Around 80 per cent of women will experience symptoms of perimenopause in the years leading up to the change of life – and for 20 per cent of women, these symptoms will be severe. Yet perimenopause is something many women know very little about.
In a study by the women’s health and wellness platform Xali, 38 per cent of women said they were unaware perimenopause existed. “I think one of the most important things for women to do in this stage of their life is talk to each other, their partner, family and friends,” Naz de Bono, founder of holistic health platform Xali, says. “This is currently not happening.”
When does it begin?
On average, perimenopause will start about four to six years before the change, but this period can last as little as one year or as long as 10.
Because perimenopause is poorly understood, many women don’t recognise that they’re experiencing it. According to research by Xali, 29 per cent of women don’t attribute their symptoms to menopause, which means they’re missing out on potential treatments.
Read more: Why hormones could be the reason you can’t sleep
Why am I warm?
Most people associate hot flushes with menopause, but some women experience them years before they go through the final change. “Typically, the average woman will notice hot flushes in the perimenopausal stage of life, whereby your periods become infrequent and do not occur monthly anymore,” gynaecologist
Dr Natasha Andreadis says. “Normally, hot flushes will be the most severe in the two to three years before menopause (your final period).”
How can I tell I’m not just hot?
Despite increasingly unpredictable weather thanks to climate change, de Bono says your perimenopause hot flush typically feels different. “It’s a sudden feeling of heat and sometimes a red, flushed face and sweating,” she explains. “For me personally, my skin heated up like a furnace, very suddenly, often my heart would speed up and my breath would suddenly be short. Also, once the flush leaves me, I suddenly feel very cold and tired.”
Are there other symptoms?
Exhaustion, irregular periods, breast tenderness, brain fog, vaginal dryness, loss of libido, migraines, unexplained weight gain and dry, itchy skin are all issues that women can experience at this time of life. Insomnia is also common.
“Most women report difficulty sleeping during perimenopause due to hot flushes or night sweats,” Dr Andreadis says. “This is when the body is overcome with an intense feeling of heat that can create sweating, chills and increased heart rate – not a fun way to wake up in the middle of the night.”
Are treatments available?
Thankfully, there are a range of different options available to treat perimenopause, from prescription hormone therapies to herbal supplements. Hypnotherapy is becoming an increasingly popular treatment for hot flushes, either through a therapist or using an online hypnotherapy tool, such as the Evia app.
Chat to your GP about treatments to suit you, or visit jeanhailes.org.au for more online information about perimenopause.
“Movement is key – research has shown that it is best first thing in the morning in natural sunlight,” de Bono adds.
“I won’t be popular for this, but if I drink wine or eat sugars, the hot flushes come back fiercely! A wholefood diet high in fruits, vegetables, wholegrains and high-quality protein may help to reduce your menopause symptoms.”
