As we move deeper into autumn and the light shifts, our bodies and minds often ask for a different kind of support. November has a cosy stillness to it, yet it can also bring a subtle rise in stress as routines change, daylight shortens, and the holiday season edges closer.

If you have noticed feeling a little more tense, scattered or tired, you are not alone. During perimenopause, the nervous system becomes more sensitive to stress and the fluctuations in hormones like oestrogen and progesterone can influence how we regulate mood, energy and sleep. This makes nervous system nourishment essential, not optional.

Our nervous system thrives when we feel safe, supported and regulated. Food choices, daily habits and self-connection can all play a role in calming the body from the inside out. Think warm meals, grounding routines, steady blood sugar and gentle moments of stillness each day.

Throughout this month, I will be exploring simple ways to support your stress response through nutrition and lifestyle, both here and through The Nourished Mind series on Instagram. When we nourish our nervous system, we create space for clarity, steadiness and emotional resilience, no matter what life is doing around us.
Below is a deeply soothing recipe to begin this month with warmth, comfort and nourishment at the heart of your day.

Recipe: Cacao Calm Latte
A magnesium rich, naturally calming mood cup
Ingredients
•    1 cup milk of choice (oat or almond works beautifully)
•    1 tsp raw cacao powder
•    1 tsp honey or maple syrup
•    1 tsp pumpkin seed butter or a spoon of pumpkin seeds blended in
•    Pinch cinnamon
•    Tiny pinch sea salt
•    Optional: pinch of ashwagandha or maca for extra support
How to:
Warm the milk in a small pot, whisk in cacao, pumpkin seed butter, cinnamon and salt until smooth. Sweeten to taste and sip slowly.
Why it helps
• Pumpkin seeds supply magnesium for calm and muscle relaxation
•    Cacao supports serotonin production and lifts mood gently
•    Warm liquid signals safety and calm to the nervous system
A hormone-friendly, nervous-system-soothing hug in a mug.
 

A gentle November practice
Choose one nervous system ritual and repeat it daily:
•    A five minute morning stretch
•    A ten minute walk outside before noon light
•    Deep belly breathing before meals
•    Saying no kindly when you need rest
•    A warm evening drink to signal wind-down
Nervous system nourishment is not about perfection, it is about connection and consistency.
 

Health and happiness all.