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When relationships collide with perimenopause, even the strongest partnerships can face unexpected challenges. Hormonal shifts don't just affect the woman experiencing them—they ripple through her closest relationships, often creating confusion, conflict, and emotional distance that neither partner fully understands.

What makes this transition especially difficult is the silence surrounding it, many women don't recognize what's happening until they're already questioning their relationships and feeling disconnected, while partners struggle to recognize the person they've built a life with.

In this episode, I'm joined by my sister Neha Kumar, a licensed marriage and family therapist with years of experience helping couples through major life transitions. Neha explains how perimenopause affects emotional well-being, communication patterns, and intimate relationships. She also shares how partners can support each other through emotional shifts, when to seek professional help, and why education and preparation might be the relationship-saving tools you never knew you needed.

References

The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister

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Eastside Menopause & Metabolism

01:00 - Dr. Patil-Sisodia is joined by sister Neha Kumar, LMFT, who shares her journey to becoming a licensed marriage and family therapist helping women through hormonal transitions.

03:10 - Neha reveals many of her relationship therapy patients struggle with perimenopause, often shortly after postpartum recovery.

05:14 - How hormonal changes during perimenopause and menopause affect a woman's emotional well-being and identity.

08:43 - Neha explains the common emotional and psychological challenges women face during constant hormonal transitions from childhood through menopause.

16:04 - Practical strategies for maintaining intimacy and managing emotional changes in relationships during menopause.

22:58 - Neha shares the biggest sources of conflict in marriages or partnerships she sees which are related to menopause.

26:27 - How partners can better support each other through this transition even when they're not really fully aware of what's happening, and when to seek professional help.

33:55 - Neha offers her top piece of advice for couples navigating this life transition.

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As if menopause didn’t already bring enough changes, many women are surprised to discover that the hormonal rollercoaster doesn’t just impact reproductive health—it can also wreak havoc on your jaw. Research shows that fluctuating estrogen levels during menopause can contribute to TMJ (temporomandibular joint) disorders, which can cause jaw pain, clicking or popping sounds, difficulty chewing or speaking, and even headaches or facial pain. These symptoms are often overlooked or dismissed, yet they can seriously affect your daily life.

In this episode, I’m joined by none other than my sister, Dr. Priya Mistry, a TMJ specialist with years of experience helping patients find relief from chronic pain. Dr. Mistry walks us through TMJ disorders, explaining how they are linked to menopause and sleep apnea. She shares the latest in TMJ treatment options, including how dentists can help with diagnosis and care, and how women can take charge of their jaw health during this stage of life.

References

Ep. 14: How to Sleep Better with Dr. Andrea Matsumura

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“Unclenched” Podcast

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Audio Stamps

02:10 - What TMJ is, common symptoms (beyond jaw clicking), and why headaches are often overlooked.

05:08 - How menopause-related hormonal shifts contribute to TMJ dysfunction and symptoms like jaw pain, headaches, and sleep apnea.

12:30 - The growing recognition of the connection between TMJ and sleep apnea, despite limited research on TMJ and menopause.

14:42 - Hidden TMJ symptoms, particularly during menopause, and the jaw-pelvic floor connection, highlighting the value of whole-body care.

20:21 - The influence of hormone changes (including low testosterone and gender-affirming hormone therapy) on TMJ issues.

21:53 - How TMJ pain impacts brain fog and fatigue, emphasizing the need for a holistic approach to treatment.

27:42 - Women with autoimmune disorders often face more severe TMJ, with treatment taking over a year in some cases.

29:23 - Dr. Mistry's patient-centered treatment approach and the role of thorough patient history in managing TMJ.

34:28 - At-home TMJ relief tips and the benefits of disclusion time reduction (DTR) therapy for bite adjustments and pain relief.

38:14 - Dr. Mistry recommends seeing a TMJ dentist or ENT for facial pain and exploring treatment options beyond Botox.

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For many women in midlife, changes in sleep patterns, energy levels, and even weight can feel confusing and frustrating. What’s often overlooked is how menopause and modern life together disrupt our natural circadian rhythms—the internal clocks that regulate nearly every system in the body.

When circadian rhythms fall out of sync, it doesn’t just affect sleep; it can also impact hormonal balance, mood, metabolic health, and even long-term disease risk. Yet most of us have no idea how much these hidden clocks influence our daily lives—or how to get them back on track.

In this episode, I’m joined by longtime friend and science journalist Lynne Peeples, author of The Inner Clock: Living in Sync with Our Circadian Rhythms. Lynne shares what inspired her to dive into the science of circadian rhythms, why menopause can further dampen our internal clocks, and the powerful strategies she uses to realign them. We also explore the emerging research on time-restricted eating, medication timing, and how small daily shifts can help improve sleep, mood, and overall health.

References

Center for Environmental Therapeutics

Connect with Lynne Peeples

The Inner Clock: Living in Sync with Our Circadian Rhythms by Lynne Peeples

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Eastside Menopause & Metabolism

00:40 - Dr. Patil-Sisodia welcomes longtime friend Lynne Peeples to discuss her new book, The Inner Clock, and the powerful impact of circadian rhythms on our health.

02:52 - Lynne shares what sparked her interest in circadian rhythms.

07:40 - We learn how the timing of certain medications can impact their effectiveness, with some showing better results when taken at specific times of day.

11:35 - Lynne explains that circadian rhythms involve multiple internal clocks, and our chronotype is based on how we respond to light and sleep patterns.

16:06 - Find out how shift work and modern life disrupt our circadian rhythms, affecting health and chronotype.

20:08 - How circadian science, particularly time-restricted eating, shows promise in improving metabolic health by aligning eating windows with natural body rhythms.

24:38 - Lynne explains how menopause dampens circadian rhythms, affecting hormones, sleep, and metabolic health.

28:04 - Lynne shares the strategies she uses to improve her circadian rhythms, including 3 key lifestyle adjustments that support better sleep and overall health.

Thanks for listening. Find more info about Reset Recharge on the website or Instagram.