🔥 Hot Flashes in the Server Room: Surviving Perimenopause in Deep Tech

I used to think system crashes were the worst thing that could hit mid-sprint. Then came perimenopause.

One moment, I’m debugging a containerised AI model. The next? I’m overheating like a fried GPU, forgetting the name of the tool I just used, and questioning whether I’m losing my edge or slowly turning into vapour.

Welcome to midlife in tech.

🧬 Wait… What Even Is Perimenopause?

If you’re reading this and thinking, “Oh, that’s something older women deal with,” hello, that’s us now. Perimenopause can start in your 30s and often hits full stride in your 40s — right when many of us are deep in our tech careers, leading projects, building startups, mentoring others… and suddenly wondering why we can’t remember a simple CLI command or why our anxiety’s spiking over a meeting invite.

This is the hormonal rollercoaster nobody at AWS, Microsoft, or your last Kubernetes conference warned you about.

💻 When Hormones Meet High-Performance Systems

Here’s what perimenopause can look like at work in Deep Tech, AI, Cloud roles — and what we rarely talk about:

• 🧠 Brain Fog
  Forgetting passwords, misplacing logic, or staring at lines of code like they’re ancient runes.

• 🔥 Hot Flashes Mid-Meeting
  And of course, it’s always during a Zoom call you can’t turn your camera off for. You smile. You sweat. You pray for decent Wi-Fi and merciful lighting.

• 😱 Anxiety Spikes
  Suddenly, that perfectly normal pull request review feels like a tribunal.

• 🥱 Fatigue and Insomnia
  Sleep like a defragmenting hard drive and then get up to fix someone else’s buggy deployment. Cute.

• 😞 Mood Swings
  One moment you’re a tech goddess. Next, you’re crying in the break room over YAML.

🧩 It’s Not Just Physical — It’s Cultural

Most tech environments weren’t designed with women’s bodies in mind. They assume productivity is linear. Focus is constant. Energy is reliable. Perimenopause shatters that myth — and still, no one adjusts the system.

The culture rewards “grind mode.” But what if your body has decided to shut down that function temporarily?

This silence isn’t just personal — it’s systemic. And it’s time we opened a window (because it’s hot in here) and let in some fresh air.

🛠 How We Survive (and Thrive) Anyway

💬 1. Name It Without Shame

You don’t need to whisper “perimenopause” like it’s Voldemort. Name it. Normalise it. Say, “I’m dealing with hormonal shifts, and it’s impacting my focus.” You’ll be shocked how many other women nod.

🧃 2. Build a Tech-Supportive Toolkit

• Hydration station: Keep water close. Like, very close.

• Mood-friendly lighting: Fluorescent lights are a menace.

• Use AI as your second brain: From reminders to coding help, let ChatGPT be your calm in the storm.

🧘‍♀️ 3. Design Your Day Around Energy, Not Hours

When possible, time your deepest work for your sharpest hours. Use “low-focus” windows for admin, email, or easier wins.

💡 4. Advocate for Change

Push for policies: flexible schedules, awareness training, “menopause-friendly” HR guidance. This isn’t a perk — it’s equity.

🤝 5. Find Your People

Talk to other women in tech. Create Slack channels, informal circles, or “menopause in the cloud” meetups (yes, really). You're not malfunctioning — you’re evolving.

💪 This Is Not the End — It’s an Upgrade

Perimenopause doesn’t mean you’re slowing down. It means you’re shedding the pressure to perform like a machine in a system that wasn’t built for you. And replacing it with new power: wisdom, clarity, and a “no more BS” radar that’s worth its weight in gold.

You're not less brilliant. You’re just running a more complex operating system now.

So no — I won’t be leaving Deep Tech. But I might show up to the next sprint planning with a fan, a herbal tea, and an extra layer of empathy for myself and every woman quietly battling through brain fog while building the future.

🔔 Call to Action

💬 Have you ever silently suffered through a tech task while your hormones staged a mutiny? Tell us your story.
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#WomenInTech #PerimenopauseInTech #TechSheThink #MenopauseAwareness #DeepTech #AI #CloudCareers #WorkingWhileHormonal #WellnessInSTEM #InclusiveWorkplaces