These are the most common perimenopause symptom women experience

Despite ‘hot flushes’ being a heavily discussed topic associated with peri/menopause, they are one of the least experienced symptoms, according to a new study by Forth who provides home blood tests.

Forth has compiled results from over 5,000 customers to analyse which symptoms are the most common amongst those experiencing perimenopause, and the signs to look out for.

What is perimenopause?

Perimenopause is the phase that leads to menopause. Women tend to start perimenopause in their early 40s and it can last anywhere between 5 and 10 years.

Perimenopause has over 34 symptoms ranging from hot flushes, and night sweats, to increased anxiety and brain fog. With other life pressures of family, caregiving responsibilities, and careers, these symptoms are often overlooked as part and parcel of a stressful life.

What are the 5 most common symptoms of perimenopause?

According to the survey, the five most common symptoms women had experienced were:

1. Mood changes – 84%

2. Digestive issues or frequent bloating – 78%

3. Memory changes – 78%

4. Poor sleep - 77%

5. Brain fog - 77%

Mood changes, digestive issues, brain fog, poor sleep and poor memory were all experienced by more than three-quarters of women surveyed.

The symptoms experienced the least were night sweats (51%), vaginal dryness or pain during sex (40%) and hot flushes (37%) – despite these being the stereotypical symptoms people associate with menopause.

Irregular periods are the main symptom linked with perimenopause and menopause. However, only 58% of women said they experienced them.

This further highlights that symptoms alone cannot be used to diagnose perimenopause.

Why do peri/menopausal women experience mood changes?

In addition to poor sleep quality, anxiety and depression, along with low mood are associated with low levels of serotonin. Oestrogen influences the production and breakdown of serotonin, so lower levels of oestrogen will impact serotonin levels in women going through menopause.

Poor sleep can also have an impact on your levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Your cortisol levels rise and fall throughout the day, with levels being higher first thing in the morning. But a lack of sleep can cause your cortisol levels to rise and stay high which can impact mood, including feelings of anxiety and depression.

Dr Thom Phillps, Clinical Lead at Forth says: “To find out if you’ve started perimenopause, the first step is to understand the symptoms. The next step is understanding how hormones fluctuate across your menstrual cycle.

As women go through perimenopause their levels of ovarian response hormones – oestrogen and progesterone – slowly decline, while their levels of the two control hormones – follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinising hormone (LH) – increase.

Our advanced perimenopause hormone blood test maps these 4 key hormones across your entire menstrual cycle to provide you with our unique FORM score which will tell you how well your ovaries are responding to the two control hormones FSH and LH.”