What is Perimenopause & what are the signs?
Whilst the average age of menopause is 51, menopause itself is only one day as it masks the one year anniversary of your last period. What most people speak about when they are talking about the changes in and around menopause is actually in reference to the perimenopause period which refers to the period of time in which you’ll have cycles, but start to experiences symptoms of a change in your hormones.
This is likely to start in your 40s, but there are people who can start to experience symptoms in their 30s. This period can also last as little as 2 years or as long as 12 so it is often that many early symptoms may be ignored or disregarded as just the processes of naturally getting older.
Usually, the early symptoms that you are entering this perimenopause period can be seen in your periods rolling around quicker than they used to. This alongside night sweats, insomnia, headaches, migraines and breast tenderness that may appear in the days surrounding the start of your period, can be a sign of this hormonal shift.
Later stages of perimenopause your periods may become less frequent and other symptoms like vaginal dryness or joint pain can become more common. There is no exact path your body follows and some women may glide through their perimenopause without any significant issues, where for other women it can turn their life upside down.
Symptoms include:
o More frequent or further apart periods
o Changes to menstrual flow (heavier, longer, shorter, lighter)
o Increased PMS
o Sleep disturbances
o Fatigue
o Breast tenderness
o Headaches and migraines
o Brain fog+ Poor memory
o Bloating
o Hot flushes/Night sweats
o Joint and muscle pain
o Anxiety/depression/panic attacks
o Vaginal dryness/pain during penetrative sex
o Change in libido (increase and decrease)
o Bladder changes (leakage, urgency)
o Skin changes- acne, dry skin, oily skin, loss of elasticity
o Gut issues (constipation/diarrhoea)
o Hair loss or thinning
Concerned about perimenopause? Talk to one of our coaches today about how we can help you manage symptoms and take back control of your body! Click the link below to book in a call today: