🌿 What to Expect in Perimenopause — The Emotional & Cycle Changes No One Prepared You For

Perimenopause is the natural transition before menopause — a time when your hormones begin to fluctuate and your body starts shifting into a new rhythm. It’s essentially a second puberty — a hormonal recalibration that can begin quietly in your late 30s to mid-40s.

The Perimenopause Timeline

While every woman’s journey is different, here’s what typically happens -

Late 30s to early 40s — Early Perimenopause

• Hormones begin to fluctuate, particularly progesterone.

• Cycles may shorten (for example, from 28 days to 25).

• PMS can feel more intense, moods shift faster, and sleep may start to change.

• Energy dips, anxiety or irritability increase, and caffeine or stress tolerance decreases.

  
  

Mid to late 40s — Active Perimenopause

• Estrogen levels become more erratic, with sudden highs and lows.

• Periods may become heavier, closer together, or skipped altogether.

• Hot flashes, night sweats, and changes in libido may appear.

• Emotional sensitivity heightens — some women describe this as “feeling everything at once.”

  
  

Around 50 — Menopause Transition

• Menopause is defined as 12 months without a period.

• Hormone levels stabilise at lower levels.

• The body enters a new, steady post-reproductive phase.

  
  

So while “menopause” itself is just one day on the calendar, perimenopause can last anywhere from 4 to 10 years.

Why It Feels Like a Second Puberty

During puberty, your body ramped up hormone production to activate fertility.In perimenopause, your body is winding down that same system — which means those hormones (estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone) fluctuate wildly before settling into new balance.

That’s why you may feel emotional, sensitive, or even “like a teenager again” — except this time you have responsibilities, careers, and families layered on top.

Understanding this makes it easier to respond with compassion instead of frustration. Your body isn’t broken, it’s transforming.

Cycle Changes You Might Notice

Perimenopause affects ovulation first, which changes the rhythm of your cycle. You may notice:

• Periods that come closer together, then start spacing out

• Heavier or lighter bleeding

• Mid-cycle spotting

• Skin changes - Hormonal fluctuations in perimenopause can also trigger breakouts or acne, especially around the chin and jawline, as estrogen drops and androgens become more dominant.

• More noticeable PMS or cramping

• A few months without bleeding — then a sudden return

  
  

Tracking your cycle (even roughly) can help you see patterns and identify where your hormones might need support.

Emotional & Mental Shifts

Hormonal changes during perimenopause affect neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and GABA, all key players in mood and mental health.

You might experience:

• Heightened anxiety or irritability

• Low mood or tearfulness

• A sense of overwhelm or “not feeling like yourself”

• Brain fog or difficulty concentrating

• Changes in confidence or motivation

  
  

These emotional shifts aren’t weakness, they’re biochemical. Supporting your nervous system, adrenal health, and sleep can restore balance and resilience.

🌿 How Herbal & Holistic Support Can Help

Perimenopause is not something to “fix” it’s something to support. With the right natural tools, you can balance your hormones, calm the nervous system, and feel grounded through the transition.

Some of the areas I often support clients with include:

• Herbal medicine to balance estrogen and progesterone levels naturally

• Adaptogens to support energy, sleep, and resilience

• Liver support for smoother hormone metabolism

• Nutrient support for mood, cognition, and skin health

  
  

This stage can also be an invitation to slow down, reconnect with your body, and honour what it needs now, not what worked ten years ago.

The Takeaway

Perimenopause isn’t an ending, it’s a transformation.Like puberty, it’s the body reorganising itself into a new, wiser phase of womanhood.

The more you understand what’s happening, the easier it becomes to navigate it with grace and confidence.

If you’ve started to notice changes in your cycle, mood, or energy NOW is the time to tune in, not push through.

Book a consultation to receive a personalised plan to support your hormones, emotions, and overall wellbeing through every stage of this transition.

In health & happiness

Sarah Emily Herbalist🌿