The Sleep Finding That Could One Day Change The Perimenopause Experience
As a physician who sees hundreds of women each year who have breast cancer, I am always thinking about helping them navigate through perimenopause and menopause.
I have been writing a lot about perimenopause, the time when a cisgender woman’s body prepares for menopause.
For most of my patients, perimenopause starts in their early 40s (and sometimes earlier). This pre-menopause phase often lasts four to eight years.
The Challenges of Perimenopause
With perimenopause, a woman’s ovaries decrease their estrogen production, resulting in the menstrual cycle becoming irregular or stopping.
Alas, the transition is often accompanied by symptoms, including the following:
- hot flashes
- night sweats
- generalized fatigue
- low sex drive
- sudden mood shifts
- sleep challenges
It is the last issue that I want to address today.