Overwhelm, Hormones & the Dopamine Trap: Practical Ways to Feel Like You Again (Especially in Your 40s)

In this episode of The Nicola Graham Podcast, I talk about overwhelm. How it can feel like a revolving door for women and often ramps up around our menstrual cycle, especially in our 40s as hormones shift and serotonin drops.

I share a personal example of feeling unexpectedly low after a brilliant weekend (and a terrible night’s sleep), and why being constantly “switched on” via notifications, social media, emails and endless life admin can make everything worse. I explain the difference between observing low mood versus attaching a story to it, and how quick dopamine hits (scrolling, wine, chocolate) can keep us stuck in self-sabotage.

Covering practical tools: write a personal morning mantra (even using ChatGPT), close ...