Let’s Talk About Perimenopause

For many women, intense hot flashes and terrible mood swings set the tone for the start of a new phase in their lives: menopause, also known as "the menopause." It's a natural part of life, but it doesn't get nearly enough attention. What gets even less attention? Perimenopause—the period when your body prepares for menopause, also known as the transition. In this blog post, we'll tell you what it is, what to expect, and how to prepare for a smooth transition. Let's share all the details together, because we think it could be a huge relief for all of you who are suffering in silence.

Get ready for an interesting ten minutes…

What is perimenopause or menopause?

Perimenopause literally means "around menopause." It's the time in your life when your body begins preparing for menopause and the end of your reproductive years. It's also known as the "menopausal transition," and it usually begins a few years before you actually enter menopause.

Menopause is the end stage of perimenopause.

During perimenopause, your ovaries produce less estrogen as they prepare to stop releasing eggs altogether. These hormonal fluctuations can cause estrogen levels to fluctuate dramatically. You may experience periods of high estrogen production, alternating with periods of low estrogen production. This can cause your menstrual cycles to become longer or shorter, or you may have cycles where you don't release eggs at all (don't ovulate), leading to a decrease in progesterone production. This decrease occurs because ovulation, which stimulates progesterone production, occurs less frequently.

There are some physical symptoms (which we'll discuss shortly), but for some women, it's also an emotional journey, as it signals that the time is approaching when you literally can no longer conceive. Note: It's important to note that you can still get pregnant during perimenopause, but your chances decrease—more on that later.

At what age does perimenopause begin?

It's different for everyone, but it usually starts sometime in your forties. Sometimes it can even begin in your late 30s. This phase lasts until your ovaries completely stop releasing eggs. The average duration of perimenopause is about four years , but this varies considerably. For some women, it's only a few months, and for others, it can last 10 years!

You know perimenopause is over when you haven't had a period for a full year—then you're officially in menopause. In the years leading up to this point, women experience many changes in their monthly cycles, with symptoms like hot flashes. This phase is therefore called the transition to menopause, or perimenopause.

What is the difference between perimenopause and menopause?

As we mentioned earlier, perimenopause encompasses the years leading up to menopause. Technically, menopause is only officially declared when you haven't had a period for 12 months.

What are the symptoms of menopause or perimenopause?

Perimenopause isn't the most pleasant time. But understanding your body can make this transition much easier. These are some common symptoms:

Irregular menstruation

The most common symptom of perimenopause is irregular periods. Here's how it works: since puberty, your body has been producing estrogen. But during perimenopause, those estrogen levels begin to drop, so your body has to adjust. One of the first symptoms you might notice is changes in your period. Things like irregular periods, skipped periods, or periods that are heavier or lighter than normal can all be symptoms of perimenopause.

Hot flashes or flushes

You've probably heard of hot flashes. For many women, this symptom appears well before menopause.

Hot flashes vary in severity. They can be a brief sensation of warmth or feel like you're on fire from the inside! There's no real warning that you're about to get one, so you might experience them at the most inconvenient times, like when you're giving a presentation at work or having sex with your partner.
They can also be quite dramatic. They can cause redness in your face and upper body, sweating, chills, and in some severe cases, disorientation or confusion. That's pretty intense, don't you think?

Most hot flashes last one to five minutes. You might have a few over the course of a week. Or if you're unlucky, you might get 10 or more, sometimes even during the night. Hot flashes at night are sometimes also called night sweats. Some women report waking up drenched in sweat. It can be disturbing, embarrassing, and incredibly uncomfortable.
It's not clear exactly what causes hot flashes, but the main cause is hormonal changes. There's not much you can do when they occur, other than sweat them out as best you can and prepare yourself well for your perimenopause.

Below, we share some lifestyle changes that may help with perimenopause symptoms.

Dry vagina

Declining estrogen levels can cause vaginal tissue to become thinner and drier. We're sorry to report that this begins in perimenopause and often worsens after menopause. The most common symptoms are itching, irritation, and pain during intercourse, which can affect your sex drive. The good news is that there are many ways to treat vaginal dryness. Using a lubricant is a great help. You can also talk to your partner about increasing and lengthening foreplay!

Vaginal dryness can also be related to hormonal changes and your diet. Both vitamins A and B can help.

Also read how your cervical mucus changes during your cycle

Sleep problems

If it's not those annoying hot flashes keeping you awake, sleep problems could be the culprit. Nearly half of perimenopausal women report sleep problems. There are many causes, but generally, it all boils down to hormonal changes.

Sleep cycles also change as we age. If you find yourself wide awake at 3 a.m. staring at the ceiling, you're certainly not alone.

