There is no single blood test to tell you if you are in perimenopause. Women can experience symptoms of perimenopause for years before they have gone 1 year without a menstrual period and are officially in menopause. Common symptoms you might experience include hot flashes, night sweats, vulvovaginal changes, shifts in menstrual cycles, weight changes, sleep disturbances, and mood shifts.

Perimenopause symptoms can last for years, for some women up to 10 years or more. Good treatment, however, can help alleviate these symptoms so that they feel less bothersome.

Yes! Perimenopause is commonly associated with difficulties with sleep, which can be exacerbated by the night sweats many women experience.

Yes! For many women the hormonal shifts that characterize the perimenopausal period are associated with anxiety.

Low mood is one of the most common symptoms of perimenopause and, like other perimenopause symptoms, is likely related to the hormone fluctuations of perimenopause and is exacerbated by sleep difficulties that go along with those hormone shifts. We think some women are particularly vulnerable to mood shifts in response to hormone shifts; women with a history of mood shifts in response to hormone changes, like with menstrual cycles or pregnancy, may be at higher risk of depression in perimenopause.

Yes, many women describe experiencing brain fog or forgetfulness during perimenopause that feels like a departure from their prior functioning. This is different from the longstanding pervasive difficulties dating back to early childhood experienced by women with ADHD. This brain fog often improves with hormone replacement therapy, treatment for mood and anxiety symptoms, and treatment for sleep difficulties if present.

Yes, it can! Many women notice an increase in irritability during the perimenopause period, particularly if they are also struggling with sleep.

This is a common experience among women I work with who have a history of mood and anxiety symptoms in response to hormone shifts. The perimenopausal period is characterized by fluctuating estrogen levels, which can lead to a return of symptoms for women with a history of depression or anxiety symptoms with their cycles or with pregnancies.

A number of treatments can be helpful in perimenopause, including hormone replacement therapy, medication to help with vasomotor symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats, and treatments focused on improving sleep like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia and sleep medication.