Midlife Advice | Perimenopause, Hormones and Midlife Women’s Health

Let’s talk about the stuff no one warned us about in midlife—like peeing when you sneeze, frequent UTIs, and why sex might suddenly hurt. If your pelvic floor feels like it’s staging a rebellion, you’re not alone—and you’re definitely not broken.

In this episode, I chat with Marci Silverberg, pelvic floor physical therapist and founder of Pelvic Path. We dig into why pelvic floor symptoms like urinary urgency, leaking, and pain during sex show up (or return) in your 40s and beyond—and what you can actually do about it.

Marci shares:

• Common pelvic health symptoms in perimenopause and menopause
• Why these issues show up in midlife—even if you were fine postpartum
• What your pelvic floor actually does (hint: it’s way more than kegels)
• The role of estrogen and muscle loss in pelvic health
• How to really connect to and strengthen these hidden muscles
• Tips for finding the right pelvic floor physical therapist
• What to do if you’re experiencing pain during sex or leakage (spoiler: you’re not doomed!)

If you’ve ever looked at your front door and wondered “Can I make it from the car to the bathroom without peeing in my pants?”—this one’s for you.

Links & Resources:

• Find Marci Silverberg and her team at Pelvic Path
• Follow Pelvic Path on Instagram: @pelvicpath
• Check out the free workshops at Pelvic Path
• Sign up for my Perimenopause 101 Workshop!

Did this episode resonate with you?

⭐️ Please share it with a friend, leave a review, or tag me on Instagram! Midlife is messy—but we don’t have to do it alone.

Disclaimer:

Belong Wellness and its members, managers, employees, contractors, and other agents or representatives are not licensed medical care providers and do not provide medical services or advice, including without limitation diagnosing, examining, preventing, treating, or curing any medical conditions. The information shared in this podcast is meant to be educational, not prescriptive. Please consult your medical doctor before making any changes to your diet or lifestyle. Further, the opinions of guests on this show do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Jessica or anyone affiliated with Belong Wellness. 

I want to hear from you. Send me a text or voicemail!

Jessica's freebies and resources:

😴 Sleep better tonight with my free 10-minute audio breathwork session. (https://your.belongwellness.com/sleep)

✨For more midlife advice on perimenopause, hormone health, nervous system regulation, and living with purpose in your 40s and 50s follow me: @midlifeadvicepodcast | @heyjessicalong

If you’ve been struggling with falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up feeling sluggish and tired—this episode is for you. 

In this solo episode, I’m sharing five simple but powerful habits I’ve added to my routine that have significantly improved the quality and quantity of my sleep.

I’ll also walk you through WHY these habits work for me (we’re talking: hormones, stress response, and nervous system regulation).

What You’ll Learn:

         •       Why sleep is queen when it comes to hormone health and perimenopause

         •       How to support and optimize your own melatonin production

         •       How you might be sabotaging your sleep unknowingly

         •       My go-to nighttime stretches that help me relax and fall asleep faster

Resources & Links:

·      Learn more about my Perimenopause 101 Workshop

·      My favorite amber reading light*

·      My On Demand Workouts Collection – scroll down to the Stretch section (all Stretch videos are free)

Let’s Connect!

Did one of these habits spark your interest? Try it out and let me know how it goes! You can:

         •       Leave a review on Apple or text me from the link in the show notes

         •       DM me on Instagram @belongwellness

I’d love to hear your sleep habits too! Send them over and let’s share ideas.  

⭐️ And please leave a review of this episode and share it with a friend who needs better sleep! 

*This is an affiliate link. I may receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you) if you make a purchase after clicking this link, but rest assured I only recommend what I stand behind.

Disclaimer:

Belong Wellness and its members, managers, employees, contractors, and other agents or representatives are not licensed medical care providers and do not provide medical services or advice, including without limitation diagnosing, examining, preventing, treating, or curing any medical conditions. The information shared in this podcast is meant to be educational, not prescriptive. Please consult your medical doctor before making any changes to your diet or lifestyle. Further, the opinions of guests on this show do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Jessica or anyone affiliated with Belong Wellness. 

