Perimenopause & Menopause: What's Actually Happening in Your Body
Understanding Menopause
Menopause is officially defined as the point when you've gone 12 consecutive months without a period — but the journey there often begins years earlier. That transition period is called perimenopause, and it can start in your early 40s (sometimes late 30s), lasting anywhere from a few years to a decade.
Perimenopause & Menopause: What's Actually Happening in Your Body
During perimenopause, estrogen and progesterone levels begin to fluctuate unpredictably, triggering a wide range of symptoms even while periods continue. Once periods stop entirely, you've reached menopause — and the symptoms don't necessarily stop there. The years following menopause are referred to as postmenopause, a stage that carries its own important health considerations.
What Drives the Symptoms?
Estrogen and progesterone are not just reproductive hormones — they are active in virtually every system in the body, including the brain, heart, bones, joints, skin, and bladder. As their levels shift and ultimately decline, the effects are felt widely and differently by every woman. This is why the menopause experience is so varied.
Common Perimenopause Symptoms
Vasomotor symptoms
Hot flashes and night sweats
Heart palpitations
Neurological and mood symptoms
Mood changes and irritability
Anxiety and depression
Brain fog and difficulty concentrating
Sleep disruption and insomnia
Physical symptoms
Joint pain and muscle aches
Fatigue
Weight changes and metabolic shifts
Headaches
Genitourinary symptoms
Vaginal dryness and discomfort
Changes in libido
Urinary urgency or frequency
Menstrual changes (perimenopause)
Irregular periods
Heavier or longer periods
Every Woman's Experience Is Different
Some women sail through with minimal disruption. Others find their symptoms significantly impact their work, relationships, sleep, and sense of self. Both experiences are valid — and wherever you fall on that spectrum, you deserve care that takes your experience seriously and helps you understand what is happening in your body.