For many women, the journey through perimenopause and menopause can feel like a silent storm, a period of life marked by physical and emotional changes met with confusion and discomfort. But for Dr. Carolina Gonzalez this season of life is not a decline but a powerful evolution.
"Perimenopause and menopause are not just biological events," she explains. “They are invitations. Invitations to slow down, to listen more deeply to the body and to realign with what truly matters.”
Understanding the Shift: What’s Really Happening in Midlife
Dr. Carolina describes menopause as a “symphony of hormonal recalibration,” marked by declining estrogen and progesterone, the body’s key hormones for mood, sleep, metabolism and more.
“Oestrogen — I call her the party girl of hormones — brings vitality, vibrancy, optimism,” she notes. “When she starts to leave the dance floor, you feel it. Mood swings, joint pain, sleep disruption, brain fog. It’s not in your head. It’s in your cells.”
As progesterone wanes, many women report feeling “wired but tired,” plagued by restlessness, anxiety, or emotional flatness. “This shift doesn’t just affect your period,” she adds. “It affects your nervous system, your resilience, your sense of self.”
The Role of Infrared Therapy in Menopausal Wellness
One of the core tools Dr. Carolina recommends for women in this transition is infrared sauna therapy. “Infrared is not just a luxury,” she asserts. “It’s a ritual. A way to recalibrate the nervous system, support detoxification and bring the body back to a state of rest and repair.”
In her own life, the sauna is sacred. “It’s my place to consciously release the day. To soothe the nervous system. To breathe. To return to myself.”
From a clinical perspective, the benefits are extensive. “Infrared helps regulate cortisol, supports liver detoxification of excess hormones, and stimulates collagen,” she says. “It reduces systemic inflammation, which is at the root of so many symptoms women experience in midlife — from joint pain to fatigue.”
In perimenopause, when estrogen dominance is common, infrared therapy assists the body’s natural clearance of hormones, helping to relieve bloating, mood swings and weight gain. For women who struggle with sleep, infrared’s ability to lower cortisol and mimic the natural cooling of the body before bedtime can promote deeper, more restorative rest.
Skin, Circulation, and the Soulful Benefits of Heat
Dr. Carolina also praises infrared therapy for its skin-rejuvenating benefits, a welcome bonus for those experiencing dryness, thinning, or dullness due to hormonal shifts. “It stimulates collagen and elastin production, improving elasticity and luminosity,” she explains. “But more than that, it nourishes depleted tissues and reminds women that radiance is still — and always — possible.”
There’s also an emotional dimension to her work. “The sauna is a container — not just for heat, but for presence. It’s a pause button in a world that asks so much of women. It invites softness, stillness, and restoration.”
A Universal Modality for Every Stage of Life
While menopause is a core focus of her work, Dr. Carolina is quick to point out that hormonal imbalance affects women at all ages — and increasingly, men too. Her daughters, aged 17 and 20, use infrared therapy to support clear skin, detoxification, and mood regulation. Her husband uses it for muscle recovery, testosterone balance, and cardiovascular health.
“Infrared meets the body where it is,” she says. “Whether you’re navigating puberty, pregnancy, perimenopause, or post-menopause — the body knows how to heal when given the right support.”
For men, hormonal change is more gradual but no less significant. Testosterone begins to decline around age 30, and chronic stress accelerates that drop. “Infrared helps regulate cortisol, supports circulation, and offers a deeply restorative experience,” she explains. “For men, it’s often the only time in their day they allow themselves to just be.”
Menopause as a Sacred Rite
Ultimately, Dr. Carolina views menopause not as an end, but a beginning. “It’s a time of return — to wisdom, to power, to self,” she says. “When we stop pathologizing menopause and start honouring it, everything changes.”
And perhaps that’s the greatest gift infrared therapy offers: not just physical relief, but the space to slow down, listen in and rise into this next chapter with grace.
“The sauna is not just a tool; it’s a ritual — a gift I give myself daily.” — Dr. Carolina Gonzalez
Dr. Carolina also offers a curated selection of natural products to support hormonal balance during perimenopause and menopause. The collection includes bio-identical USP progesterone creams, iron supplements, and herbal remedies aimed at restoring hormonal harmony and overall well-being.
For more information and to explore the full range of products, you can visit the Hormone Support collection on Dr. Carolina Gonzalez's website.
