The Real Reasons You’re Craving Sugar, Salty Snacks, Coffee or Wine

Your 3pm cravings aren’t about willpower. They’re messages from your body — and they’re louder in perimenopause.

If chocolate, chips, coffee or wine feel like the only thing getting you through the afternoon, this episode is for you.

So what’s really going on at 3pm?

It’s not a lack of discipline. It’s a biological (and emotional) response to hormone shifts, blood sugar drops, low dopamine, and overstimulation. In this episode, I walk you through the real drivers of perimenopause cravings — and how to gently change the pattern without guilt, restriction, or giving up the things you love.

Here’s what you’ll learn (and why it matters):

• Why your blood sugar crashes harder in perimenopause — and how to avoid the crash-and-crave cycle
• How fluctuating estrogen, progesterone and neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin affect your mood, motivation, and cravings
• What the “monkey mind” is, and why it hijacks your 3pm choices
• How emotional buffering and autopilot patterns get wired in — and how to gently rewire them
• What actually helps: from stabilising meals to building daily joy (yes, joy is part of the strategy!)

Sneak peek:

“It is not like it is in your head, it's not a lack of willpower. It's actually your biochemistry, your neurochemistry, the way you're wired is driving you to that.”

Links & resources mentioned in this episode:

• Blog: The Real Reasons You’re Craving Chocolate, Chips, Coffee or Wine
• Free Training: The 4 Hormone Shifts You Can't Ignore

Send us a question for the FAQs segment or your feedback, we’d love to hear from you.

Find out more about Sarah, her services and the Freebies mentioned in this episode at https://www.ThePerimenopauseNaturopath.com.au

• The Perimenopause Decoder is the ultimate guide to understanding if perimenopause hormone fluctuations are behind your changing mood, metabolism and energy after 40, what phase of perimenopause you're in, and how much longer you may be on this roller coaster for.
• For more, follow on Instagram at @theperimenopausenaturopath.

WORK WITH SARAH THE PERIMENOPAUSE NATUROPATH:

• PerimenoGO (because who wants to pause anyway?!) A self-guided program to help you reverse weight gain, boost energy, and reclaim your mood — without extreme diets or cutting carbs. Perfect for women who want a realistic plan that fits around kids, work, and actual life.
• The Chaos to Calm Method: A 1:1 personalised program for women who want a more personalised plan and support — especially if you’ve got 10kg+ to lose, other health issues, or feel like your body’s just stuck. Includes comprehensive blood testing and analysis, Metabolic Balance ...