How to Spot the Signs of Perimenopause

This week lifestyle blogger Sophia Bennet has shared with us this informative article on perimenopause – the changes a woman’s body makes prior to menopause and something that every woman needs to be aware of.

Find out how to spot the early signs of perimenopause, and most importantly, the adjustments you can make to your lifestyle to help you experience the healthiest and easiest transition possible through this life stage. It’s never too soon to start taking care of ourselves better in order to prepare and support our body’s through this natural process of ageing.

How to Spot the First Signs of Perimenopause

There are some things in life that are inevitable, and ageing is one of them. With ageing comes bodily changes, and for women, this means menopause. But before menopause comes perimenopause, a transitional time that can be tricky to navigate.

In this article, we’ll delve deeper into how you can recognise the early stages of perimenopause and why it’s important to be aware of it. When you know more about your body, your hormones, and your health, you can live life to the full and make conscious lifestyle changes that benefit your overall well-being.

Perimenopause And Menopause: Know The Differences

Perimenopause means “around menopause” and it refers to when your ovaries slowly stop producing eggs and your oestrogen levels drop. It’s also referred to as menopausal transition and this sums it up perfectly as that’s exactly what it is—the transition period before menopause.

In contrast, menopause is when the menstrual cycle comes to an end. A woman has reached menopause if she hasn’t had a period in more than 12 months (and this isn’t influenced by contraception).

What Are The First Signs Of Perimenopause?

When a girl reaches puberty, her body starts to produce oestrogen. This hormone plays a role in the reproductive system for several decades, and as she grows older, her oestrogen levels begin to decline. This results in her body having to adjust to these hormonal changes.

Perimenopause can start as early as eight to ten years before menopause. However, there are some rare cases where it could begin earlier. Once a woman reaches her mid-forties, early signs of perimenopause are a very normal part of life.

Perimenopause Symptoms

Perimenopause symptoms vary, but many women first experience the following symptoms:

Irregularity in your menstrual cycle: Your ovulation cycle will become more unpredictable. On certain occasions, your periods may appear heavier than usual, or they’ll be much longer than you’re used to. They may also be sporadic or come and go over the course of a few days. You may think your cycle has ended, only for menstrual bleeding to make an unexpected return.

Decrease in fertility: When your ovulation becomes irregular, your chances of falling pregnant become far lower. Perimenopause affects your menstrual cycle’s regularity. However, conceiving is still a possibility unless your period stops completely for more than twelve months. Being perimenopausal does not mean that you should stop taking contraceptives, but you should chat to your medical practitioner about the correct dose as this will change over time.

Mood changes: Before or post menstruation, mood changes are common during the menstrual cycle. Some women may find themselves feeling irritable, while others may find themselves feeling depressed. Mood changes are a symptom of perimenopause, especially when they are suddenly more severe than usual, or last for a longer period of time. Women who’ve experienced severe premenstrual syndrome (PMS) are more likely to have worse mood swings during perimenopause.

Hot flashes: Hot flashes are sudden feelings of intense heat that result in profuse sweating. The intensity, frequency and length of hot flashes may vary from woman to woman. Some women find that their sleeping habits are disturbed by hot flashes and that they battle with night sweats. A lack of sleep, or poor quality sleep, can impact your quality of life and well-being in other ways, so it’s a good idea to do whatever you can to prevent this. You can sleep with a fan on, or you can use a Himalayan Salt Lamp (if you don’t mind the glow) as its negative ions promote restful sleep.

Bladder and vaginal issues: Your oestrogen levels start to drop as you grow older. When this happens, your vaginal tissue is affected, and a loss of natural lubrication occurs. This can cause vaginal dryness and painful intercourse. This pain can lead to a decrease in interest in sex and a loss of libido. However, water-based lubricants can help to prevent dryness and make intercourse pleasurable again. Lower oestrogen levels can also lead to an increase in vaginal and urinary tract
infections as the tissue becomes easily inflamed, irritated, or itchy.

Thinning of bones: The lowering of your oestrogen levels during perimenopause causes your bones to lose minerals far faster than your body replaces them. This is an issue as it increases your risk of developing osteoporosis. If your bone mass is low before perimenopause, it can quickly lead to osteoporosis once this stage of life begins. Brittle bones break, crack and fracture easily and they take longer to heal too.

How To Manage Perimenopause Symptoms

Perimenopause is an inevitable part of ageing, and unfortunately, nothing can be done to prevent this stage of life. However, there are several ways that you can manage this transitional phase of your life and reduce its impact.

Below are the most important steps you can take when you’re perimenopausal:

Exercise: Regular, moderate exercise is an excellent way to maintain bone mass and reduce your risk of osteoporosis.

Eat well: Eating nutritious meals doesn’t mean that you should cut out your favourite treats. Simply limit unhealthy habits and focus on consuming food that is naturally grown. Wendyl’s Recipes For A Cleaner Life is a wonderful resource for anyone who wants to eat as healthily as possible without sacrificing flavour.

Avoid trigger foods: Certain food can trigger or exacerbate hot flashes, night sweats and mood swings. Avoid spicy foods, anything too sugary or sweet, and large amounts of caffeine.

Drink less alcohol: Excessive consumption of alcohol is never a good thing. Try to limit your intake to prevent unnecessary health complications.

Stay hydrated: A decrease in oestrogen levels can lead to dryness, not just vaginally but in the mouth and skin, too. By staying hydrated you can combat this.

Stress less: Stress can trigger hot flushes and mood swings, so wherever possible, try to avoid stressful situations. Hempress Renew Oil can help to restore mental clarity, mood, and quality of rest, thus minimising the effects of stress. Team this oil up with Maca to super charge the effects and to get the most benefit.

A Change Of Life

Perimenopause is the start of a major change of life, and for women, it can be a challenging time. Statistics show that 73% of women don’t treat their menopausal symptoms, but you don’t have to be one of that number.

Knowing the signs and staying fit, eating well, reducing stress, and getting enough sleep are the key to the healthiest possible transition. Natural products like Herbeauty Pure Hemp Maca Capsules can also make a huge difference in how you cope with your body’s natural ageing process. Perimenopause happens to us all, so you may as well prepare yourself in the best way possible!

If you are interested in strategies to help manage stress you can find helpful articles on our blog such as Breathwork & Your Mind. and Alleviating Stress and Anxiety with Mantras.