When you start experiencing symptoms of perimenopause, you might feel confused. Part of you may wonder if you’re physically ill or if something is wrong with you. Many women don’t realize that going into menopause is a relatively slow transition that can take place over several years.
You may have expected abrupt warning signs and very clear changes in your body. Yet it’s easy to mistake these symptoms for something else entirely. Furthermore, lots of women simply aren’t educated about what perimenopause entails or what the early symptoms look like. Here are a few key signs of perimenopause to look out for.
Mood Swings
Dramatic mood swings can be a hallmark of perimenopause. One day, you might feel perfectly fine and content. The next day, you’re feeling moody and irritable — yet nothing about your circumstances has changed. You can’t figure out why this keeps happening, and sometimes, you might take out your moods on your friends and family. This frustrates you because you don’t want to hurt their feelings.
Yet, on any given day, you may wake up feeling angry and upset for no reason, only for these emotions to completely dissipate within a day or two. You may feel like you’re at the mercy of these mood swings, and your feelings are not completely under your control.
Irregular Periods
One month, your period was late. The next month, it actually arrived a few days early — and the next, it didn’t show up at all. Sometimes, your PMS symptoms are so severe that you barely want to leave the house. At other times, you don’t notice a single cramp. You may have light periods some months and extremely heavy periods during other months.
It can feel like it’s suddenly impossible to predict your cycle, even if you had a very regular cycle throughout your entire life. This is a common early sign of perimenopause. Any significant changes in your cycle can indicate that your body is going through a transition.
Hot Flashes
Perhaps you’ve heard of hot flashes before, as this is one of the more well-known symptoms of menopause. But you may not know what they actually feel like, and the first time it happens, you might start questioning if you’re sick. A hot flash can feel like a sudden fever, and it may be much more intense than you had imagined. Hot flashes can be played off as a joke in media, but they are deeply uncomfortable. These intense temperature shifts can also cause night sweats.
Slowed Metabolism
You’ve always maintained a healthy diet and kept up with a basic fitness routine. But suddenly, you’re gaining weight. You didn’t change anything about your lifestyle, so you’re confused about why this is happening. Weight gain can occur because your metabolism starts to slow down in perimenopause. You may want to talk to your doctor about shifting your diet and exercise routine so that you can maintain a weight that you’re comfortable with.
Insomnia
Do you catch yourself waking up frequently at night? Have you been tossing and turning for hours before falling asleep? Sometimes, you might even end up staying awake for most of the night, catching just an hour or two of sleep before you have to get up and start your day. Unfortunately, perimenopause can be accompanied by a temporary period of insomnia. Sticking to a relaxing evening routine can help you get more sleep, and you might need to sneak in a nap during the day.
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Are you struggling with the emotional transition involved with perimenopause? Talking to a therapist can help. Reach out to us to discuss your options for scheduling your first session for women’s counseling.