Perimenopause is the transition from your reproductive years to menopause. Perimenopause means "around" menopause and is the body's natural transition.
Perimenopause can begin at any age, it is totally dependent on the woman's body. I personally started perimenopause in my late 30s due to the fact that I had a tubal litigation at 28. Some have even begin in their mid 30s. One of the biggest signs of perimenopause is irregular periods.
The level of estrogen, which is the main female hormone, rises and falls unevenly during perimenopause. This rise and fall of estrogen can cause your menstrual cycles to be longer or shorter, it can cause your body to skip ovulation all together, you could experience menopause symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, sleep problems and vaginal dryness.
When you experience anything new with your periods, you should first and foremost talk with your doctor. All the following information is just for informational purposes, it is not to be used to self diagnose or replace going to a doctor.
Irregular periods or shorter or longer cycles can occur because estrogen controls the whole egg process, even if there is an egg. If your estrogen levels are lower, you may not ovulate at all or it may make your cycle longer as your body deals with the dips in estrogen. On the opposite end your body could be over producing estrogen causing shorter cycles and perhaps more bleeding.
Besides irregular periods and cycles, perimenopause can cause hot flashes and sleep problems as well. If you have yet to experience a hot flash, it is when your body suddenly gets hot like you are in an oven. Sleep problems are common with perimenopause because estrogen affects the sleep cycles. You could also experience mood changes as well. Becoming grumpy, emotional where you want to cry at the drop of the hat are all common symptoms of perimenopause.
When estrogen levels diminish, your vaginal tissues may lose lubrication and elasticity, making intercourse painful. Low estrogen may also leave you more vulnerable to urinary or vaginal tract infections. Vaginal dryness can lead to sexual dysfunction because of the loss of lubrication, sex could become painful and your libido (your interest) could drop as well. The good news, if you had a satisfactory sex life before perimenopause that should not change going into menopause if you address any changes and don't feel ashamed with the changes.
Perimenopause can also affect your bone health as well as your cholesterol levels. Declining estrogen levels may lead to unfavorable changes in your blood cholesterol levels, including an increase in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol — the "bad" cholesterol — which contributes to an increased risk of heart disease. At the same time, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol — the "good" cholesterol — decreases in many women as they age, which also increases the risk of heart disease.
See your doctor to just check and make sure any changes are just nature and not something else.
What can you do at home to counter perimenopause naturally? Nothing will stop perimenopause, it's nature, but you can try to manage it by: exercise, whether it is walking, swimming or cycling, eating a healthier diet, stay hydrated, sleep when you can, mindfulness activities like meditation, journaling and yoga and lastly, try to stay at a healthy weight, becoming heavier not only can amplify perimenopause symptoms but also add other health issues to deal with.
Perimenopause is just part of life but that does not mean we have to suffer, we can fight back for our health and wellness!