One day your period is early, the next it’s late, and suddenly your favorite pajamas feel like a sauna at 2 a.m., and you just snapped at your husband over a small inconvenience. Sound familiar? Welcome to peri-menopause and menopause — a stage of life that’s natural, but not always easy.
The truth is, many women are caught off guard by just how much their bodies change during this time and may feel a little foreign. The truth is, while some change is expected, you don’t have to accept feeling miserable as “normal”or as just another form of "stress."
Let’s break down what’s happening during this time of your life, whether it is stress or peri-menopause, the red flags to watch for, and when it’s time to get support.
What's Happening in Your Body
Peri-menopause (the years leading up to menopause) usually starts in your 40s, but can begin earlier or later. Menopause itself is marked by 12 consecutive months without a period. Both phases are driven by hormonal changes and these shifts can ripple through your whole system.
Some symptoms are ones that may sound familiar and we’ve all heard whispered about:
- Irregular cycles: heavier, lighter, closer together, farther apart…your period stops following its old rules
- Hot flashes and night sweats
But there are others that often catch women off guard:
- Waking up at 3 a.m., unable to fall asleep, waking up feeling exhausted
- Feeling more anxious or irritable than usual — even when nothing’s “wrong”and your kids and husband wondering when your next mood swing will be
- Brain fog: forgetting words mid-sentence, losing focus, or walking into a room and forgetting why you’re there.
- Weight changes: all of a sudden the exercise and diet is not working, there is more and more around the midsection
- Sudden dips in libido or intimacy feeling uncomfortable because it’s all dry down there
Some women breeze through this phase of life with only minor symptoms, while others may feel like their body is a foreign place. These symptoms may be common, but that doesn't mean they should be dismissed as symptoms of "being stressed."
Hormone Imbalances May Affect Long-Term Health
While hot flashes, mood swings, stress + anxiety, and sleep issues are the most obvious signs, what’s happening beneath the surface matters just as much. Hormones play a critical role in long term health that we can’t forget about or ignore:
- Bone health: declining estrogen increases the risk of osteoporosis and fractures
- Heart health: these changes can affect cholesterol, blood pressure, and cardiovascular risk
- Metabolism: this can make weight management harder and affect energy levels
- Cognitive health: think: memory, focus, and mental clarity
That means seeking help isn’t just about addressing symptom — it’s about considering your future health and vitality, too!
When to Pay Attention
It’s tempting to chalk all of this up to “just getting older.” But sometimes these symptoms are more than just annoying, they're signals your body needs extra support.
A good rule of thumb: if your symptoms are interfering with your daily life, relationships, or sense of self, that’s the moment to reach out.
You’ll want to consider seeking help if you notice:
- Sleep issues leaving you dragging through work
- If your mood feels unpredictable, and you hardly recognize yourself anymore
- If intimacy has become painful or flat lined
- If weight gain feels unmanageable and things that you used to do in your early 20-30s just doesn't work anymore
Why Getting Support Matters
Menopause is natural, but that doesn’t mean you have to “tough it out.” In other words, you don't need to wait until symptoms feel unbearable. Support now means you can feel better sooner and reduce risks later.
Professional support can help you:
- Get clarity: Not every symptom is hormone-related. Fatigue, weight changes, or mood shifts could be linked to thyroid, metabolism, or other health concerns.
- Understand your hormones: Lab testing can show what’s really going on with estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and thyroid function.
- Personalize your care: From lifestyle strategies and supplements to bioidentical hormones, treatment is not one-size-fits-all.
- Protect your future health: Bone density, heart health, and metabolism all shift during menopause. Addressing them early makes a difference.
Menopause isn't the end of something; it's a new phase of life. Your hormones may be changing, but you are still you — and you deserve to feel your best at every stage of life.
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About the Author
Gavneet Uppal, MSN, FNP-C is a board-certified Nurse Practitioner with advanced training through the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M). She began her career in pediatrics, where her interest in women’s health grew as she saw the physical and emotional changes mothers experienced. Wanting to support women from a holistic perspective, she transitioned into functional medicine and helped build a start-up practice in Indiana.
Today, Gavneet serves patients at Joy Wellness Partners in San Diego, a leading functional and regenerative medicine clinic offering hormone therapy, peptide protocols, IV therapies, and regenerative treatments. She specializes in women’s health, bioidentical hormone replacement, and longevity-focused care, with a passion for helping patients restore balance and feel their best.
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