Have you found yourself asking, Am I going crazy? What is going on with my body?
This is a very common question amongst women, aged anywhere between late 30s and into their 50s. You may be experiencing symptoms that you are struggling to manage or explain. Symptoms such as incredible fatigue, problems sleeping, mood swings or having trouble remembering things! You may be feeling frustrated as these are symptoms you have previously been able to manage or push through, you are a strong and intelligent woman and have achieved many great life achievements and worked through various struggles physically and mentally, so why do you feel like you have now hit a wall and your body is letting you down?
First the good news!
These new found struggles are in no way a reflection of a lack of strength or effort or motivation on your part. You are very much still an awesome, strong woman!
The bad news here is that you have most likely hit the transition of perimenopause,... and the struggle is real!
Perimenopause is the period of time when symptoms may start, before you hit the official Menopause stage (cessation of periods for 12 months). This is because your ovaries stop working gradually over time and your body starts reacting to the declining levels of hormones, in particular oestrogen. For many people this can happen several years before periods stop altogether, for others, it may only be a few months, before your periods stop completely.
Understanding your hormones to take back control during perimenopause.
It's not you, it's your hormones!
Wait!,... there is more good news! You have the ability to ease the impact of your perimenopause transition by understanding and preparing for the physiological changes and symptoms you may experience, as they say, knowledge is power!
Hormones regulate the activity of cells and tissues in various organs of the body. The balance of hormones produced by your body is essential to good health and a feeling of well-being.
In women, various sex hormones like oestrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and other hormones like cortisol, and DHEA, exert powerful effects throughout life. Knowing the function of your hormones and the inevitable hormone shifts during perimenopause is a powerful step towards understanding your own unique journey through perimenopause and discovering how to support your body's own 'super powers' to tame your perimenopausal symptoms.
Introducing the first two hormones you need to know:
Oestrogen
Oestrogen stimulates the growth of tissue, such as development of breast and reproductive organs, and ensures their function. In the brain, it boosts the synthesis and function of neurotransmitters that affect sleep, mood, memory, libido, and cognitive factors such as learning and attention span.
Oestrogen decreases the perception of pain, preserves bone mass, and preserves the elasticity and moisture content of the skin.
Estradiol
The most potent form of oestrogen made by the ovaries, adrenals and fat cells when older. Estradiol affects the functions of most of the body’s organs.
Many of the common symptoms of perimenopause are associated with a decrease in the body's production of oestrogen and estradiol.
To understand why a decease in the body's oestrogen levels can cause many of the symptoms we associate with perimenopause I would like to introduce you to the body's neuroendocrine system.
Neuroendocrine system.
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Brain
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Glands
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Hormones
Basically, we associate the stages of menopause and its symptoms with the ovaries, but when women say they are having hot flushes, insomnia, anxiety, memory issues etc..., those symptoms don't start in the ovaries. They start in the brain! They are neurological symptoms. We're just not used to thinking about them as such. So why is that? Why are our brains impacted by perimenopause?
Firstly, our brains and ovaries are part of the neuroendocrine system. As part of the system, the brain talks to the ovaries and the ovaries talk back to the brain, every day of our lives as women. So the health of the ovaries is linked to the health of the brain, and vice versa.
Secondly, hormones such as oestrogen are not only involved in reproduction, but also in brain function (oestrogen is really key for energy production in the brain).
The effects of hormone shifts are stronger in specific regions of the brain. And this helps explain why during perimenopause symptoms may start to arise. Let's take a look at this using the following 3 symptoms as examples.
Hot Flushes
The starting point here is the hypothalamus (a gland in the brain), which is responsible for the regulation of body temperature. When oestrogen is low and doesn't activate the hypothalamus correctly, the brain cannot regulate body temperature correctly. So those hot flushes, that's the hypothalamus!
Insomnia
The brain stem is the part of the brain responsible for regulating sleep/wake cycles. When oestrogen is low and doesn't activate the brain stem correctly, we have trouble sleeping.
Anxiety
We also have an emotional centre of the brain, called the amygdala, located close to the memory centre of the brain, known as the hippocampus. When oestrogen levels drop in these regions, we can start experiencing anxiety, mood swings and start forgetting things.
Understanding how imbalances in the Neuroendocrine system can impact perimenopause symptoms provides knowledge and power to take action and take back control and thrive rather than just survive through the transition.
Discover how to tap into your body's own natural healing and balancing power.
Introducing the Perimenopause Power House
The 'House' has been created to connect women through an inspired and empowered membership community; offering a unique approach to taking on and thriving through Perimenopause! Tap into your body's own healing and balancing wisdom.
Complete with powerful content, resources, opportunities to access live events, workshops, courses... and of course the support from other amazing women!
What to expect: the Top 5
1 Get exclusive content and conversations you can’t find anywhere else. Find a little inspiration, supportive conversation, and expert perspective each and every day.
2 Understand the inevitable hormone shifts and YOUR own unique journey through Menopause and discover and learn how to support your body's own 'super powers' to tame YOUR Perimenopausal symptoms.
3 Build your own specific 'Perimenopause Power Toolkit' with knowledge and supportive mind-body balancing 'hacks' (strategies, techniques) that tame YOUR major Perimenopause symptoms.
4 Reset your mind-body balance to reduce/remove YOUR Perimenopause symptoms and take back control of your health and wellbeing (physically, emotionally, mentally and hormonally). Get back to feeling YOU again!
5 Swap stories, experiences, and ideas (not necessarily advice) around our shared mission of powering up and thriving through Perimenopause.
Am I Perimenopausal?
So, if you have been wondering,.. Am I perimenopausal??
This simple quiz will help you to identify whether you may have hit Perimenopause, connect the dots and start to take control and find relief.
If you have any questions or would like to share your quiz result please comment below :-)
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