When you finally fall into deep, unbroken sleep, your body slips into repair mode — balancing hormones, clearing out inflammation, and switching on the very pathways that help midlife women release stubborn belly fat. And when sleep is cut short or fragmented? Cortisol climbs, insulin becomes less responsive, and your body clings to fat as protection.

The 5 pm crash isn’t a lack of willpower — it’s a perfect storm of low blood sugar, decision fatigue, and a nervous system that’s more sensitive in perimenopause. When cravings peak, your brain isn’t asking for wine or sugar… it’s asking for regulation.

A gentle 10–15 minute walk after dinner is one of the simplest ways to support weight loss in perimenopause because it directly lowers insulin — the hormone that determines whether your body stores fat or burns it.