Mood swings or mood swings

Mood swings are a common PMS symptom, but they can also occur during perimenopause. The most common symptoms are anxiety, depression, and irritability. If you're under a lot of stress, have poor overall health, or have a history of depression, you're more likely to experience mood swings during perimenopause.

Other symptoms

We've discussed the most common symptoms above, but you may also experience some of the following symptoms:

• Need to urinate more often
• Heavy bleeding
• A change in your cholesterol
• Bone thinning
• Memory problems or concentration problems

What lifestyle changes can help with perimenopause?

That was a pretty scary list of symptoms, wasn't it? But it's not all bad news. There are some simple lifestyle changes that can help alleviate or eliminate perimenopause symptoms.

A nutritious diet

Yes, we know. Back to that food thing. But the reality is that food truly can be your medicine. By this, we mean a balanced diet of healthy fats, complex carbohydrates, and protein. As you age, your body needs about 50% more protein than a younger adult. This is to maintain muscle mass and strength. Consuming enough protein also helps strengthen your immune system and shorten your recovery time from illness. If you think you're not getting enough protein, consider taking a plant-based protein powder, which you can add to smoothies or yogurt in the morning.

In general, try to include plenty of fruits and vegetables in your meals and try to eat every few hours to keep your blood sugar levels under control.

Avoid sugar and refined carbohydrates like pastries and white bread. Also, make sure you get enough omega-3 fatty acids , which help maintain a healthy heart and brain – good for your mood and mind!

Be careful with phytoestrogens

As you now know, estrogen levels decline during menopause. This is because your ovaries stop producing estrogen. A diet rich in phytoestrogens is also often recommended for women approaching menopause. Think of things like edamame, flaxseed, tofu, soy or soy drinks, and lentils.

Phytoestrogens are compounds found naturally in plants, and when eaten, they can mimic the effects of estrogen in the body. Photoestrogens can be very beneficial in their pure form, always in moderation.

During (peri)menopause, also be careful with processed phytoestrogen products such as processed soy in the form of soy oil or soy lecithin, because during this phase estrogen levels can fluctuate very rapidly, with sudden drops or severe peaks, which can actually worsen symptoms.

Consider a supplement

As you age, your body needs more vitamins and minerals, especially B vitamins, folate , omega-3s , and magnesium . You probably don't think about it much, but it's possible you're not getting enough of these essential nutrients from food alone. Take a critical look at your diet and consider supplementing your nutrients.

We've written a whole article about which vitamins and minerals can support your body during the transition to menopause.

Reduce your stress

We know it's not always possible, but if your mood is already completely out of whack due to changing hormone levels, try to eliminate as much unnecessary stress from your life as possible. Stress is linked to hot flashes and low libido. Reducing stress doesn't have to be difficult.

• sport!
• get enough sleep
• spend time in nature or with friends who give you energy and make you laugh
• meditate!
• And another super easy one: say no more often! We often take on too much, and it's okay to say no occasionally.

Move

Find an activity you enjoy and make it a regular part of your routine. Many women report gaining some weight during perimenopause and menopause, especially around their midsection. This often occurs because, in an attempt to prolong your fertility as long as possible, your body tries to hold on to any estrogen you have left. Estrogen is often stored in body fat.

So choose something, it doesn't matter what. You don't have to run a marathon. Go walking, jogging, swimming, cycling, do yoga, dance, chase your kids. Whatever it is, it will help you both physically and mentally.

It's also important to consider maintaining or building muscle mass before and during perimenopause. If you don't use your muscles enough, your muscle mass will decrease.

Eat more protein

When you're in perimenopause, it's not just the passage of time that can affect your muscle mass and skin health. It's also the decline in estrogen. Therefore, it's wise to increase your protein intake during this phase. Try to include some protein in every meal. This will protect your muscles and may help prevent unwanted weight gain.

Researchers from the Charles Perkins Centre at the University of Sydney even suggest that making small adjustments to what you eat during this transition could make a difference in preventing weight gain.

Some more ideas

In general, a healthy lifestyle of good food and exercise will work wonders, but here are a few other suggestions to help ease perimenopause symptoms:

• If you smoke, try to quit.
• Get enough sleep every night. Stick to a consistent schedule and avoid screens before bed.
• Keep your bedroom cool. Lower the temperature or invest in a cooling mat. It can work wonders if you suffer from hot flashes.
• Limit your alcohol consumption. We won't tell you to give it up completely, but drink in moderation.
• Try acupuncture. If you're interested in alternative treatments, some studies have shown that acupuncture can help relieve perimenopause symptoms like hot flashes.

Can I still get pregnant if I'm perimenopausal?

Listen, ladies, this is important. The answer is yes. It's not likely, but it is possible. Even though your fertility is declining, you can still get pregnant. So, if you don't want a baby at this stage of your life, use some form of birth control until you officially reach menopause.

Have any questions? Chat with us . We're here to help.