4 Signs of Perimenopause in Your 30s

Women’s reproductive hormones don’t stay at steady levels. They fluctuate during each menstrual cycle, but also throughout your life. Although we may describe menopause as the end of menstruation, it’s more of a transition than you may realize. 

Your body gradually produces less estrogen over time. You might think of it as a dial being slowly turned down. Stephanie Taylor, MD, PhD, sees patients at A Woman’s Wellspring who are struggling with the symptoms of perimenopause and have no idea that the cause of their discomfort is the very early stages of menopause. Here we take a look at four signs you may be experiencing perimenopause—even if you’re in your 30s. 

Understanding the stages of menopause

The time around when your body ramps up production of estrogen and other reproductive hormones is called puberty. Then, you have the years of menstruation, when you’re likely fertile. 

As you begin to approach menopause, your body slowly tapers off, making reproductive hormones—this time is called perimenopause. This is when most women experience symptoms like hot flashes or moodiness. It’s also much longer than you might expect, lasting as long as 10 years for some women. 

Actual menopause is one day. It’s the day that marks exactly 12 months since your last period. After that, you’re post-menopausal. 

Here are four signs that you may be in perimenopause, even if you’re in your 30s. 

1. Sleep issues

Everyone has a restless night now and then, but if you begin having them frequently, it could be related to hormonal changes. You might have night sweats or simply not sleep as well as usual. 

Poor sleep leads to fatigue, but even if you’re sleeping well and you’re feeling extra tired, that, too, could be a symptom of perimenopause. 

Both poor sleep and fatigue can cause another classic symptom of perimenopause, and that’s moodiness. 

If you’re in your 30s and not expecting perimenopause to be a factor in your life, you could easily attribute difficulty sleeping, fatigue, and moodiness to other things. And, not everyone has all of those symptoms or has them consistently, making them even more difficult to recognize. 

2. Skin and hair changes

Have you noticed new facial hair? Or does it seem like your skin is perpetually dry? Both of those could be symptoms of perimenopause. 

3. Mental health disruptions

Some common symptoms of perimenopause include: 

• Anxiety
• Depressive mood
• Irritability
• Brain fog 
• Mental exhaustion

A recent study found that people in perimenopause are two to four times more likely to experience a major depressive episode compared to people who do not have the hormonal fluctuations associated with perimenopause. 

Mental health symptoms can be particularly difficult to identify and recognize as being associated with perimenopause. If you’re a woman in your 30s, there’s a strong likelihood that you’re busy, taking care of children or parents or both, working and pursuing a career, taking care of yourself and your home. All of those stressors can add up! 

4. Urinary and sexual problems

Genitourinary means related to the genitals or urinary organs, and genitourinary symptoms are among the most common reasons women seek medical care. Here are some of the things you may notice during perimenopause: 

• Vaginal dryness
• Urinary incontinence
• Pain during intercourse
• Reduced libido

If you’re not expecting them, these symptoms can be confusing and upsetting, and, like the other symptoms we’ve described, they can occur inconsistently. Some women are also embarrassed. 

No matter your age, if you’re experiencing symptoms that seem unexplained and are disrupting your life, you should consider scheduling an appointment to discuss your situation with Dr. Taylor. It could be perimenopause, even if you’re in your 30s.