What Are the Most Common Symptoms of Perimenopause?

If you are over the age of 40, certainly by now you have heard of the symptoms of menopause. But do you know what perimenopause is? It isn't a commonly used word, but the symptoms of perimenopause are very common indeed!

Perimenopause is simply the time leading up to eventual menopause, when the symptoms first start to appear. Menopause by definition is when a woman has had a time period of 12 consecutive months without a menstrual cycle, but this can take several years to actually reach. Each woman's body is different, and the way her body reacts to the slow and steady decrease in female hormones (mainly estrogen and progesterone) is different as well.

Actually perimenopause can begin as early as the 30's for some women, or as late as the early-fifties. However the average age that symptoms begin is around 40. Since this is usually a very gradual process at first, some women misinterpret the symptoms at first. But here a few of the symptoms that you will find very common in most women, whether or not they appear early in your experience with perimenopause or much later.

The most common symptoms include:

o irregular periods

o hot flashes

o night sweats

o moodiness, or irritability

o tenderness in the breasts

o weight gain, especially in the midsection

o insomnia (sleeplessness)

o fatigue

o low libido

o vaginal dryness

With all of these symptoms, you would think women would really dread this period of their lives! Yes, most do. However there can be a certain amount of freedom involved, not having to worry about getting pregnant for one, and of course not having to endure "the curse" every month.

We all know that menopause is something very natural, and is not a disease at all since it is the result of the depletion of egg cells from the ovaries and the reduction of female hormones. With this in mind, this transition, once started, can also be a real nuisance for many women as well. Sleepless nights are very common and interfere with women especially when they need to stick to a schedule, like work or taking care of children.

Taking care of your health in general and learning more about how to cope with these symptoms is the best medicine, so don't sit idly and suffer in silence - learn to deal with these symptoms of menopause.