I don't know about you, but by the time August rolls around I'm doing a bit of a body audit. How did I actually cope through winter this year? For women in perimenopause, that question matters, because the hormonal shifts of this transition can make winter's fatigue, low mood and disrupted sleep hit harder. And it's not always easy to untangle what's just winter and what's perimenopause.

Perimenopause is the stretch of time leading up to menopause. Officially menopause is the day of your 12 month anniversary since your last period. Women can enter perimenopause anywhere from their late 30s through to the early to mid-50s. The time frame of perimenopause differs from woman to woman, typically it lasts 4-6 years but it can range from 1 to 10 years and it's often described as puberty in reverse. There's a lot going on beneath the surface at this glorious time of life as we're transitioning from our maiden, mother to sage eras.

Common symptoms include irregular periods, hot flushes, disrupted sleep, mood changes, weight gain, changes in libido (and vaginal dryness), bone density can suffer and cholesterol can rise. I'd also add brain fog, fatigue, anxiety, joint and muscle stiffness, plus changes to skin and hair too. If you're ticking a few of these off, you're not imagining it and you're not alone.

If symptoms are getting in the way of everyday life, it's worth chatting to your GP or a practitioner that specialises in women's health about some hormone blood tests. Oestrogen, FSH & LH is best tested day 2 to 3 of your period for a baseline, and progesterone is best tested with oestrogen again around a week after ovulation if you can track when this is occurring in your cycle. We tend to think oestrogen is the main player, but progesterone matters just as much, alongside your liver health, adrenal glands and thyroid. Nutrient levels may be depleted too so supplementing with magnesium, zinc, omega 3, vitamin D, iron and B vitamins may be helpful to support your body at this stage.

This time of year is great to put yourself and your health at the top of your priority list. This may mean that you pull back on alcohol, caffeine and late nights, and get back to basics: movement, nourishing food and proper rest.

I'm going to recommend Fem21 here too as it supports your body's natural hormone balance through perimenopause and into menopause, nourishing the adrenal and thyroid systems that work alongside your reproductive hormones. I've put together a special Peri to Menopause Pack which includes Fem21, iron, wild yam cream and maca, I absolutely love this combo, it has been so supportive for me and many of my patients, plus it's currently 21% off via our website: fm21.au/collections/our-packs/products/peri-to-menopause-pack

Perimenopause is a natural phase, not something to grit your teeth through. Be kind to yourself, your body is doing a lot right now.

This is general information based on my Naturopathic training, not a substitute for personalised medical advice. Please chat with your Health Provider, GP or specialist about what's right for your body.