Perimenopause: What Every Woman 30+ Should Know

Menopause—it’s something most of us associate with older women, right? You picture your mom or grandmother, maybe in their 50s or 60s, talking about hot flashes and mood swings. But what if I told you menopause might be closer than you think? In fact, perimenopause, the transitional phase that happens before menopause, can start in your 30s—years before you even notice what’s going on in your body.

Perimenopause is something that happens to almost every woman, but most of us are completely unaware of it until the symptoms really hit. If you’ve been feeling tired, moody, and maybe noticing changes in your periods or sleep, it could be the start of perimenopause—and it can sneak up on you much sooner than you expect.

What Exactly is Perimenopause?

Perimenopause is the phase that leads up to menopause. It’s when your body starts making the natural transition out of its reproductive years, and that means your hormones start fluctuating—especially estrogen and progesterone. This change doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a gradual process, but for many women, it’s an uncomfortable one that can last anywhere from 4 to 10 years.

You may notice symptoms in your early 40s, but for some women, it can start as early as their mid-30s. Yes, that’s right: perimenopause can begin before you’ve even hit 40.

The Stages of Perimenopause: What to Expect

Perimenopause is not a single phase, but rather a progressive transition that happens in stages. It doesn’t happen all at once, but over time, as your hormone levels fluctuate and your body begins to adjust. Here are the key stages of perimenopause:

75% of women avoid talking about menopause and perimenopause with their friends, family, or healthcare providers

Early Perimenopause (Age 35-40)
This stage can begin as early as your mid-30s. Your periods may become slightly irregular, and you may start noticing more emotional ups and downs. Estrogen levels fluctuate, but they don’t significantly decline yet. Some women report feeling more tired or experiencing mild mood swings during this time. It’s easy to confuse these symptoms with stress or life changes.

Late Perimenopause (Age 40-45)
As you enter late perimenopause, the symptoms intensify. Periods become even more irregular, and you may experience heavier or lighter bleeding, or longer or shorter cycles. Hormone levels continue to fluctuate, but estrogen levels start to drop more noticeably. You’ll likely start experiencing hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, and other classic symptoms. Many women begin to feel the effects more profoundly during this stage.

End of Perimenopause/Transition to Menopause (Age 45-50)
This final stage is when menopause is approaching. For most women, it’s marked by the absence of periods for 12 consecutive months, at which point perimenopause officially ends, and menopause begins. The symptoms—such as irregular periods, sleep disturbances, and hot flashes—may be at their peak during this stage, but they gradually decrease as your body transitions into menopause. It’s important to note that the length of perimenopause varies, and some women may not experience the transition until their early 50s.

Shocking Stats That You Need to Know

Here are some eye-opening stats that might just make you realize how early this process begins and why we need to talk more about it.

Most Women Don’t Talk About It
According to a study by the Menopause Foundation of Canada, 75% of women avoid talking about menopause and perimenopause with their friends, family, even healthcare providers. The stigma surrounding these changes is real, and many women suffer in silence, thinking they’re the only ones going through it.

It Can Start in Your 30s
Research shows that early perimenopause can begin in your mid-30s, and about 1 in 4 women experience severe symptoms during this phase. That means if you’re in your early 30s and you’re noticing changes in your mood, sleep, or period cycles, it might not just be stress—it could be perimenopause creeping in.

Perimenopause Can Last Up to 10 Years
Yes, you read that right—10 years. The perimenopausal phase can last anywhere from 4 to 10 years, which means that you could be dealing with the symptoms for a long time. If you’ve been feeling off and just chalking it up to aging or “life,” it could be more than that.

Mental Health is Affected Too
It’s not just your body that’s changing during perimenopause; your mind is, too. Studies have found that 40-60% of women report experiencing mood swings, anxiety, and depression during this time. Hormonal fluctuations have a direct impact on mental health, and this is something that’s often overlooked or underdiscussed.

It Affects Your Work Life
Here’s a stat that might surprise you: 61% of women in the UK reported that perimenopausal symptoms negatively impacted their work performance. This includes things like difficulty concentrating, absenteeism due to exhaustion, and emotional stress at work. For some women, it even leads them to leave their jobs or reduce their work hours.

Common Signs of Perimenopause You Might Not Expect

If you’ve started feeling like your body is changing in ways you can’t quite explain, you might be experiencing the early signs of perimenopause. But here’s the kicker: these symptoms are often so subtle that many women don’t even realize it’s happening until much later. They often get written off as “just part of aging” or “stress,” but they’re actually signs of perimenopause.

Here’s what you might experience:

Irregular Periods: Your once-regular cycle might become unpredictable. Some months, your period might show up early; other months, it might be late, heavier, or lighter than usual. This is often one of the first signs.

Weight Gain: If you’ve noticed that your jeans fit a little tighter, especially around your midsection, you’re not alone. The hormone shifts that happen during perimenopause can cause weight to accumulate around your belly.

Mood Swings & Anxiety: Feeling like you’re on an emotional rollercoaster? That’s common. Hormonal changes can trigger mood swings, anxiety, or even depression. You may find yourself snapping at your partner over small things or feeling inexplicably down.

Sleep Disruptions: Speaking of night sweats, many women experience trouble sleeping during perimenopause. Whether it’s due to hot flashes, restless nights, or your brain simply refusing to turn off, sleep can become a real challenge.

Brain Fog & Memory Lapses: Forgetting why you walked into a room or struggling to focus? You’re not losing it—your brain is just adjusting to the changes in your hormones. Many women report difficulty concentrating or remembering things during perimenopause.

Hot Flashes & Night Sweats: That sudden, overwhelming feeling of heat that starts in your chest and radiates through your body? That’s a hot flash. And if it happens at night, you’ve got night sweats—waking up drenched in sweat and needing to change your sheets.

Vaginal Dryness: This can be an embarrassing and uncomfortable symptom that many women don’t talk about. A drop in estrogen can lead to vaginal dryness, which might make sex uncomfortable.

We need to break the silence. Perimenopause is a natural and unavoidable phase of life, but it doesn’t have to be something you go through alone. Talking about it with your doctor, your friends, or even online communities can help you get the support you need. The more women open up about it, the less stigma there will be surrounding this topic.

The more we learn about perimenopause, the better equipped we are to manage its symptoms—whether that’s through lifestyle changes, diet, stress management, or even medical treatments.