Understanding menopause
Menopause is a natural stage of life, but the symptoms that come with it can sometimes feel confusing, unexpected or overwhelming. Menopause usually occurs between ages 45 and 55, but symptoms can begin earlier and may continue later for some women.
Could this be menopause?
Menopause does not look the same for everyone. It can start earlier for some women, continue later for others, and symptoms can range from mild to highly disruptive.
Still having periods?
You may still be in perimenopause if your periods have changed or you are noticing symptoms like poor sleep, anxiety, brain fog, hot flushes or fatigue.
Periods have stopped?
You may be postmenopausal if it has been 12 months since your last period but symptoms are still affecting your sleep, mood, confidence, intimacy or wellbeing.
xIs it affecting your life?
If symptoms are affecting your work, relationships, sleep, energy or ability to feel like yourself, it is worth getting support.
What is menopause — and when does it start?
Menopause is reached when a woman has gone 12 months without a menstrual period. Before this point, she is considered to be in perimenopause. After this point she is postmenopausal.
Although menopause is often talked about as a single moment in time, the hormonal changes linked to it usually begin earlier and do not follow exactly the same timeline for everyone.
Many women begin experiencing symptoms during perimenopause, sometimes while their periods are still happening regularly. Others may continue to experience symptoms well into the postmenopausal years.
The stages of menopause
Perimenopause
This is the stage leading up to menopause. Hormone levels fluctuate and symptoms can begin to appear. Periods may become irregular, heavier, lighter, closer together or further apart.
Menopause
Menopause is the point when 12 months have passed since your last period. It is a milestone rather than a long phase.
Postmenopause
This is the stage after menopause. Some symptoms may continue, while others improve over time. Long-term health factors linked to lower hormone levels also become more relevant here.
Why symptoms happen
Menopause symptoms are largely linked to changes in hormones, particularly oestrogen. These hormones influence many systems throughout the body, which is why symptoms can appear in many different ways.
Some women experience only a few mild symptoms, while others experience a wider range that significantly affects daily life. The type, timing and intensity of symptoms can vary greatly from one person to another.
- temperature regulation
- sleep
- brain function and concentration
- mood and emotional resilience
- skin, hair and joints
- bladder and vaginal health
- sexual wellbeing
What menopause can feel like
Menopause is often reduced to hot flushes and missed periods, but for many women it can feel much broader than that.
The real-life impact
Because symptoms vary so much between women, menopause can affect daily life in very different ways. For some women the changes are subtle. For others they can begin to affect sleep, work, relationships, energy levels and confidence.
This is often one of the reasons menopause can feel so unsettling — women do not always realise straight away that the changes they are experiencing could be hormone-related.
It can affect daily life
- trouble sleeping or staying asleep
- lower resilience to stress
- difficulty concentrating at work
- feeling unlike yourself
It can also affect relationships
- less energy at home
- more irritability or overwhelm
- changes in libido or intimacy
- feeling mentally and emotionally depleted
When to seek support
It can be worth seeking medical advice if symptoms are affecting your quality of life or making everyday life harder.
- persistent sleep disruption
- anxiety or low mood
- brain fog or reduced concentration
- hot flushes or night sweats
- fatigue or reduced energy
- changes in bladder or vaginal health
- symptoms that are affecting work, relationships or confidence
What to do next
If menopause may be affecting you, here is the simplest way to move forward.
Use our symptoms checker
Use our symptom checker to explore whether the changes you are noticing may be menopause-related.
Complete the questionnaire
Work through our symptoms questionnaire to better understand your symptom pattern and severity.
Book a consultation
Speak with a Menodoctor clinician about treatment options and a personalised plan.