I want to hear from you. Send me a text or voicemail!

Jessica's freebies and resources:

😴 Sleep better tonight with my free 10-minute audio breathwork session. (https://your.belongwellness.com/sleep)

✨For more midlife advice on perimenopause, hormone health, nervous system regulation, and living with purpose in your 40s and 50s follow me: @midlifeadvicepodcast | @heyjessicalong

You did everything “right”—you have a successful career, a family, a beautiful home, amazing friends—so why does it still feel like something’s missing? 

If you’ve ever looked at your life and thought, Wait, is this it? Is this as good as it gets?, this episode is for you.

I’m joined by transformational coach Anna K. Morris to dive deep into this midlife conundrum so many women face. 

We discuss why external success doesn’t always equal internal fulfillment, how to stop living by a checklist, and the steps to reconnect with what you actually want (not just what you’ve been told you should want).

We cover:

✔️ Why midlife is often when we can’t ignore our intuition anymore

✔️ How childhood patterns and expectations shape our choices (without us even realizing it)

✔️ The difference between “having it all” and actually feeling like you have it all

✔️ How journaling can help you uncover what’s truly out of alignment

Whether you’re navigating a demanding career, raising kids, caring for aging parents, riding the midlife hormonal wave or all of the above, this episode will help you pause, reflect, and start designing a life that actually feels as good as it looks.

Resources & Links:

➡️ Connect with Anna K. Morris: Website | Instagram

➡️ Sign up for Anna’s email list to get her free journal prompts

💛 Loved this episode? Please leave a review and share it with a friend who needs to hear this!

I want to hear from you. Send me a text or voicemail!

Jessica's freebies and resources:

😴 Sleep better tonight with my free 10-minute audio breathwork session. (https://your.belongwellness.com/sleep)

✨For more midlife advice on perimenopause, hormone health, nervous system regulation, and living with purpose in your 40s and 50s follow me: @midlifeadvicepodcast | @heyjessicalong

What if the secret to thriving in midlife wasn’t about hustling harder, but about staying curious, connected, and flexible? My 82-year-old dad, Bob Chilvers, joins me on the podcast to share his best midlife wisdom—advice he not only gives but actually lives by.

In this episode, we dive into:

✔️The three key pillars of staying vibrant as you age

✔️How to stop the endless cycle of yearning and actually enjoy where you are right now

✔️Why you’re never stuck—whether it’s a career, relationship, or life situation, you always have options

✔️His personal story of leaving a high-powered position at a big law firm for a life that aligned with his values

✔️Real-life ways to reduce stress, stay mentally sharp, and find joy in the everyday

If midlife has you feeling stuck, stressed, or just meh, this conversation is packed with practical, heartfelt wisdom that will inspire you to make the most of this chapter—on your own terms.

Links & Resources:

– Listen to Episode 1 to hear about my own midlife career pivot

⭐️ If you loved this episode, please take a moment to rate and review the podcast—it helps more midlife women find us and feel a little less alone in the chaos. And, I’d love to hear your favorite takeaway from today’s episode!

I want to hear from you. Send me a text or voicemail!

Jessica's freebies and resources:

😴 Sleep better tonight with my free 10-minute audio breathwork session. (https://your.belongwellness.com/sleep)

✨For more midlife advice on perimenopause, hormone health, nervous system regulation, and living with purpose in your 40s and 50s follow me: @midlifeadvicepodcast | @heyjessicalong

Stressed, Exhausted, and One Dirty Dish Away from a Meltdown? Let’s Fix That 

Ever feel like life is one long to-do list, and you’re permanently running on empty? Yup, me too. 

