Burning the Candle at Both Ends?: Insights on Perimenopause and Preserving Yin
Night sweats, hot flashes, insomnia, headaches, irritability, brain fog… sound familiar?
Perimenopause is something almost all of us will either experience, or support someone through, sometime between our late thirties and mid-fifties. These symptoms are incredibly common, and in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) they reflect a pattern called yin deficiency.
In TCM, yin and yang are the body’s counterbalancing forces. Yin is cooling, nourishing, and stabilizing — things like estrogen, blood, moisture, and the physical structure of the body. Yang is warming, activating, and energizing — things like progesterone, metabolic activity, and heat.
One of my favorite ways to illustrate this is with the metaphor of a candle:
The wax is yin.
The flame is yang.
When the wax (yin/estrogen) gets low, the flame (yang) flickers and flares upward — that’s essentially a "hot flash."
I believe that understanding your body and its inner-workings is the bridge to trusting it again after you may have had a ‘falling out.’
Biomedically, why do these symptoms happen? Estrogen is involved in so manyphysiological processes. As it fluctuates and declines, it affects the hypothalamus — our internal thermostat — making us more sensitive to temperature changes. There are estrogen receptors in blood vessels and sweat glands, which helps explain the sudden hot flushing and sweating. Estrogen is also tied to melatonin regulation, bone density, cardiovascular health, and mental clarity. So the night sweats, sleep issues, and “brain fog” many people feel during this time aren’t imagined — they’re real, normal physiological reactions to shifting hormones.
Now, here’s where it gets important for everyone, regardless of gender or life-stage:
Most of us are burning the candle at both ends.
Chronic stress, overscheduling, self-sacrifice — all of this depletes yin even further. And during winter, when the natural rhythm invites rest and inward energy, pushing through can intensify imbalance.
Rest isn’t indulgent. It’s not selfish. It’s a necessary part of health — especially in transitional seasons like perimenopause or the darker winter months.
Structure helps: Holding yourself accountable to the loving-discipline of self care - the standing acupuncture appointment, the weekly yoga class, the nourishing meal, the 15 minutes of journaling before bed without screens.
You deserve at least half the love you give so freely to others.
Actually — you deserve double.
When we give ourselves space to rest, to listen, to soften, you can actually hear your intuitive inner voice, giving you insightful nudges. We reconnect with a steadier version of ourselves. And we’re far better equipped to show up for the people and responsibilities we care about.
We don’t need more noise, more urgency, more frazzled frayed nerves.
We need nourishment — yin — in all its forms.
How Acupuncture Supports Yin, Hormones, and Perimenopause
Acupuncture helps nourish yin, calm excess heat, and regulate the flow of qi so the body isn’t constantly swinging between extremes. It helps to more smoothly “land the plane.”
From a biomedical perspective, research shows acupuncture can:
Calm the sympathetic nervous system, reducing the stress-driven “flare” response that worsens hot flashes and insomnia.
Support hypothalamic–pituitary regulation, helping the body find more stable hormonal rhythms.
Improve sleep quality by influencing melatonin and cortisol patterns.
Increase blood flow to the pelvis, digestive organs, and skin — areas deeply influenced by estrogen shifts.
Reduce frequency and intensity of hot flashes, especially when treatments are consistent.
For many people, acupuncture becomes a weekly or biweekly ritual of nervous system regulation — a space where the candle gets a chance to re-form its wax. This is yin-building in the deepest sense.
If you’re moving through perimenopause or feeling that “burning the candle at both ends” exhaustion, acupuncture is a gentle but powerful way to support yourself during this season
