Understanding how stress and cortisol affect weight during menopause: Cortisol promotes abdominal fat storage, disrupts hunger hormones (increases ghrelin, reduces leptin sensitivity), affects blood sugar and insulin causing cravings, and chronic stress slows metabolism—all amplified by declining estrogen.
Menopause brings enough challenges on its own—hot flashes, sleep disruption, mood changes. But when chronic stress enters the picture, it creates a particularly difficult combination for weight management. The connection…