The Well Drop

Research shows that happiness reaches its lowest point in midlife, even while life is still very much in motion.
What if this uneasy chapter is not a sign that something is wrong, but a shift in perspective, as expectations change and women begin questioning how they want the second half of life to feel?
For this conversation, I’m joined by aging expert Debra Whitman. We talk about why mindset can influence longevity, why relationships shape long-term health more than diet or exercise, and how aging can become a period of clarity and choice.
Debra Whitman is Chief Public Policy Officer at AARP and author of The Second Fifty: Answers to the 7 Biggest Questions of Mid-Life and Beyond. She is a PhD economist and former Staff Director for the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging. She currently leads national and global policy and research initiatives focused on aging, longevity, and economic and health security.
What’s Discussed:
(02:38) Why aging is framed as decline and what research reveals instead
(04:17) The U-shaped happiness curve and why midlife often feels hardest
(09:32) How early money and health choices shape the second half of life
(10:35) Five lifestyle behaviors tied to longer life and why small changes count
(14:54) Why divorce rates peak in midlife and what hormones have to do with it
(18:06) Caregiving and the sandwich generation when responsibility accelerates
(22:54) Why relationship quality predicts long-term health more than habits alone
(29:56) How mindset about aging affects longevity, brain health, and heart health
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Find out more about Amber Berger: 
Website: http://thewelldrop.com
 Instagram: @thewelldrop

Find out more about Debra Whitman:
LinkedIn: @debra-whitman
Instagram: @drdebwhitman

Drinking more water does not automatically mean you are better hydrated, especially when that water cannot actually enter the cell. For many women in midlife, fatigue, bloating, and persistent water retention can show up even when intake looks right.
We dive deeper into this in the latest The Well Drop Podcast episode with Jane Emma. We also chat about the real difference between filtered and purified water, why daily electrolyte use can backfire, and how hydration efficiency at the cellular level shapes how the body handles water.
Jane Emma is the founder and CEO of The Goodfor Company, a water wellness company rethinking water quality, hydration, and how the systems we use at home impact overall health. She is a speaker in the wellness and environmental health space and has extensive experience working with purification standards.
What’s Discussed:
(00:00) Why drinking more water doesn’t actually fix hydration for most women
(06:02) Filtered vs purified water and what most systems fail to remove
(09:00) Hydration vs intake and why electrolytes alone don’t hydrate cells
(10:12) The daily electrolyte habit and how it can worsen thirst and hormones
(16:05) Chlorine exposure through showers and skin absorption
(25:52) Pharmaceuticals and contaminants in municipal water
(31:38) Structured water and cellular hydration efficiency
(40:05) Bloating and water retention as hydration issues in midlife

Thank You to Our Sponsors:
Wellness at Home Starts with Water: Use code WELLDROP at https://thegoodforco.com/thewelldrop 
Sign up for The Well Drop Newsletter: here

Find out more about Amber Berger: 
Website: http://thewelldrop.com 
Instagram: @thewelldrop

Find out more about Jane Emma (The Goodfor Co.): 
Website: https://thegoodforco.com/thewelldrop 
Instagram: @thegoodforco
Facebook: https://facebook.com/thegoodforco

Energy crashes, broken sleep, and brain fog often show up long before anything looks “wrong” on paper. When that happens, women are left pushing harder instead of realizing that everyday habits may be sending the wrong signals to the body.
We dive deeper into this topic in the latest The Well Drop episode. We also talk about why morning light matters more than people realize, what waking between 2 and 3 a.m. can tell you about blood sugar and sleep, and how having your phone in the bedroom affects your ability to truly downshift at night.
If your sleep feels off, your energy feels inconsistent, or your body just isn’t responding the way it used to, this episode will help you understand where to start. It’s for women who want clear direction instead of more guesswork.
What’s Discussed:
(01:02) Why energy and mood shifts are often the earliest signs of perimenopause
(08:19) Why morning light matters more than supplements for daily energy
(10:54) The unexpected impact of wearing sunglasses early in the day
(15:01) How phones in the bedroom keep the nervous system in a heightened state
(17:05) What waking between 2–3 a.m. can signal about blood sugar and sleep quality
(19:53) Why insulin resistance drives inflammation long before it appears on labs
(25:40) The three foundational habits that support energy, sleep, and hormone resilience

