Perimenopause
All About Perimenopause
Perimenopause is the body’s version of a “may have your attention, please!?!” with a megaphone in the years leading up to menopause. Think of it kind of like Mother Nature tapping you on the shoulder and whispering (it’s really more like shouting), “Just so you know, the baby-making party is winding down!” It typically starts in a woman’s 40s (though it can begin in the 30s or even earlier) and lasts anywhere from a few years to over a decade. During this time, hormone levels—especially estrogen and progesterone—start fluctuating like a rollercoaster designed by a very tired and disorganized engineer. The ovaries are still working, but they're definitely not clocking in on a consistent schedule.
The signs of perimenopause can range from mildly annoying to “What is my life?” classics like irregular periods, hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, brain fog, sleep issues, and a metabolism that suddenly prefers storing energy over burning it. Despite all these familiar sounding changes, perimenopause is not the same as menopause. Menopause officially begins after 12 consecutive months without a period—perimenopause is all the “fun” right before that grand finale.
So, to put it in science-meets-real-life terms: perimenopause is the transitional phase where your reproductive system slowly starts dialing down its operations. For healthcare pros, it’s a shifting hormonal profile; for everyone else, it’s often a mix of confusion, overwhelmingly uncomfortable and excessive sweating, and wondering if you’re losing your mind or just losing estrogen. Either way, it’s totally normal—and no, you’re not alone if you’ve cried over a coffee commercial or tried to open a window in the middle of winter because your internal thermostat went rogue or walked into a room and have zero clue what brought you there. Welcome to perimenopause! 🤗
The signs of perimenopause can range from mildly annoying to “What is my life?” classics like irregular periods, hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, brain fog, sleep issues, and a metabolism that suddenly prefers storing energy over burning it. Despite all these familiar sounding changes, perimenopause is not the same as menopause. Menopause officially begins after 12 consecutive months without a period—perimenopause is all the “fun” right before that grand finale.
So, to put it in science-meets-real-life terms: perimenopause is the transitional phase where your reproductive system slowly starts dialing down its operations. For healthcare pros, it’s a shifting hormonal profile; for everyone else, it’s often a mix of confusion, overwhelmingly uncomfortable and excessive sweating, and wondering if you’re losing your mind or just losing estrogen. Either way, it’s totally normal—and no, you’re not alone if you’ve cried over a coffee commercial or tried to open a window in the middle of winter because your internal thermostat went rogue or walked into a room and have zero clue what brought you there. Welcome to perimenopause! 🤗
Most common perimenopause symptoms
While every woman is different, there are some signs and symptoms of perimenopause that are more common than others. Not all women will experience these symptoms, but many do.
Perimenopause vs. Menopause-- What's the Difference?
Most people have heard of menopause, but perimenopause is an entirely different story. Many women have never heard of perimenopause and only hear that term once they're IN it, usually in their forties or late thirties. Here are some key differences.