How Recognising Perimenopause Early Can Change Everything.  And if I’m honest? I was one of the lucky ones.

I thought I had time but I was 37 when the changes began.

I didn’t recognise them for what they were, not really.

The fatigue. The anxiety. The moments where my brain would just… vanish mid-thought. I still had regular periods. I was holding down a demanding job. I was ‘fine’.

Except I wasn’t.  I was so overweight, exhausted, frustrated and living on autopilot and jumping into my bed as often as I could due to the hormone deficiency.   And I mean, getting home from work at 5, and sleeping till 6ish.  It was a bloody endurance!

By 39, I was in full-blown menopause.
Full stop. No transition. No gentle heads-up. Just boom!  There you go, love, enjoy!

HRT saved me, but it didn’t change me...

After many (and I mean I was on the Christmas Party invites) visits to the doctor, one  finally spotted the signs, got me tested and prescribed HRT early. Within days, it was like someone had turned the lights back on. I could breathe. I could function. I could cope again.

And so, I did what most women do when they get a second wind, I carried on.
Busy, capable, high-functioning. The show must go on, right?

But here’s what I missed:

I treated HRT like the fix.
And in the short term, it was. It got me through the worst.
But I didn’t think about what came next, the bone health, heart health, my nervous system, my habits.

I didn’t start strength training.
I didn’t look at my nutrition and I didn’t think about long-term wellbeing.

It wasn’t until I hit my late 40s, after divorce, burnout, and a full identity reboot that I realised I’d skipped a step.

I had survived menopause but I hadn’t prepared for the rest of my life.

Why So Many Women Miss It

You’d think we’d know more about this, wouldn’t you?

But here’s what’s not being said clearly enough:

• Perimenopause can start as early as 35.
  Yes 35! With no warning and no fanfare.

• The average age of menopause is 51, but symptoms can last 4 to 10 years beforehand.

• 1 in 10 women leave the workforce due to unmanaged menopause symptoms, often misdiagnosed as anxiety or depression.

• 75% of women will experience symptoms that interfere with daily life and only a quarter will get the help they need early enough.

That’s not lack of resilience.
That’s lack of information.

You can’t take action on something you’re not even taught to expect.

What I wish I’d known earlier

If I could sit my 37-year-old self down now, I’d tell her this:

You’re not too young.
You’re not being dramatic.
You’re not broken.

This is your body trying to get your attention.
Not to punish you but to prepare you.

Yes, HRT was a godsend, but it’s not a substitute for the other work, the foundational stuff that actually gives you energy, stability, and health as you age.

Things like:

• Building muscle, so you don’t fall apart at 60

• Supporting your gut, so your hormones don’t sabotage you

• Learning to sleep again, properly

• Reclaiming calm in your day, not just crashing into bed

• Reducing alcohol, caffeine, stress, not because you’re being punished, but because your body’s had enough.

And most of all, paying attention and dismissing the signs, brushing it off as “just tired” or “just busy” or “just life.”

Because if I had known what I know now?
I’d have started sooner, suffered less and I’d have thrived faster.

This isn’t a tragedy. It’s a gift.

If you’re in your 40s and things feel off, I promise you this isn’t the end of the road.

It’s the turning point.
The permission slip.
The cue to finally put yourself first and not when things fall apart, but before they do.

We don’t need to hit crisis to earn a reset.
We just need to start listening earlier.

Want to go deeper? Start here

You don’t have to figure it all out today, but please don’t ignore it either.
You are totally worth paying attention to. 

Grab my free Midlife Guide it includes a peri/menopause symptom checker and a practical starting point for figuring out where you really are. 

You'll find it here Midlife Guide - Because Your Midlife Deserves More than Just Elastic Waistbands!

Not sure where to start or who to talk to?
DM me and I’ll point you towards trusted resources and what helped me most.

Take the gift.
Start here.
Your future self will thank you. §

Here for you always!

Lisa