Are you in your 40s and wondering why you feel exhausted, foggy, or just… not yourself? I do. I’m 47 and regularly forget names, or why I walked to the kitchen cupboard. I feel my body graves for more oiliness, and rest. My cycles are starting to show change. These are just a few of the 100 symptoms relating to perimenopause. The range of symptoms is wide, but the most common complaints include:
Fatigue & brain fog
Mood swings & anxiety
Sleep issues & lack of focus
Low libido & hot flushes
What is Perimenopause?
Perimenopause is the 6-to-10-year transition from the late 30s to the 50s when the hormones regulating menstrual cycle, estrogen and progesterone, begin to decline. This is due to the decreasing number and quality of ovums left in the ovaries, hence less ovulatory cycles and production of these hormones.
Why So Many Symptoms?
Estrogen and progesterone do much more than regulate your cycle—they influence all 12 body systems. Here are just a few of their crucial roles:
🧠 Brain: Help regulate stress, support cognitive function, memory, mood, sleep, and neuroprotection.
❤️ Heart: Relax blood vessels, lower cholesterol, and reduce inflammation.
🌿 Gut: Increase microbial diversity, maintains gut barrier integrity, and reduces inflammation.
🦴 Bones & Joints: Support bone formation, slows down bone loss, and protects joints.
➡️ Notice how many common symptoms are linked to the brain?
How Do You Know If You’re in Perimenopause?
There are two official phases of perimenopause, before you reach menopause and post-menopause:
Early Perimenopause: Cycles shift by ±7 days (shorter or longer). | Menopause: No menstrual cycle for 12 consecutive months (average age 51). |
Late Perimenopause: Cycles become more irregular, lasting more than 60 days. | Post-Menopause: Begins from the 13th cycle-free month onward, even if symptoms persist. |
What Can You Do To Support This Transition?
The female sex hormones are juicy, nurturing & protecting hormones. They are there to get us through the demanding years of making and caring for children, juggling work and family. However, no matter what stage of life you’re in,
reducing inflammation through nutrition, lifestyle, stress management and exposure to environmental toxins is key to protecting your brain, heart, gut, bones.
Here’s how:
🧠 Brain: Reduce stress with daily calming habits. Prioritise rest and sleep.
❤️ Heart: Avoid alcohol and smoking. Eat healthy fats. Spend time with loved ones.
🌿 Gut: Eat a varied whole-food diet, ideally organic. Avoid processed foods and sugar.
💪 Body: Move regularly and strengthen muscles, bones, and the pelvic floor.
🚫 Toxins: Avoid exposure to xenoestrogens—harmful chemicals that mimic estrogen—by choosing organic skincare and limiting plastics, fragrances, and synthetic products.
Remember, we are all unique and our circumstances vary, so how we move through these life stages and our specific imbalance is different from a person to another.
If you are looking for support as you are navigating through yours, feel free to contact me for ways on how to support your daily wellbeing.
Let me know in the comments, if you found this post useful!
With love,
Kreetta
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