What is the Menopause?
The Menopause is entered into when a woman has not had a period in a year. Before this, 'Perimenopause' can start years before. During this time the levels of oestrogen and progesterone rise and fall erratically. The average age periods stop for women in the UK is 51, however the Perimenopause can start as early as your thirties.
As a women's ovarian supply starts to run out their ovaries become less able to respond to reproduction hormones - which means they stop making oestrogen and progesterone that regulate menstruation and are needed for fertility.
The knock-on effect of these changes can cause symptoms like anxiety, mood swings, brain fog, hot flushes, difficulty sleeping, skin and hair changes, muscle aches and joint pains.