A Day in the Life with Erika Heynatz – Actor, Performer and Perimenopause Warrior

Buckle up, because it's a lot.

My alarm screams at 5:30am, and before I'm fully awake, I'm doing ten minutes of breathwork, meditation, EFT tapping or affirmations Then comes the morning routine: body brushing (yes, really), hot water with lemon juice, black coffee, and unloading the dishwasher while my brain boots up.
By 6am I'm in full domestic goddess mode – making school lunches, breakfast smoothies, and burritos for the family, trying to listen to a news podcast so I at least know what's happening in the world beyond my kitchen. Then it's out the door with the dog at 6:30am for either a 5km run or a weighted vest walk. (Yes, I'm voluntarily carrying extra weight around. Osteoporosis runs in the females of my family and I’m not signing up for that!) 

The morning is peak chaos – family breakfast, helping with homework, school drop-off – then I finally get MY time: Pilates, yoga, or vocal stretching. I answer emails in the infrared sauna like some sort of executive lizard, pack lunch and dinner for later, then it's press interviews and social media before I drive 45 minutes to the theatre, running script lines and doing vocal warmups in the car like a lunatic.
Then it's showtime – literally. Into makeup and wigs at 1:30pm, vocal warmup with the cast, notes and last minute choreography rehearsals, then into costumes and microphones for the half-hour stage call. Soundcheck at 2:45pm, show at 3pm, dress down and vocal warm-down at 4:30pm, quick dinner at 5pm, then press interviews or self-taping auditions before going BACK into wigs and makeup for the second show at 7pm.

After the second show, I'm driving home at 9pm, getting in around 9:45pm for a small second dinner and all my supplements, then 30 minutes of reading or script learning for auditions before lights out at 10:30pm.

And then I do it all again tomorrow.

Boring as it sounds – routine. In an industry that's super unpredictable, routine makes for sanity, survival, and productivity. When work is busy and home life is chaotic, I strive for balance by incorporating exercise and mental health practices that support my nervous system and recovery. Bushwalks, ocean swims, yoga, and acupuncture are my go-to when the wheels get wobbly.

There are also quality supplements that help manage menopausal symptoms which I like to take – Plus the benefits of getting regular massages and checking in with my GP to make sure hormones are steady are also part of the routine. I expose myself to interesting books, productions, and podcasts for stimulation outside of what I do for work, and I try to do community work or volunteer at my son's school when I can to keep me connected, grounded, and aware of what actually matters.

It's not glamorous, but it works.

Hmmm... I didn't!

It all had to go pear-shaped and get to a place of not coping before an older friend suggested I see a GP. After discovering my hormones were seriously out of whack, I was able to get some proper advice and make lifestyle changes with medical support. But prior to that? I was an angry, sleep-deprived, forgetful, aching, anxious mess.

I wish I'd known earlier what was happening to me. I genuinely thought I was going bonkers and felt like my body had completely betrayed me. Miserable!

For me as an actor, it's akin to hell.

I used to be able to remember ten pages of script dialogue. Now I have trouble retaining a paragraph. Words or whole lines will just disappear from my brain on stage or in an audition, and that can be terrifying. You're standing there in front of 1000’s of people, and your brain has just... left the building.

But it's not just work – it's everyday life too. Forgetting where I parked the car, blanking on someone's name mid-conversation, walking into a room and having absolutely no idea why I'm there. It's infuriating.

Promensil is a game-changer for brain fog in perimenopausal women. It allows you to stay focused on tasks without drifting off mid-thought, and the mental processing of information is much sharper – which is crucial when you're trying to remember information and conversation with actual humans.

It's not a magic bullet, but combined with good sleep hygiene, regular exercise, keeping stress levels in check, and checking in with your GP about your hormone levels, it helps you feel more like your pre-peri self. Always read the label and follow the directions for use.

I also write EVERYTHING down now. My phone notes app is like a second brain. No shame in that game.

At night, thanks to insomnia. I'm still hit and miss with sleep thanks to night anxiety. Lying awake and catastrophising is a premium skill of mine thanks to peri!

I can be a bit of a lady dragon in the morning if it's been a rough night. Patience levels: zero.

Talk to your friends. Create a conversation and check in regularly so they know how you're travelling. You'll be surprised how many women are going through the same thing silently. This is key to survival during menopause.

We're so lucky to be in a time where people are better educated and far more open and honest about this formerly unspoken phase of life. Being able to laugh about some of the really challenging parts helps a lot. Dark humour is your friend here. 

See your GP and explore both herbal and prescribed treatments to find what works best for you. Everyone's journey is different, and there's no one-size-fits-all solution. But you don't have to suffer in silence, and you definitely don't have to do it alone.

And remember: you're not losing your mind. Your hormones are just throwing a very long, very inconvenient tantrum.

Learn more about the symptom of Brain Fog

Follow Erika Heynatz on Instagram @erikaheynatz & Promensil @promensilau.