weight?
Let’s break it down.

The two sides of your nervous system

Your autonomic nervous system has two key branches that influence your day-to-day health:

The Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) – This is your ‘fight or flight’ mode (think of running away from a chasing bear). It’s activated by stress, perceived threats, overwork, and even skipping meals or surviving on caffeine. When SNS is dominant:
  - Cortisol (your stress hormone) rises
  - Blood sugar spikes
  - Digestion slows and detoxification stalls
  - Your heart rate increases
  - Reproductive and immune functions are deprioritised

The Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS) – This is your ‘rest and digest’ mode. It’s where healing, hormone balance, digestion, and weight regulation happen. When PNS is active:
  - Your body absorbs nutrients
  - You sleep more deeply
  - Stress hormones reduce
  - The body repairs, restores, and detoxifies

Why this matters in midlife

During perimenopause and menopause, your body becomes more sensitive to stress and blood sugar fluctuations. Oestrogen hormone reduces the sensitivity to your stress signals, so when this is declining through perimenopause, it makes it harder to bounce back from chronic SNS activation. This can show up as:
• Fatigue or burnout
• Trouble sleeping
• Anxiety or mood swings
• Increased belly fat
• Slower recovery from workouts or illness

How food keeps you stuck in survival or shifts you into restoration.

Your nutrition can either reinforce survival mode or help return you to restoration.

Foods that trigger ‘survival mode’;

·        Ultra-processed foods (high sugar, high saturated fat, low fibre)

·        Caffeine on an empty stomach

·        Low protein meals (blood sugar rollercoaster)

·        Skipping meals or restrictive dieting

Foods that support ‘restoration mode’;

·        Protein rich, nutrient dense meals to stabilise blood sugar

·        Healthy fats (e.g. olive oil, avocado, oily fish)

·        Magnesium rich foods (leafy greens, pumpkin seeds, dark chocolate)

·        B vitamins for energy and stress resilience

·        Omega 3 rich food to reduce inflammation and improve mood (oily fish, walnuts, flax, chai & hemp seeds)

Daily habits that support restoration

• Nutrition is only one piece of the puzzle. You don’t need a perfect diet or a rigid routine. But you do need consistent safety signals for your body and nervous system. Healing happens when your body and mind both feel safe.
  Eating regular, nutritional, balanced meals
  Prioritising protein, fat and fibre at breakfast
  Moving your body daily but not overtraining (prioritise strength training over HIIT)
  Creating calm moments: breathwork, walking in nature, journaling, yoga
  Establish a relaxing bedtime routine, avoid blue light before bed, ideally achieving 7-8 hours sleep.
  Setting boundaries that protect your energy. You don’t need to say ‘yes’ to everything.  

Your nervous system is listening to everything

Midlife health isn’t just about hormones, it’s about helping your body feel safe enough to heal. When you support your parasympathetic nervous system through the right food, movement, rest, and boundaries, you are telling your body ‘It’s okay to let go’. You’re not just surviving—you’re restoring.

If you’re struggling with stress and trying to find a better balance in your life, then please get in touch. We can chat and create a plan together, focusing on your food, your thoughts and your environment.