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Find out more about Amber Berger:
Website: http://thewelldrop.com
Instagram: @thewelldrop

Did you know that using peptides the wrong way can actually decrease their effectiveness, and that most people are missing the foundational steps that make them work?
In this episode of The Well Drop, I sit down with Sarah Morgan, clinical nutritionist and founder of InstaMed, to explore how peptides truly function, when to use them, and why cycling is the key to long-term effectiveness.
We dive into differences between oral, injectable, and buccal peptide delivery methods, unpack GHK‑Cu, the most underrated beauty peptide for skin and hair, and discuss how to slot peptides into your midlife health stack without skipping the basics. We also break down why “more” isn’t always better, how to recognize peptide burnout, and why lifestyle, hormones, and supplements should support each other, not compete.
Sarah Morgan brings over a decade of clinical nutrition practice in Denver, combined with her expertise launching InstaMed’s buccal peptide technology. As a health innovation expert and founder, she’s translating complex science into accessible, practical wellness tools and helping shift the peptide narrative from hype to real, lasting results.
What's Discussed: 
(00:00) The real role of peptides in health and longevity
(04:38) How oral peptide delivery works, and why it's a game-changer
(17:09) The right way to cycle peptides for long-term results
(25:27) GHK-Cu, CJC-1295, and the peptides transforming skin, sleep, and strength
(37:53) What responsible peptide use actually looks like
(44:13) Why play is just as essential as any protocol
Thank You to Our Sponsors:

Sign up for The Well Drop Newsletter

Find out more about Amber Berger: 
Website: www.thewelldrop.com 
Instagram: www.instagram.com/thewelldrop

Find out more about Sarah Morgan:
Website: https://getinstamed.com/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/instamedstrips/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahmorgan.co 
Website: https://www.sarahmorgan.co/

Somewhere between kids, career stress and shifting hormones, many couples realize their intimacy doesn’t feel the way it used to. We talk about perimenopause and hormones, but we rarely talk about how these midlife transitions reshape desire, connection and the daily rhythm of long-term relationships.
In this conversation, sexual wellness coach Alisa DiLorenzo shares simple ways to revive curiosity, bring back playfulness and rebuild closeness without adding pressure. She also names the emotional patterns that tend to surface in this season, from old frustrations to the feeling of not being fully seen.
If you want to feel closer to your partner and move through this moment with more presence and intention, this episode offers a gentle place to start and a reminder that you don’t need a new relationship, just a new chapter inside the one you already have.
Alisa DiLorenzo is an international marriage coach, speaker, best-selling author and the co-host of the ONE Extraordinary Marriage Show, downloaded in 180 countries. She is the author of The 6 Pillars of Intimacy, and her work has helped couples rebuild emotional and sexual connection for over a decade.
We Also Discuss:
(04:54) Why desire often shifts for both partners in midlife
(05:32) How men also experience hormonal changes that affect intimacy
(07:02) When sexual challenges signal physical issues versus relational ones
(08:58) Rediscovering pleasure and bringing curiosity back into intimacy
(10:19) How communication shifts in midlife and ways couples can reconnect
(18:02) The impact of emotional patterns, frustrations and feeling unseen
(35:43) Simple micro-habits that rebuild connection in long-term relationships

Thank You to Our Sponsors:
Sign up for The Well Drop Newsletter
Find out more about Amber Berger:
Website: www.thewelldrop.com
Instagram: @thewelldrop
Find out more about Alisa DiLorenzo:
Website: www.oneextraordinarymarriage.com
Instagram: @alisadilorenzo