The mental load, the laundry, the constant What’s for dinner?—it’s enough to make even the most patient among us snap. But what if you could break free from the overwhelm without quitting your life and moving to a remote island? (Although, that does sound tempting.)

In this episode, I’m sitting down with Jenna Hermans, author of Chaos to Calm: 5 Ways Busy Parents Can Break Free from Overwhelm, and a former Queen of Chaos who figured out how to take control of the madness (without ditching her family). 

She’s sharing her five pillars for creating calm, from tiny habits that actually make a difference to setting boundaries like a boss.

We’re talking:

✔️ How to set boundaries without the guilt trip

✔️ The power of micro-habits (because baby steps still get you there)

✔️ Why meal planning doesn’t have to suck

✔️ How to stop spiraling when life throws you curveballs

Plus, Jenna spills her favorite stress-busting tips for busy women, so you can stop feeling like you’re drowning in crumbs, dishes, and expectations. If you’re ready to reclaim your calm, have a listen.

If you love this episode, please leave a review! I love hearing what resonates with you. 

Links & Resources:

• Follow Jenna for more calm inspo on Instagram
• Join Jenna’s “Own Your Calm newsletter” for bite-sized sanity savers on her website
• Grab Jenna’s books: 
  • Chaos to Calm: 5 Ways Busy Parents Can Break Free from Overwhelm
  • Burnout to Balance: 5 Ways to Overcome Stress and Improve Your Well-Being at Work
• Sign up for my Virtual Perimenopause 101 Workshop!
• Sophie Davies’ Marin networking group

Some of these links are affiliate links. I may receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you) if you make a purchase after clicking this link, but rest assured I only recommend what I stand behind.

About Jenna:

Jenna Hermans is proof that calm can thrive amid chaos. As the co-founder and COO of Be Courageous, a transformation agency, Jenna balances her professional expertise with her role as a busy mom of four. An advocate and award-winning author, she empowers individuals and businesses to implement systems and strategies that reduce overwhelm and infuse joy into daily life.

I want to hear from you. Send me a text or voicemail!

Jessica's freebies and resources:

😴 Sleep better tonight with my free 10-minute audio breathwork session. (https://your.belongwellness.com/sleep)

✨For more midlife advice on perimenopause, hormone health, nervous system regulation, and living with purpose in your 40s and 50s follow me: @midlifeadvicepodcast | @heyjessicalong

Can CBD help women in midlife feel better? What perimenopause symptoms can it help with? How does it work? Will it give me a high? Is it safe?

There is so much information and misinformation out there about CBD that it’s hard to keep it all straight. In this episode, Christine Calegari, representative with Green Compass, clears up the confusion and tells it to us straight.

She explains how CBD can help midlife women, but there are very important caveats to keep in mind. She also schools us on our endocannabinoid system. Did you even know we had one? Yeah, me neither.

Notes:

Christine Calegari on Instagram 

Christine Calegari on Green Compass (new clients: use code 421016 to save $10 on first order)

Sign up for my Virtual Perimenopause 101 Workshop!

Disclaimer:

Belong Wellness and its members, managers, employees, contractors, and other agents or representatives are not licensed medical care providers and do not provide medical services or advice, including without limitation diagnosing, examining, preventing, treating, or curing any medical conditions. The information shared in this podcast is meant to be educational, not prescriptive. Please consult your medical doctor before making any changes to your diet or lifestyle. Further, the opinions of guests on this show do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Jessica or anyone affiliated with Belong Wellness. 

I want to hear from you. Send me a text or voicemail!

Jessica's freebies and resources:

😴 Sleep better tonight with my free 10-minute audio breathwork session. (https://your.belongwellness.com/sleep)

✨For more midlife advice on perimenopause, hormone health, nervous system regulation, and living with purpose in your 40s and 50s follow me: @midlifeadvicepodcast | @heyjessicalong

Do you ever wonder what it would be like to change careers? To take a giant leap and leave your current job to try something completely new? I know that so many of us in midlife start to have these questions, these fantasies, or simply desire a big change. 

