When signs of perimenopause begin, this means that your body makes the natural transition to menopause.
Perimenopause means around or near menopause. It’s called also menopausal transition.
During perimenopause, estrogen levels begin to rise and fall unevenly. Due to abnormal hormonal fluctuation, women notice some signs and symptoms.
Hormonal fluctuation can cause a wide range of changes like hot flashes and night sweats. It causes also heavy periods, sleep disturbance, and mood swings.
Women will still have their period during this transition. And the menstrual cycle may shorten or lengthen. You may also experience irregular heavy bleeding episodes.
Usually, perimenopause starts in the 40s and ends by the 50s. But it may also start in a women’s 30 and it’s totally normal.
The menopausal transition could last from one year to ten years. It ends when 12 consecutive months passed and a woman hasn’t had her period.
Signs Of Perimenopause
The signs of perimenopause vary from one woman to another. But there are some common symptoms you may experience like:
Hot Flashes
Women have hot flashes during perimenopause. Hot flashes are one of the most common signs of perimenopause.
Usually, women experience sudden waves of intense heat with sweating and flushing. The length and frequency of these heat waves vary from one woman to another.
But hot flashes often last for 5-10 minutes. Also, hot flashes persist for years after menopause.
Estrogen deficiency causes blood vessels to dilate. So dilation of blood vessels could be the reason for hot flashes.
Sleep Disturbances
Women often have sleep problems during perimenopause. Hot flashes and night sweats often cause sleep problems.
So women can fall asleep easily but wake up during the night at 4 am or 3 am. And then couldn’t get back to sleep again. So here are some tips that can help you fall asleep again.
Mood Changes
Another common sign of perimenopause is mood changes. Women tend to feel depressed, sad, and anxious. They also feel stressed and irritable.
Sleep problems and hot flashes could be the cause of mood swings.
Usually, women don’t understand what they’re going through. They can’t also verbalize their feelings to the people around them.
Moreover, women find work and day-to-day activities a major challenge. The hormonal changes cause mood changes. But other factors that not related to estrogen deficiency can cause mood swings.
Irregular Periods
Irregular periods are normal during perimenopause. A woman’s menstrual flow could be extremely heavy or light. And you may also skip some periods.
Every month, you notice changes in period patterns. The menstrual cycle could lengthen and your period is late.
The menstrual cycle may also shorten. Women could experience heavy bleeding that makes her feel fatigued or dizzy.
During this phase, you may experience period symptoms like cramps but without bleeding. Moreover, you may have spotting instead of a period. You should see a gynecologist if the heavy bleeding persists.
Weight Gain
Due to the hormonal fluctuation, your body retains fluids. So this fluid retention can lead to overall body swelling. Also, hormonal changes can increase hunger which makes you gain weight.
Bladder And Vaginal Problems
When estrogen levels decrease, vagina walls lose their hydration. Also, vagina walls become thinner and dried out. And the vagina starts to shrink.
So all this can cause painful intercourse and vaginal bleeding. Low estrogen levels can also cause vaginal infections. Sexual arousal could change and become difficult.
Estrogen deficiency can cause bladder infections like urinary tract infections. Also, women want to
During perimenopause, women could have difficulty in holding back urine flow. Also, women experience bladder leakage when coughing, sneezing or laughing.
Loss Of Bone
When estrogen levels diminish, your body begins to lose bone. This can lead to a condition called osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a disease that causes bones to become weak and fragile.
Changes In Cholesterol Levels
Low estrogen levels may lead to an increase in low-density lipoprotein levels. It’s also known as the bad cholesterol (LDL).
While High-density lipoprotein levels decrease when we age. And it’s known as the good cholesterol (HDL).
These changes in blood cholesterol levels can increase the risk of heart diseases.
Decrease Fertility
As women age, ovulation becomes irregular and ovaries start to run of eggs. So it’s hard to become pregnant. And the chances of miscarriage are the highest among women who are over 40 years.
But the chance of getting pregnant is still possible as long as you have your period. So don’t forget to use birth control to avoid unwanted pregnancy.
Other Signs Like:
- Breast tenderness
- Lower sex drive
- Fatigue
- Worse premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
- Nausea
How To Deal With Signs Of Perimenopause
Exercise
Regular exercise helps improve your sleep and change your mood. So you should exercise 3-4 times a week for about 20-30 minutes.
Cycling, aerobics, and brisk walking are great for your health. Also, building muscles burn calories and help you stay physically healthy.
Regular physical activity helps strengthen bone density. And it also reduces the risk of hip fracture.
Maintain A Healthy Weight
To manage your weight you should exercise regularly and eat healthy food. As it’s more likely to gain weight when we age. And this increases the risk of heart diseases and osteoporosis.
So you should maintain a healthy weight to avoid health problems. Read these tips to avoid
Get More Sleep
To improve your sleep, you should keep a consistent sleep schedule. This means you should get up at the same time every day even during vacations.
Avoid consuming alcohol and caffeine late in the day. Also, reduce fluids intake before going to bed.
Go to bed when you’re sleepy and use the bed for sleep only. But if you couldn’t sleep for about 30 minutes, get out of bed.
keep your bedroom quiet and calm. Also, turn off electric devices before bedtime.
Diet
A healthy diet improves your mood, sleep, and health. A balanced diet can also help maintain a healthy weight. So you should:
- Add calcium-rich food to your diet.
- Eat more vegetables and fruits.
- Eat nuts and whole grains.
- Fish, meat, and chicken are good too.
- Reduce your sugar intake.
- Stop smoking.
- Avoid consuming caffeine and alcohol.
- Drink enough water.
Reduce Stress Levels
You feel confused and stressed because of all these changes that happen to you. But stress is not healthy and makes it even worse. Managing stress can help control symptoms of perimenopause.
Stress contributes to sleep problems, hot flashes, and health problems. So here are some techniques can reduce stress:
- Eat healthy food.
- Take a hot shower to relax.
- Yoga, meditation, and deep breathing exercises help you relax and reduce stress levels.
- Be positive.
- Learn how to manage your time.
- Have some time with your friends.
- Exercise regularly.
- Don’t drink too much alcohol.
- Talk to a doctor if you think you need i.
Seek Support
Talk to your health-care provider about what you feel and how to deal with it. If you have problems with your sex drive, talk to your doctor.
If you have heavy bleeding that persists, see your health-care professional immediately.
Vaginal dryness can cause problems so talk to your doctor about that problem. Your health-care provider can recommend some vaginal lubricants.
Don’t forget to ask your doctor about the vitamins you should take. Be specific and tell your doctor about everything so he/she could help.