Everyday Wellness: Midlife Hormones, Menopause, and Science for Women 35+ BONUS: "The Sympathetic Spiral of Doom!” – The Fastest Way To Reset Your Nervous System & End Burnout with Dr. Scott Sherr | Menopause, Perimenopause & Mental Health
Mar 9, 2026
Dr. Scott Sherr, a board-certified internist focused on mitochondrial and health optimization, discusses the sympathetic spiral of doom and how chronic stress harms cellular energy. He covers vagus nerve exercises like humming and prolonged exhales, why extreme wellness trends can backfire, the link between stress and mitochondrial function, and practical micro-resets to calm the nervous system.
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What The Sympathetic Spiral Of Doom Looks Like
- The sympathetic spiral of doom is a self-reinforcing loop where chronic fight-or-flight activation stresses mitochondria and reduces recovery capacity.
- Dr. Scott Sherr describes symptoms like worse travel recovery, heavier alcohol reactions, injury-prone workouts, and mood volatility as signs of the loop.
How Stress Damages Mitochondria
- Chronic sympathetic activation raises cortisol and catecholamines that overwork mitochondria and trigger a cell danger response.
- The result is escalating sympathetic activation plus mitochondrial dysfunction forming a vicious energy deficit loop.
Treat Mitochondria And Nervous System Together
- Don’t rely on HRT or single supplements alone when in a sympathetic loop; address mitochondria and nervous system together.
- Sherr recounts a patient who improved only after adding methylene blue alongside HRT.
