What are the early signs of Menopause?

first signs of menopause Dec 20, 2021

Woman thinking about menopause holding cup of tea

What are the early signs of Menopause?

If you are reading wondering if menopause could be happening to you, the likelihood is that you are in Peri-Menopause, rather than menopause.

The Peri-Menopause is the time which leads up to your periods stopping for 12 months, this is then termed, Menopause and the average age for this to happen naturally is 51. The Peri-Menopause can last between 7-10 years, some women say they don't notice any changes at all, others really struggle with the symptoms.

The first signs of peri-menopause will most likely be different for each of us.

For me, it was being anxious when my husband was driving (some might say that wasn’t anything to do with my hormones!). I was constantly asking him to slow down, hanging on to the car door, and doing that imaginary breaking thing with my foot.

At the time I thought he was being thoughtless, but looking back three years later and I can see that it was the start of general anxiety about certain things.

For other people it could be:

Erratic periods
Mood swings
Hot sweats at night
Aching limbs
Loss of libido
Thinning hair
Difficulty maintaining weight - it keeps increasing!
Brain fog

Menopause is a bit like puberty take two

I think that the lead-up to menopause is a bit like being in puberty all over again. Many women report huge swings in their emotions, picking fights with those they love or bursting into tears at the supermarket checkout.

Coupled with periods that can be erratic and sometimes really heavy, bloating or weight gain, and utter exhaustion because you aren’t sleeping very well, it can be a testing time both for you and your family.

Here’s another challenge to add into the mix – if you had your children in your late twenties or early thirties then there’s the chance you could be headed into a hormone hurricane, one where puberty meets perimenopause.

Whilst it isn’t always harmonious traveling the hormone journey together, it will help fine-tune your empathy skills.

Feel back in control of your hormones

The good news is research shows that the more we understand about the menopause, why it happens, and its effect on our body, the less negatively we may perceive the symptoms to be. It can be difficult to navigate the advice now available on social media about menopause, there is lot's of conflicting opinions and many unqualified people giving out dangerous advice.

My suggestion is that you follow two or three accounts that resonate with you and decide what, if any, changes you'd like to make to your lifestyle and health during this time. You can find me on Linked In, Instagram and in my private facebook group.