Is it actually perimenopause?

For many women, perimenopause doesn’t begin with a missed period.

It can start much more quietly.

You’re suddenly waking at 3am. Your usual patience has disappeared. Your period arrives early, then late. You’re tired even though you’re sleeping. Your skin is behaving differently. Or perhaps you just don’t feel quite like you.

With perimenopause seemingly everywhere right now, it’s easy to join the dots.

But here’s the important part: not every change means perimenopause.

So, what actually is perimenopause?

Perimenopause is the transition leading up to menopause, when hormones, particularly oestrogen and progesterone begin to fluctuate.

And fluctuate is the important word.

Hormones don’t simply decline in a neat, predictable line. They can rise and fall considerably, which is one reason symptoms can seemingly appear out of nowhere, disappear again and change from month to month. Changes to the menstrual cycle are common, including periods becoming irregular, shorter, longer, heavier or lighter.

The signs aren't always the ones we expect

Hot flushes and changing periods tend to get most of the attention. But perimenopause can also bring changes to sleep, mood, concentration, libido and the way your body feels day to day.

The tricky part?

Many of these symptoms aren’t unique to perimenopause.

Feeling exhausted? Hormonal changes may be playing a role, but it could also be worth looking at things like iron, particularly if your periods have become heavier. Low iron itself can cause fatigue, difficulty concentrating and feeling generally run down.

Brain feeling a little foggy? It can happen during perimenopause, but sleep, stress and other health factors can also affect how clear-headed you feel.

Skin suddenly behaving differently? Hormonal changes can influence the skin, but adult breakouts can have a number of contributors. If they’ve appeared alongside other changes, perhaps your digestion, cycle, stress levels or something else entirely - it’s worth looking at the bigger picture rather than assuming one symptom gives you the answer.

And the same goes for changes in mood, sleep, headaches or energy. One symptom rarely tells the whole story.

Which is why a symptom checklist on Instagram can only tell you so much.

Your body gives you clues

Rather than trying to put a label on every change, we like to think of symptoms as an invitation to get a little more curious.

Maybe your periods have become heavier and you’re feeling unusually tired. Perhaps adult breakouts have appeared alongside changes to your digestion. Or your sleep, mood and energy suddenly feel completely different to six months ago.

One symptom rarely tells the whole story.

Start noticing patterns. Has your cycle changed? Are symptoms appearing at particular times of the month? Is there something new that keeps coming back?

You don’t need to track every tiny detail. But if something consistently feels off, it’s worth listening.

Speak to your GP, naturopath or qualified healthcare practitioner about what you’re experiencing. Depending on your symptoms and stage of life, they can help look at the bigger picture and determine whether further investigation, including blood tests where appropriate, could help identify other contributing factors.

Being in tune with your body isn’t about diagnosing yourself. It’s about noticing when something has changed. 

This isn’t the time to demand more from yourself

When your body starts behaving differently, the temptation can be to fight it.

Train harder. Eat less. Push through the tiredness. Add another supplement. Wonder why all the things that used to work suddenly don’t seem to.

But perhaps your body isn’t asking you to do more.

It may be asking you to pay more attention.

Nourishing meals, enough protein, movement, sleep and the everyday rituals that help you slow down can all form part of looking after yourself - whether what you’re experiencing turns out to be perimenopause or something else.

A cup of tea won’t fix your hormones, and we’d never pretend it could.

But taking ten minutes to make one, sit down and actually drink it?

Sometimes the small rituals matter too.

Perhaps the biggest thing women wish they'd known?

Perimenopause isn't just hot flushes and disappearing periods.

But equally, not everything is perimenopause.

Your body gives you clues. The goal isn’t to diagnose yourself from them - it’s to notice when something has changed, ask questions and get the right support to understand why.

Because you know your normal. And when something doesn’t feel like it anymore, that’s worth paying attention to.

And if you’re looking for a little extra support, explore our teas by concern, thoughtfully formulated by Mayde Tea founder, naturopath and nutritionist Kate Dalton to support everything from sleep and digestion to stress and energy.