How can I prepare in advance for menopause?

Menopause is the time when your periods stop for good, usually between 45 and 55 years of age¹. Before menopause comes a transition stage called perimenopause¹. Learning about this stage early can help you know what to expect. This article explains simple steps you can take in the years before menopause: healthy habits, useful health checks, support, what to expect, and how to find menopause care.

What can I do in my 40s to prepare for the menopause transition?

Building healthy daily habits in your 40s can ease menopausal symptoms and support your heart and bone health over time ¹. During the menopause transition, body fat tends to rise and muscle tends to fall, and this change can begin about two years before your last period ². Staying active and keeping your muscles strong are important during this time ³. Women are advised to do at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity each week, such as brisk walking, cycling or swimming ^{1, 2}. This can be spread throughout the week in whatever way suits you.

A balanced diet also helps: one that is low in saturated fat and salt can support your heart ¹. Getting enough calcium and vitamin D helps keep your bones strong, and adults are generally advised to get about 1000 to 1200 mg of calcium and 800 to 1000 units of vitamin D each day ⁴. This matters because bones can weaken more quickly around menopause ⁴. Keeping a healthy weight can also help reduce vasomotor symptoms, as extra weight can make them worse ².

Limiting/ reducing excessive alcohol can also help your bones, because more than two drinks a day in women has been linked with bone loss ⁴. Not smoking helps your bones and your heart, because smoking raises the risk of weak bones and heart disease ¹. The years around menopause are an important time to care for your heart, because the risk of heart problems can rise during this stage ².

Which health checks are worth having as you approach menopause?

There is no routine single test that can show exactly when menopause will happen ¹. As menopause approaches, the focus is usually on general health checks – such as your heart and bones – rather than on a test for menopause itself. After the age of 45, menopause is identified from your symptoms and the changes in your periods, not from a blood test ¹.

Cholesterol levels can rise around the menopause, while blood pressure and blood sugar tend to rise with age, so these are useful to check from time to time ². Body fat around the middle can also increase during this stage, which can affect heart health ². Heart disease is a leading cause of death in women, so it can help to care for your heart early ¹. If you have a higher chance of weak bones, a healthcare professional can advise whether a bone scan is needed ⁴. It is also important to continue with any regular health screening offered to you ³.

How can I get support to help me through the menopause transition?

Access to information, education, and support can help women better cope with the menopause transition, especially when sought early. This support is linked to faster improvements in health-related quality of life ⁵. Joining a menopause education or support group, or having one-to-one support sessions, can improve quality of life and reduce some of your symptoms ⁵. These sessions often cover the changes in your body, ways to care for your health, and how to manage everyday worries ⁵. They also give you a platform to share experiences with other people at the same stage of life ⁵.

Learning about your choices early can help you make decisions that are right for you when symptoms begin ⁵. Managing stress is part of preparing too, as stress can make menopause symptoms worse.⁶ Women who were upset by a stressful life event had about 21% more hot flushes and night sweats than women who had no such event ⁶. So gathering good information, arranging support, and finding ways to manage stress can all be part of getting ready.

What should I know about menopause before my symptoms start?

It helps to know that menopause is a normal stage of life, that symptoms can begin years before your periods stop, and that they are different for each person. Menopause usually happens between the ages of 45 and 55 ¹. Perimenopause is the stage before it, when periods become irregular and symptoms may start ^1,7.

In early perimenopause, the time between periods changes by about seven or more days from your usual pattern; later, periods become less frequent until they stop ¹. Symptoms can begin up to about ten years before your last period ⁷. The symptoms reported most often are hot flushes and night sweats, which affect about 70 to 80% of women ¹. Other symptoms include trouble sleeping, low mood, joint aches, problems with memory, and vaginal dryness ¹.

Symptoms last on average more than seven years, and more than a third of women have them for longer ¹. Not everyone has troublesome symptoms, and some people have very few ¹. You can still become pregnant during perimenopause, so you still need contraception until menopause is confirmed ⁷.

How do I find healthcare support from someone with menopause expertise? Menopause care can often be managed by your usual primary care provider, and you can ask to see someone with extra menopause training if your situation is more complex ⁸. You do not always need a specialist. A healthcare professional can explain your options and, if needed, refer you to someone with more experience in menopause ⁸. A professional with menopause training can look at your symptoms, your medical history and your own wishes, and help you choose what is right for you ⁸. It can help to see someone with menopause expertise if you have a health condition that affects your treatment choices, or if your symptoms do not improve ³. Whatever your situation, help and support are available, and a good first step is to speak with a healthcare professional ¹.

Conclusion

Preparing for menopause does not need to be difficult. Healthy daily habits, care for your heart and bones, good information, and support can all help you feel ready for this stage ¹. Knowing what to expect, and where to find help, means you can make a plan that suits you, together with a healthcare professional ¹

FAQ

1: When does menopause usually happen?

Menopause usually happens between the ages of 45 and 55 ¹. Before it is perimenopause, the stage when periods become irregular ⁷. Symptoms can begin several years before your periods stop ⁷.

2: Do I need a blood test to find out if I am near menopause?

If you are over 45, you usually do not need a blood test, because menopause is identified from your symptoms and your periods ¹. A blood test called FSH may be used if you are under 40, or between 40 and 45, when menopause is suspected earlier than usual ¹. A single test result is not always enough to be sure ¹.

3: Can I still get pregnant during perimenopause?

Yes. You can still become pregnant during perimenopause, so you need contraception until menopause is confirmed ⁷. Hormone replacement therapy is not a form of contraception ⁸.

4: Can changes to my daily habits help around menopause?

Yes. A healthy diet, regular physical activity, not smoking, and drinking less alcohol can ease symptoms and protect your heart and bones ¹. These habits can help at any age, and the years around menopause are a useful time to begin ².

5: What can help me cope with symptoms? Several options can help. Education and support sessions can improve quality of life and reduce some symptoms ⁵. Hormone replacement therapy can relieve symptoms, and talking therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy (a structured talking treatment) can also help ¹. A healthcare professional can explain which options may suit you ^1,8.

This article was written with the assistance of generative AI technology and reviewed for accuracy.