If noise, light, or touch have become suddenly unbearable, your perimenopause hormones are likely the reason. Declining estrogen disrupts the brain's sensory gating system — the filter that decides which inputs to amplify and which to suppress. When estradiol falls, GABA activity drops and sensory neurons fire more easily. This article explains the neuroscience, covers all five affected sensory channels, and outlines the evidence-based approaches that actually help — from env