Prune Harris

Did you know that the hormonal shifts of perimenopause can start long before your final period, in fact as early as your mid to late thirties? 

Maybe menopause seems like a distant event, a ‘change’ that will happen when you’re much older, and you don’t need to worry about it until then. But while ‘menopause’ refers to reaching a point in your life when you haven’t had a period for 12 months, the bit you really need to pay attention to is the 10 years before that happens. That’s the perimenopause and it’s a process, or sequence of events, that brings some BIG changes to your hormones, which can result in some BIG changes to your body, your vitality, your emotions, your sleep, your perception of life and your place within it. 

The important thing to realise is that by choosing how you get ready for this passage in your life, YOU can determine whether you struggle through this time with debilitating symptoms or can access the energy freed up as you leave your fertile years behind, allowing you to feel vibrant, healthy and able to step into this powerful time in your life. 

So, how will you know when your hormones start to shift during perimenopause? Well, symptoms vary from one woman to the next, but you can expect to see some of these changes:

• Your period starts to deviate from your normal - such as longer or shorter cycles, skipped periods, heavier flow or cramping 
  
• Difficulty sleeping - you may find it hard to fall asleep, or wake in the night multiple times
• Mood changes - you may feeling less upbeat, more angsty, tearful, or apathetic
• Weight gain, especially around your middle - this can feel like an extra layer of padding
• Increased tiredness - you may feel lethargic and would prefer to stay in rather than go out
• Headaches - including the appearance of or worsening of migraines
• Swollen breasts and water retention
• Forgetfulness - you walk into a room and can’t remember why you’re in there
• Aches and pains - you find yourself aching more and exercise feels harder
• Hot flashes and/or night sweats
• Low libido - you don’t fancy having sex as often as you used to

No matter where you are in your menopausal journey, NOW is the time to start learning about this transition and making positive changes.