Some of the most telling premenopause symptoms, also known as perimenopausal symptoms, are the changes that occur in a woman’s menstrual cycle. These changes include variances in regularity, duration, and flow. Sleeping problems tend to arise during this stage of a woman’s life. Other changes that may be experienced include the growth of facial hair, depression, and a loss of sexual desire.
Menopause generally does not occur until a woman has at least reached 40. Premenopause symptoms, however, can begin menacing women many years before this. For some women, the problems begin to arise in their mid-30s. One of the most indicative premenopause symptoms is the variety of changes that women sometimes notice with their menstrual cycles.
A perimenopausal woman who previously had a regular and reliable menstrual cycle may notice that her periods become erratic. In some instances, she may not have a period for several months. The amount of bleeding that a woman experiences can fluctuate, and the duration of her cycle may change. Some women also experience premenopausal symptoms that are similar to pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms, such as bloating and cramping.
Sleeping difficulties are another category of premenopausal symptoms that women can experience. Some women have problems falling asleep, and others have trouble staying asleep. Premenopause symptoms can greatly affect a woman’s sex life. Although many women report a reduced desire for intercourse, many others may lose their desire completely. When intercourse occurs, the level of enjoyment is often negatively impacted by vaginal dryness, which is caused by a decrease in estrogen levels.
Changes in a woman’s hormonal balance are widely noted to be a cause of many of the premenopausal symptoms. For example, perimenopausal women often have mood problems. They may be more irritable, or they may experience depression or anxiety. Low estrogen levels are believed to be responsible for these issues to some degree. It is a matter of debate whether other factors also contribute to these problems.
Furthermore, women are also commonly inflicted with visible symptoms. For example, it is common to find that this condition causes hair loss in some places, such as the head, and stimulates hair growth in others, such as the face. This is attributed to high levels of testosterone, which is considered a male hormone. Dry skin may also become a problem for some women. This is usually blamed on the variance of hormones and the reduction in collagen production.
