Does Premenopause Exist? Yes! And It's Called Perimenopause

A woman's body is truly a miracle. As a woman, you are able to hold a new human life inside of you and nurture that life as it grows, enters the world, and matures from infancy to adulthood. To accomplish this wonderful task, the female body has the most complex reproductive system on the planet. Throughout her life, a woman's amazing reproductive system goes through many transitions or stages.

As your body makes the transition from your reproductive years to menopause, you'll notice some subtle or not so subtle changes in your health, as well as some obvious signs that menopause is on its way. The casual name for the time before menopause is "premenopause," but medically speaking, the correct term is peri menopause or perimenopause. The prefix "peri" means "around," "about," or "near," which is perfectly descriptive of the events of premenopause.

Perimenopause or premenopause occurs anywhere from two to ten years before menopause, plus one year after your final period. The symptoms of perimenopause are caused by changing hormone levels in your body. Primarily, your reproductive hormones of estrogen and progesterone are rising and falling at an uneven rate during premenopause, resulting in longer or shorter menstrual cycles and possibly skipped periods. Symptoms of perimenopause are vast and may include:

繚 Hot Flashes

繚 Insomnia (with or without night sweats)

繚 Fatigue

繚 Menstrual Irregularity

繚 Decreased Sex Drive

繚 Brain Fog/difficulty concentrating

繚 Emotional changes - Irritability, Anxiety, Depression

繚 Mood Swings & Crying spells

繚 Hair loss/thinning

繚 Skin and nail changes

繚 Urinary infections and urinary urgency

Premenopause or perimenopause is a completely natural transition as your body prepares for a new phase of your life. To ease the symptoms of perimenopause, many women concentrate on making healthy lifestyle choices as a natural alternative to potentially harmful traditional treatments. These choices include sticking to a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, staying at a healthy weight, taking natural supplements to help alleviate menopausal symptoms, meditation and yoga for stress, drinking plenty of water, and quitting smoking.

While each woman's reproductive system is extraordinary, you are not defined by your reproductive system alone or menopause for that matter. Youth-obsessed Western society often devalues a woman who is perceived to be past her prime and encourages her to hide or deny her age. This could not be further from the worldview. In other cultures around the world, a young woman may be pretty, endearing in a way, perhaps full of potential, but true beauty comes when a woman has lived and developed her character. When her face and bearing reflect the wisdom and compassion acquired by experience, a woman radiates the power of the feminine. Astonishingly to Westerners, studies have shown that the midlife transition is eagerly anticipated and produces fewer symptoms in cultures where women gain higher social status after menopause.

As women in mid-life today, we are privileged to be at a different point in our lives than the generations that came before us. We've never been in a better place or at a better time to choose for ourselves, to make positive changes in our lives. My hope is that this gives you a new perspective, a new way of thinking about your menopause experience, midlife, and your value to society. Discard thoughts and behaviors that hinder your growth or limit you. Nurture your inherent strength and goodness. Begin by being good to yourself. At this wonderful time in our lives we each have the power to choose what the years ahead will look like. Begin today, take a few small steps, be bold - make the necessary changes that will allow you to take control of your life and your menopause experience. It can truly be the richest time of your life!