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Menopause is when your periods stop due to lower hormone levels, typically between the ages of 45 and 55. It can sometimes happen earlier, either naturally or for reasons such as surgery to remove the ovaries (oophorectomy) or uterus (hysterectomy), cancer treatments like chemotherapy, or a genetic reason. In some cases, the cause may be unknown.
Perimenopause is when you experience symptoms before your periods have stopped. You reach menopause when you have not had a period for 12 months.
Menopause and perimenopause can cause symptoms such as anxiety, mood swings, brain fog, hot flushes and irregular periods. These symptoms can start years before your periods stop and can continue after menopause.
Physical symptoms
Physical symptoms
Common physical symptoms of menopause and perimenopause include:
hot flushes, when you have sudden feelings of hot or cold in your face, neck and chest which can make you dizzy
difficulty sleeping, which may be a result of night sweats and make you feel tired and irritable during the day
palpitations, when your heartbeats suddenly become more noticeable
headaches and migraines that are worse than usual.
NHS information about the menopause
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