All About Perimenopause and Menopause

Perimenopause and menopause. Two deeply misunderstood, seemingly mysterious, incorrectly labeled “end-of-the-road” conditions that women everywhere must suffer through.

The reality? Perimenopause and menopause. Two of the most natural, unavoidable, intrinsically beautiful phases of a woman’s life. And they should be acknowledged, understood, and celebrated as such. Now, we all know how easy it is to simply dodge the hard stuff, skip over the unpleasant topics, default reply to it all with “that’s a later problem.” And we know how easy it can be to get lost in the sea of misinformation, misconceptions, and what-ifs.

2 in 3 women feel unprepared or blindsided by perimenopause.¹

After all, more than 8.4M US women are in perimenopause, which can last 7-11 years (significantly longer than menopause). Yet, 2 in 3 perimenopausal women feel unprepared or blindsided by it. And 1 in 2 admit they didn't know what was happening to them when they experienced symptoms.¹

It’s a pretty similar story for women in menopause. A recent U.S. Women’s Wellness Report found that of the women surveyed, only 28% knew what to expect before starting menopause, and that 61% of menopausal women did not talk about their experience with others.¹

Only 28% of women knew what to expect before starting menopause.¹

But what if understanding the differences between perimenopause and menopause could turn this natural transition into an era of empowerment vs. uncertainty? What if we messed around and found out? What if we faced the facts and armed ourselves with information so we come out bolder, braver, and more informed than ever? They saw knowledge is power. Well, we like to say it’s ammo for better self-care.

Perimenopause vs. Menopause—What’s the Difference? 

So, what the heck is the difference between perimenopause and menopause, and what happens during each phase? The TL;DR: the big difference between perimenopause and menopause is whether you have a period. Perimenopause is the transitional phase leading up to menopause, where you’re still having it, but you’re also experiencing other menopause-like symptoms. Whereas the real marker of menopause is when you’ve gone 12+ months without a period.⁵

But of course, there’s more to it than that. Let’s break it alllllll the way down so that all the ladies in your life can get the gist, well ahead of things. A little heads up would be nice, yeah? Seeing as we can’t avoid these two phases, we may as well empower ourselves with information. It’s the least we can do for, well, us.

What happens during Perimenopause? 

Perimenopause is a very natural phase of life that can feel anything but normal. While perimenopause becomes more common from the age of 44, more than 1 in 4 women are possibly perimenopausal by 40.¹ The World Health Organization reports that symptoms can last years and can affect physical, emotional, mental and social well-being.²

Estrogen levels are up, down & all around—leaving hot flashes, night sweats and mood & metabolism changes in their wake. It’s natural to feel a bit out of sync, given all the hormonal “restructuring” happening in your body during this time. It’s approximately seven to ten years of “What the F is happening to me?!” and “Something just feels off.” The fun typically starts in your 40s and can last until Menopause begins but varies woman to woman.³

Cycle Variability is another tell-tale sign that you may experience during Perimenopause. Your period is still coming, but boy oh boy is it getting bold. Taking days off, coming in late, potentially even just ditching you altogether some months. Who does she think she is? To sum it up, you’re still getting periods during Perimenopause, but you’re also experiencing all the other stuff commonly associated with menopause, too.

You’re still getting periods during Perimenopause, but you’re also experiencing other common menopause symptoms, too.

As if there wasn’t enough happening, there’s another factor at play during this epic tale of evolutionary biology. It may go without saying, but your body’s bioenergetic system (aka, your metabolism) may be impacted during Perimenopause. Estrogen, the master regulator of energy metabolism (she sounds like a very important gal, we know) is decoupled from the whole system. This causes an energetic slowdown, if you will. Think, grocery store checkout line closures at 4pm on a Sunday. In other words, you may notice some stubborn weight gain. I know, I know, I know…not what you wanna hear. Us either.

But hey. Believe us when we say, it does not all have to go down without a fight. We’re here to make it all feel more manageable, comfortable, and, hopefully, get you back to feeling more like you. Enter: Balanced Perimeno, designed to help you reclaim your balance during this all-too-natural era of life.*

What happens during Menopause?

Surprise hot flashes. Mood swings. Sweating through the sheets. Fatigue. These are just a few things going on in the body during Menopause, otherwise known as “the change”, the ostensibly hush-hush life stage that 1.1 billion women worldwide are experiencing or near finished experiencing, yet nobody wants to talk about.⁴

Well, we do. We’d like to talk about it. And frankly, we’re tired of all the hush-hush nonsense. It’s unavoidable. It’s natural. It’s fine. We’re fine. We’re great, even.

The more we talk about it, the less scary it becomes. And then we’ll all be better prepared when it happens to us, which is something OLLY CEO Hanneke Willenborg wished for when she started menopause.

“I literally feel that I have to go through puberty all over again” she said before sharing some of her “more difficult” symptoms. “It’s a big deal and I think we’re underestimating how big of a deal it is.”

Menopause typically begins between ages 45 and 55 for women worldwide.² According to the Mayo Clinic, it’s typically marked by the 1-year anniversary of your last period (yay?).⁵ Menopause is also marked by frequent hot flashes, night sweats, trouble sleeping, nervousness, vaginal dryness, physical fatigue, headaches, and more. The list does go on but let’s stop there for now.

Menopause is typically marked by the 1-year anniversary of your last period.⁵

So, in essence, if you’ve been freed from the shackles of menstruation for at least 12 consecutive months, and you’re also waking up a lil’ sweaty at times, a little sleepy, a little dry down there, and a little irritated…congratulations, consider yourself a Menopausal queen.

“If you look at products out there right now, women’s health has been very underrepresented and very simplified,” said Punam Patel, VP of Product, who explained that women’s health can be broadly generalized in three life stages: young age, reproductive age and menopause. “Products usually are focused on reproductive health or general health. But it’s a lot more complex than that.”

Willenborg agrees. “I started looking up menopausal products and what’s available in the market is either for hot flashes or vaginal dryness, but there aren’t enough solutions for pre-menopausal or menopausal women.”

So, OLLY made a drug-free, hormone-free, bullsh*t-free solution. And it really is all that (plus a little more). Welcome to your most empowered, most comfortable era yet.

Remember, It’s Just a Phase

Ultimately, understanding the difference between perimenopause and menopause can make this life transition feel a little less confusing and a lot more manageable. And knowing who your support system is, where to turn to for accurate information, and how your wellness confidantes (consider us one of yours) can help, will make all the difference in the world. Perimenopause can be full of ups and downs as your body adjusts, sure, but it really is just a phase leading up to menopause, which is the start of something new and—dare we say—free. Just remember to give yourself the grace to move through these changes as they come and know you’re not even remotely close to being alone in the journey.

The Goods Inside

• Unpacking expectation vs. Reality: Perimenopause and Menopause
• The big difference between Perimenopause and Menopause
• All about Perimenopause
• All about Menopause
• How OLLY is here to support you through your most empowered era yet

Featured Products

Balanced Perimeno - $23.99

Supports Hormonal Balance, Mood & Metabolism During Perimenopause*

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Mellow Menopause - $29.99

Relieves Hot Flashes, Vaginal Dryness & Occasional Mood Swings*

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