That is exactly why I am talking to my friend, Petra Langer, in this episode. She has pivoted her career two times and landed exactly where she feels like she belongs today, which, she says, is in a job you couldn’t have convinced her she would be doing when she started her career. Her story involves a tragic event in her life that led her down a new path, lots of introspection, vulnerability, risk taking, hard decisions, and plenty of success and joy. 

She also gets very honest about the challenges of being an entrepreneur and hands out poignant advice to anyone considering it. 

Notes:

Petra Langer on Instagram

I want to hear from you. Send me a text or voicemail!

Jessica's freebies and resources:

😴 Sleep better tonight with my free 10-minute audio breathwork session. (https://your.belongwellness.com/sleep)

✨For more midlife advice on perimenopause, hormone health, nervous system regulation, and living with purpose in your 40s and 50s follow me: @midlifeadvicepodcast | @heyjessicalong

Did you know that exhaustion and lack of motivation are not the only symptoms of burn out? In fact, there are many other physical signs your body gives you, but do you know what they are? I bet some of them will surprise you. 

Tune in as Katie Bonarrigo, certified holistic health and burnout coach, and I discuss what exactly burn out is, what the symptoms are, what is physically happening in your body that causes these symptoms, how to heal from burn out, and why it is so important that you do. 

We also discuss the 7 types of rest (are you getting all 7?) and how to prevent burn out in the first place. 

Notes:

Katie’s website ShiftWellnessCollective.com

Katie on Instagram

I want to hear from you. Send me a text or voicemail!

Jessica's freebies and resources:

😴 Sleep better tonight with my free 10-minute audio breathwork session. (https://your.belongwellness.com/sleep)

✨For more midlife advice on perimenopause, hormone health, nervous system regulation, and living with purpose in your 40s and 50s follow me: @midlifeadvicepodcast | @heyjessicalong

Do you dream of traveling the world but feel like it isn’t possible because you have kids? Today’s episode might just change your mind. Hear from my dear friend, Ananda Baron, about how she packed up her backpack and took to the skies with her husband and 11-year-old twins for an entire year. 

How did they choose the right time to go? How did they choose their destinations? How did the kids handle the traveling? What did they do with their house and their jobs while they were away?

Get all your questions answered and get a whole lotta inspiration from this truly incredible story. 

I want to hear from you. Send me a text or voicemail!

Jessica's freebies and resources:

😴 Sleep better tonight with my free 10-minute audio breathwork session. (https://your.belongwellness.com/sleep)

✨For more midlife advice on perimenopause, hormone health, nervous system regulation, and living with purpose in your 40s and 50s follow me: @midlifeadvicepodcast | @heyjessicalong

Imagine if you actually knew your coworker’s or your partner’s true motivations behind their behaviors. Forget the guessing games and assumptions – you can actually have a report in your hands that describes in detail what motivates them, what drives them, and what their blind spots are. And they can have this same information about you. All of a sudden, communication, understanding and empathy all come so much easier. Partnerships and teams feel more solid and effective. You feel like you understand yourself and your coworkers or partner better and now finally have the language to communicate your collective traits to each other. 

This doesn’t just have to be a fantasy. This information is exactly what the Enneagram assessment unlocks for us. Hear from certified IEQ9 Enneagram and leadership coach, Ali Dunn, about how knowing your Enneagram type can make your work, your relationships and your life easier.

Notes:
Ali Dunn’s website
Ali Dunn on Instagram

I want to hear from you. Send me a text or voicemail!

Jessica's freebies and resources:

😴 Sleep better tonight with my free 10-minute audio breathwork session. (https://your.belongwellness.com/sleep)

✨For more midlife advice on perimenopause, hormone health, nervous system regulation, and living with purpose in your 40s and 50s follow me: @midlifeadvicepodcast | @heyjessicalong