Perimenopause is triggered when progesterone starts to drop and estrogen levels begin to fluctuate. This typically starts in one's 40's, but some may enter it earlier or later. Perimenopause can last 4 to 10+ years. You have reached menopause after 12 consecutive months without a period.
Signs of perimenopause could be mild anxiety, shifts in sleep, unexplained weight gain, and a more irregular menstrual cycle.
From your first period onwards, we often only think of our menstrual cycle as this re-occurring {insert word: Opportunity? Annoyance? Whatever?} that weaves its way through our life as we do all the other things. We know it's related to fertility and if we have PMS or PCOS or pain then we likely pay a bit more attention. We've likely also heard of menopause, knowing it means that our periods stop completely and the reproductive phase of our lives comes to an end.
What we may not have considered is HOW the transition happens. Starting in one's 40's on average, hormones start to fluctuate. Progesterone starts to drop and estrogen levels begin to fluctuate. This time can last between 4-10+ years! You only reach menopause when you have gone 12 consecutive months without a period.
Leave a comment