Raise your hand if you’re not even entirely sure what perimenopause even means. Don’t worry you’re not alone.

The literal definition of menopause would be “the end of your monthly period.” More specifically, menopause is diagnosed when a woman has gone 12 consecutive months without having a period.  

Once referred to as the “change of life,” menopause does not happen overnight. It is a biological process that occurs as the ovaries gradually produce less estrogen. This process usually begins in a woman's 40s and can last for a decade. The average age in the United States for a woman to hit menopause is 51.  

The medical community delineates three distinct stages of the menopause process and they are:

Perimenopause: This stage begins when the ovaries start producing less estrogen. In addition to regulating the menstrual cycle, estrogen also affects many other aspects of a woman’s body, including calcium absorption and cholesterol regulation in the blood. Perimenopause lasts on average 4-7 years and generally during the last 1-2 years, the drop in estrogen accelerates, causing perimenopause symptoms to become more noticeable for some women.  

Menopause: The point when a woman no longer has menstrual periods. In order to “hit” menopause, a woman has to have gone a full 12 months without a period. 

Post menopause: In this phase, often thought of as life-after, a woman no longer has periods, but she could continue to experience perimenopausal symptoms for a decade after menopause has been reached. 

10 Common Ways Perimenopause Shows Up

There are dozens of ways perimenopause affects women’s bodies, and every woman will have a unique experience. But here are 10 common changes that most women experience at some point during their menopause journey: 

• Weight gain

• Mood swings

• Hot flashes

• Irregular periods

• Fatigue

• Breast tenderness

• Decreased sex drive

• Insomnia -Trouble Sleeping

• Brain Fog

• Vaginal Dryness
  

A Menopause Reading List

If you’d like the whole story on menopause, consider reading one of the following highly recommended books:

What Fresh Hell is This? by Heather Corinna

The Menopause Manifesto by Dr. Jen Gunter

Perimenopause Power by Maisie Hill

Flash Count Diary by Darcey Steinke

The Slow Moon Climbs: The Science, History and Meaning of Menopause by Susan Mattern

Menopocalypse: How I Learned to Thrive During Menopause and You Can Too by Amanda Thebe

Wayward by Dana Spiotta (Note: Wayward is a novel, but it offers a very real depiction of modern menopause.)

If you’re short on time, but you still want to learn more, listen to episode #3 of the My Bloody Hell podcast for a quick lesson on the history and stages of menopause.

Disclaimer: This website and the material found within was not created or reviewed by a medical professional. Always check with your doctor or health care provider if you have any medical questions or concerns regarding menopause or any other health-related issue. *Some of the links on this page are Amazon affiliate links. If you happen to purchase one of the books mentioned above, we will get a small commission at no additional cost to you.