ONE TINY CHANGE THAT MADE PERIMENOPAUSE EASIER FOR ME

Most women start their day with coffee. It’s a ritual, a survival tool, and - let’s be honest - sometimes it feels like it’s the only thing keeping you functional.

Don’t worry, I’m not here to take your favourite part of the day away from you! (Or is that just me?!) But what if I told you that one small tweak to when and how you drink your coffee could change everything?

I’m talking about better energy, fewer cravings, and even less of that mid-afternoon slump. No, you don’t have to give up coffee (I would never do that to you). But this one simple shift makes a massive difference - and I see it every day in clinic.

WHY DRINKING COFFEE FIRST THING MIGHT BE WRECKING YOUR ENERGY

For most people, coffee first thing in the morning feels essential. But here’s the problem:

• It can spike your blood sugar, leading to an energy crash a few hours later.
• It suppresses your appetite, making it harder to eat a proper breakfast.
• It blocks nutrient absorption, particularly iron, which is already a common deficiency in perimenopausal women.

If you find yourself dragging by mid-afternoon, needing another coffee or craving sugar, your morning cup could be part of the problem.

COFFEE, APPETITE SUPPRESSION, AND THE FASTING TRAP

One of the most common things I see? Women using coffee to extend their fast or suppress hunger. It’s often done in the name of weight loss, energy, or better metabolism. But in your 40s, this backfires. Big time.

Despite what the fasting industry tells you, coffee does NOT ‘keep you in a fasted state’ - it stimulates digestion and changes blood sugar levels. So if you’re breaking your fast anyway, why not do it with something that actually fuels your body?

Skipping breakfast (and replacing it with coffee) sends your body into stress mode. This triggers the release of the hormone cortisol, which raises blood sugar. What goes up must come down, so when your blood sugar crashes later, you feel irritated, flat, foggy headed, and in desperate need of sugar or another coffee.

It also makes it harder to eat enough food throughout the day, which leads to nutrient deficiencies, poor muscle maintenance, and even weight gain over time.

I’ve covered the full details of why fasting in your 40s can cause more harm than good in this blog → Read more about fasting and perimenopause here.

Spoiler: drinking black coffee stimulates a digestive response, which means you’ve broken your fast, so why not break it with a nourishing meal?!

HOW COFFEE AFFECTS BLOOD SUGAR AND ENERGY LEVELS

When you drink coffee on an empty stomach - especially if it’s milky, but even if it’s black - it disrupts blood sugar regulation. Caffeine triggers the release of cortisol, a stress hormone that temporarily raises blood glucose. If you’ve eaten first, this effect is buffered by the protein, fat, and fibre in your meal. But on an empty stomach, there’s nothing to slow down the spike and crash.

That crash is what leads to mid-morning and afternoon energy slumps, as well as cravings for more coffee, sugar, or carbs. It’s a cycle that keeps women stuck, thinking they need more caffeine when what they actually need is better blood sugar regulation.

COFFEE, NUTRIENT ABSORPTION, AND IRON DEFICIENCY

Another issue? Some of the compounds and nutrients in your coffee impact nutrient absorption, particularly iron - one of the most common deficiencies I see in clinic.

This happens because tannins in the coffee, and calcium (from milk), bind to iron, preventing absorption. If your coffee is just before or with an iron-rich meal, your body won’t get to use the iron properly. In my clinical practice, most women head into perimenopause low in iron, vitamin D, magnesium, and B vitamins. This can increase perimenopause symptoms, and contribute to issues like fatigue, poor sleep, hair thinning, cravings, thyroid conditions, and mood swings.

I suggest separating your coffee by 20-30 minutes. (You don’t, however, want it too far from your meal as it will impact your blood glucose levels!)

COFFEE AND GUT HEALTH, THE OVERLOOKED FACTOR

Many women don’t realise that coffee can be irritating to the gut, especially depending on what milk they’re using.

For some, cow’s milk or even plant milks cause low-grade gut inflammation, leading to bloating, discomfort, or digestive issues.

If you often feel bloated, gassy, or have loose stools after coffee, this might be why.

“FOOD FIRST”

Think back to how we were encouraged to feed our toddlers. Your maternal health nurse probably told you that once your baby was 12 months old, it was:

Food first, then milk.

Why? Because if babies fill up on milk first, they won’t eat enough nutrient-dense food.

Same thing applies to you. If your body fills up on coffee before food, it’s not getting the full benefit of the nutrients it needs to function properly.

THE SIMPLE FIX: COFFEE AFTER BREAKFAST, NOT BEFORE

The good news? This is such an easy change to make, and the benefits kick in quickly. Instead of reaching for coffee first thing, eat breakfast first, then have your coffee.

Here’s why it works:

• Eating first stabilises your blood sugar, preventing energy crashes later.
• You’ll naturally eat more at breakfast, which improves nutrient intake and supports your body to better adapt to the changing hormones of perimenopause. (Read: less perimeno symptoms!)
• You absorb more iron and other key nutrients, supporting energy and hormone balance.
• Your coffee still gives you a boost, but without disrupting your metabolism, mood, or energy.

Every single woman I’ve worked with who’s made this switch has noticed a difference. Their energy stays steady, they avoid the mid-afternoon slump, and even hot flushes and night sweats often improve (because blood sugar crashes can be a trigger for those too).

THE BEST WAY TO HAVE YOUR COFFEE IN PERIMENOPAUSE

If you want to go a step further, here’s how I recommend having coffee for maximum energy, hormone balance, and nutrient absorption:

1. FOOD FIRST, COFFEE SECOND.

Always. Even if it’s just a small protein-rich breakfast like a boiled egg, plain/natural/Greek yoghurt, or a handful of nuts and a little fruit.

2. DRINK COFFEE BLACK IF YOU CAN.

Many women don’t tolerate cow’s milk well, but they don’t realise it because they’ve never taken it out long enough to see the difference. Plant milks aren’t always much better, depending on the ingredients.

3. IF YOU HAVE MILK, SEPARATE IT FROM IRON-RICH MEALS.

If you need that milky coffee, have it 20-30 minutes after your meals that contain iron.

4. DON’T RELY ON COFFEE FOR ENERGY.

Instead of relying on coffee as a crutch, let’s work on fixing the real issue. Because if you feel like you can’t function without it, that’s a sign you need to look at your blood sugar balance, nutrition, and sleep quality first.

WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU MAKE THIS CHANGE

When you switch to coffee after breakfast instead of before, here’s what you’ll likely notice:

• More steady, sustained energy throughout the day.
• Fewer afternoon crashes and cravings.
• Less need for multiple coffees to “get through” the day.
• Fewer hot flushes or night sweats, less waking at 2am, thanks to better blood sugar regulation, and less cortisol spikes.
• Improved iron levels, leading to better energy, mood, and cognitive function.

Most women don’t realise how much their morning coffee routine is contributing to their symptoms - until they try switching it up.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Perimenopause doesn’t have to feel like a shit show! Small, strategic changes can make a massive difference, and this is one of the easiest ones to start with.

So, if you’re tired of feeling tired, struggling with cravings, or wondering why your energy disappears by 3 PM - try having your coffee after breakfast for a few weeks and see what happens.

Chances are, you’ll never go back.