If youre in your mid to late 30s, you might not have menopause on the brain just yet.
Not exactly, experts say.
The more you could arm yourself with education and information, the better.
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Your third decade is an ideal time to get a head start on preparing yourself physically and mentally.
Menopause doesnt officially start until its been 12 consecutive months since your last period.
First comes perimenopause, the transitional period when your levels of estrogen and progesterone begin to fluctuate.
about when you might too.
The earliest phase of this can be sneaky.
It doesnt announce itself and say, Hello!
You’re perimenopausal now!
Instead, its all about noticing the signals.
The first obvious sign is a change in period timing, Dr. Dunham says.
Hot flashesare an incredibly common symptom of perimenopause.
Theyre pretty unmistakable, Dr. Adams says.
Its not just feeling a little bit warm.
Its like somebody turned on a heat lamp.
Keep more subtle symptoms on your radar too, Dr. Dunham sayslike trouble sleeping, fatigue, andjoint aches.
Its hard to say, Oh, its my hormones.
Youll want to steel yourself for those mood changes you hear so much abouttheyre extremely real.
The emotional roller coaster is very profound for some people, says Dr. Minkin.
(Though it varies, she addssome lucky people feel just fine.)
Some days, you feel better, some days, you dont, she says.
You might feel like youre not coping with the same everyday stressors as well, Dr. Minkin adds.
A doctor can help you better evaluate if your mood shifts are tied to perimenopause or something else.
In your 30s, youre probably clued in to how you usually feel during sex.
When that suddenly takes a turn, menopause might be the reason.
Other signaturesigns of perimenopauseinclude vaginal dryness and pain during penetration.
You might also notice a difference in your libido.
Some women have less of a desire to have sex, Dr. Minkin says, especially later in menopause.
You start to lose bone mass around perimenopause, which raises your risk of osteoporosis.
you might increase your peak bone mass with what you do in your 30s.
Getting plenty ofvitamin Dandcalciumis key for bone health.
Dr. Minkin encourages people to verify they have ample amounts of both in their diet.
If yousmoke, quit.
Cigarettes are poison for your bones, Dr. Minkin says.
The earlier you could take charge, the better youre going to do, Dr. Minkin says.
(Not to mention that itll make you feel better in the here and now.)
Another benefit of having a gym habit before you hit perimenopause?
Fewer hot flashes, Dr. Adams says.
leaking a little peebecomes more of a concern around menopause.
I want everybody doing Kegel exercises!
Menopause doesnt have to be a solo journey.
That way, theyd know your history and youre already comfortable with them.
You want to be able to say, Look, this is whats going on.
Do you think it might be related to perimenopause?
Of course, its not always realistic or possible to stick with the same doctor for years.
That person doesnt have to be an ob-gyn, Dr. Minkin says.
What matters most is finding someone whos understanding and knowledgeable about menopause, Dr. Minkin says.
That said, not all clinicians are well-versed in menopause care, Dr. Adams points out.
you’re gonna wanna find somebody who knows what theyre doing.
Dr. Adams recommends asking providers questions like, Have you worked with people going through perimenopause before?
and, Do you have multiple ways of approaching menopause care?
This is never one-size-fits-all medicine.
you’re able to also find a practitioner whos certified in menopause care by theNorth American Menopause Society.
(These practitioners are clustered in metropolitan areas, Dr. Adams notes, but many see patients virtually.)
She encourages starting open conversations about menopause whenever you feel like youre ready, including right now.
People tend to do better [with menopause] when their partners are educated, Dr. Adams says.
Loop your partner in on the basics so they can better understand your experience.
Menopause is inevitable, but suffering is not.
While there are multiple treatment options, the gold standard is estrogen therapy, Dr. Adams says.
Taking a combination birth control pill during perimenopause can help even out your hormones and regulate your period.
The stale old narrative that its all downhill after menopause just isnt true.
Things can actually get pretty good on the other side of menopause.
There are some upsides, Dr. Dunham points out.
Its not like the end of your life, Dr. Dunham says.
Its more like the beginning of the next part.
