Many women are surprised to learn that menopause is actually just one point in a much longer hormonal transition.
The years leading up to menopause, known as perimenopause, can bring significant changes to your cycle, mood, sleep, energy and overall wellbeing. And after menopause, the day that is 12 months since your last period, hormonal changes continue into what is known as postmenopause.
Understanding the difference between perimenopause, menopause and postmenopause can help you better support your body through each stage.
Premenopausal vs perimenopause
Premenopause refers to the years when a woman is still having regular menstrual cycles and ovulation is occurring consistently, from the time she has her first period ever until she reaches perimenopause.
Perimenopause is the transitional phase leading up to menopause, where hormone levels, particularly oestrogen and progesterone, begin fluctuating more unpredictably.
During perimenopause, women may experience:
- Irregular periods
- Heavier or lighter bleeding
- Mood changes
- Sleep disturbances
- Breast tenderness
- Heart palpitations
- Anxiety or irritability
- Fatigue
- Aching joints and muscles
Many women assume menopause starts once symptoms begin, but perimenopause can actually last several years before periods stop completely.
Perimenopause at what age?
Perimenopause commonly begins in a woman’s 40s, although some women notice changes in their mid to late 30s.
The average age of menopause in Australia is around 51, but symptoms associated with hormonal fluctuations may begin many years earlier.
For some women, the first signs are emotional rather than physical. Others first notice changes to their menstrual cycle.
Difference between perimenopause and menopause
Perimenopause is the transition phase where hormone levels fluctuate, oestrogen especially fluctuates wildly and periods become irregular.
Menopause itself is officially diagnosed once a woman has gone 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period.
Postmenopause refers to the years after menopause.
Hormonal fluctuations are often most dramatic during perimenopause, whereas postmenopause is characterised by consistently lower hormone levels.
This is why symptoms can sometimes shift after menopause. Some women find mood swings and cycle-related symptoms improve, while symptoms such as hot flushes, sleep disturbances, joint discomfort or vaginal dryness may continue.
Do your periods get heavier with age?
For many women, yes, for some women, they get lighter and can be one of the first signs of perimenopause.
As progesterone levels begin declining during perimenopause, oestrogen can sometimes become relatively dominant. This may contribute to:
- Heavier bleeding
- Clotting
- Shorter cycles
- Spotting between periods
- Periods arriving more frequently
However, any significant change in bleeding patterns should always be assessed by your healthcare professional to rule out other causes.
Period every 2 or 3 weeks
One of the hallmark signs of perimenopause is a changing cycle length.
Some women begin experiencing periods every 2 or 3 weeks because ovulation becomes less predictable and hormone fluctuations become more erratic.
This can feel frustrating and exhausting, particularly when combined with heavy bleeding or PMS-like symptoms.
Tracking your cycle can help identify patterns and provide useful information for your healthcare practitioner.
Perimenopausal bleeding between periods
Spotting or bleeding between periods can also occur during perimenopause due to fluctuating hormone levels.
While hormonal changes are common during this stage of life, it is still important to have unexpected bleeding investigated, especially if:
- Bleeding is very heavy
- Bleeding occurs after sex
- Bleeding continues for prolonged periods
- You are postmenopausal
Heavy bleeding during perimenopause
Heavy bleeding is one of the most common concerns during perimenopause.
Women may notice:
- Flooding
- Passing clots
- Needing to change sanitary products frequently
- Fatigue associated with blood loss
Heavy bleeding can impact energy, iron levels, sleep, exercise tolerance and quality of life.
Stress, fluctuating hormones and anovulatory cycles may all contribute during this transition.
Heavy periods menopause
Technically, periods stop completely once menopause has occurred. If bleeding occurs after menopause, it should always be medically assessed.
However, many women use the phrase “heavy periods menopause” when referring to the years leading up to menopause, particularly late perimenopause when cycles may become increasingly unpredictable.
How to stop heavy bleeding during perimenopause naturally
Supporting the body during perimenopause often involves a combination of:
- Stress management
- Sleep support
- Nutritional support
- Regular exercise
- Medical assessment where needed
Some women also choose herbal and nutritional support during this stage.
Our Female Balance was formulated specifically for women in perimenopause experiencing hormonal fluctuations and mood changes. It contains ingredients traditionally used in Western herbal medicine to support female hormonal balance and nervous system health, along with saffron to support mood balance.
Female Balance is designed for the fluctuating, often unpredictable nature of perimenopause, when cycles, emotions and energy can feel constantly up and down. The herb Vitex can regulate the cycle during early perimenopause and help to reduce heavy bleeding in the perimenopausal years.
Aching limbs menopause
Many women notice aching limbs, joint discomfort or muscle stiffness during menopause and postmenopause.
Declining oestrogen levels may affect:
- Inflammation
- Muscle recovery
- Joint comfort
- Sleep quality
Poor sleep and stress can also worsen muscle tension and body aches.
Supporting nervous system health, sleep quality, movement and recovery may all help women feel more comfortable during this stage of life.
For women who are postmenopausal and experiencing symptoms such as hot flushes, sleep disturbances and night sweats, our Menopause Day Formula and Menopause Night Formula were formulated to support women through this next stage of hormonal change.
Supporting your body through every stage
Every woman’s experience of perimenopause and menopause is different. Some notice mainly cycle changes, while others experience emotional, physical or sleep-related symptoms first.
Understanding what stage you are in can help you choose the right support for your body, whether that is supporting hormonal balance during perimenopause or supporting sleep, hot flushes and wellbeing after menopause.
Most importantly, know that these changes are common and you do not have to navigate them unsupported.
