One of the most unsettling things about perimenopause is how suddenly your periods can stop behaving like your usual periods. You may have spent decades knowing roughly when they would arrive, how long they would last and what your normal flow looked like. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, everything changes, the period comes days late, the next one arrives early, one month the bleeding is barely there, another month it is heavier than usual, sometimes it stops, you think it is

Menopause is a natural stage in a woman’s life, but it does not happen overnight, the transition usually begins with perimenopause, which can start several years before the final period. During perimenopause, oestrogen and progesterone levels begin to change and fluctuate, periods may become irregular, and women may notice changes in their sleep, mood, energy, weight, concentration, body temperature or general sense of wellbeing. Every woman’s experience is different, some no