How Long Does Menopause Last? A Guide to Stages and Timeline
Key takeaways:
Menopause is a natural transition that usually starts between the ages of 45 and 55, but some people will start earlier or later.
Menopause has four general stages. The whole process can take up to 14 years.
The length of time for the earlier menopausal stages varies, but most people can tell which stage they’re in based on their symptoms.
Table of contents
For a long time, people were taught a simple story about menopause. Most people know menopause as the time when the female menstrual cycle becomes irregular then stops completely. But thanks to growing research and awareness, people are now learning that menopause is a bit more complex than that.
There are actually several stages of menopause. During menopause, your body’s production of two hormones — estrogen and progesterone — begins to change. The complex changes in these hormones leads to a range of different symptoms at each stage. If you’re in your 40s and 50s and experiencing new changes in your body, understanding the different stages of menopause and how long they last can be helpful.
When does menopause usually start?
Most women experience menopause between the ages of 45 to 55. But this can vary.
Symptoms of perimenopause: Night sweats and insomnia can start before menstrual changes show up. Learn about the symptoms of perimenopause and which treatments help most.
Curious about hormone replacement therapy (HRT)? Hormone therapy is usually safe for treating perimenopause symptoms, but it’s not recommended for everyone. Find out who benefits most from HRT.
Medication and mindfulness for hot flashes: Read about one woman’s experience with hot flashes and what helped her find relief.
Premature menopause is when menopause begins before the age of 40. This can happen for a variety of reasons:
Family history or genetics
Exposure to radiation or certain chemotherapy drugs
Smoking
Surgical removal of ovaries and/or uterus
Other medical conditions that affect reproductive hormones
How long does the menopausal transition last?
The menopausal transition usually takes around 7 years. But it can last up to 14 years. Each person’s experience throughout the menopausal transition is different.
Even though the duration and symptoms can vary, this time is divided into stages that can help serve as a guide for where you might be in the process. Let’s go over each stage.
Premenopause
Premenopause means “before menopause.” Technically, it’s not considered a true phase of menopause in a medical sense. It refers to the time before perimenopause, when your periods are still regular and your hormones haven’t started changing yet. People sometimes use “premenopause” and “perimenopause” interchangeably, but they mean different things.
Perimenopause
Perimenopause means “around menopause.” It starts when there’s a natural drop in hormone levels as you age. Most often, perimenopause begins between the ages of 40 and 44. But it can happen earlier or later for some.
Perimenopause symptoms
For many women, the first sign of perimenopause is a change in their menstrual cycle. Your periods may get heavier and last longer. Or your periods may be lighter and end earlier than normal. They often become less regular over time. Other symptoms include:
Hot flashes: These are short bursts of heat felt in your face and neck. They can also cause redness and flushing. Hot flashes can last for mere seconds to several minutes.
Changes in mood: An increase in anxiety or depression, or feeling moodier.
Trouble sleeping: This includes difficulty both falling asleep and staying asleep. Sleep can also be disrupted by night sweats.
Brain fog: You may have trouble concentrating.
Vaginal thinning: This can cause dryness and increase the risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs).
Decreased sex drive (libido): This is due to a drop in estrogen and other hormone levels that affect libido.
Weight gain: This is a common and natural physical change that most people experience in the years leading up to menopause.
Perimenopause can last as little as a few months to as long as 4 to 8 years. Keep in mind that it’s possible to get pregnant during perimenopause.
Menopause
Menopause begins when the body makes very little or no estrogen. The symptoms of menopause are often the same as the ones listed above for perimenopause.
Technically, someone reaches menopause when it has been a year since their last period. For example, if 11 months go by without a menstrual period, but it returns in month 12, that person isn’t considered to be in menopause yet.
After 12 months have gone by without a period, it means you have completed menopause and are now postmenopausal. This also means you can no longer get pregnant.
Postmenopause
Postmenopause is the final stage of menopause. While many symptoms of perimenopause and menopause usually go away during postmenopause, some may continue. This is especially true for hot flashes. They may last for several years after menopause ends.
People who are postmenopausal are also at an increased risk for heart and bone disease, as estrogen usually protects your heart and bones. But these conditions often don’t produce symptoms. This is why it’s important for people who are postmenopausal to be screened for these conditions.
A person is considered postmenopausal for the rest of their life after menopause.
Tips for managing menopause symptoms
If you’re going through menopause and looking for relief, rest assured that you have plenty of options. From natural remedies to medications to lifestyle changes, you can find an approach that matches your unique needs:
Eat a nutritious diet: A diet rich in whole grains, lean protein, fruits, and vegetables can help some women feel better during menopause.
Create good sleep habits: Poor sleep is a common symptom of menopause. And it can worsen other symptoms like brain fog and mood swings. Establishing good sleep hygiene can help minimize the sleep disturbances that are so common during this phase.
Exercise: Strength training, aerobic exercise, and balance exercises have all been shown to help ease menopause symptoms.
Wear light clothing: If you’re having hot flashes or night sweats, loose, light clothing can help you feel more comfortable.
Mind-body treatments: Treatments like acupuncture, hypnosis, mindfulness, and yoga can help ease symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats.
Consider supplements: Some supplements, like Relizen or phytoestrogens, may help relieve symptoms like vaginal dryness or hot flashes.
Consider hormone replacement therapy (HRT): HRT comes in many forms — pills, shots, creams, vaginal devices, and more. The best option for you depends on your symptoms and medical history. Talk to a healthcare professional you trust to see if HRT is right for you.
Frequently asked questions
The main sign that menopause is coming to an end is that you stop having your periods. When 12 months have passed without your period, you have officially reached menopause. Other signs that menopause may be coming to an end include improved sleep, better mood, and fewer hot flashes. But the lines can be blurred — some women will continue to have lingering symptoms for years, even when they’re in postmenopause.
After menopause, symptoms like sleep problems and mood swings usually get better. But your body doesn’t go back to its pre-menopause normal. Most women will also gain or lose weight throughout menopause, and this can be normal. Shifts in bone density and heart health are also a part of aging that happen after menopause. Menopause is a time of transformation and change throughout your body. So after menopause, many women find that their body has a new normal.
There’s some research to suggest that after menopause, cells in your blood seem to age faster. But researchers don’t understand exactly why this is. Sleep problems — which are common in perimenopause — can lead to cell changes that speed up the aging process. Lower estrogen levels after menopause might also play a role in aging of the skin and bones. Some studies suggest that using hormone replacement therapy can slow down the aging process.
Menopause doesn’t cause major changes in your appearance. But during menopause, estrogen levels decrease. Over time, this can cause changes in the appearance of your skin and hair. You might also notice changes in body shape, like more fat around your waist. It can be challenging to feel your body changing, especially when those changes are associated with your physical appearance. It can be helpful to focus on the key aspects of health you can control — like daily movement and a balanced diet — to support your overall well-being and feel more comfortable in your body. Drinking plenty of fluids and exercising can help offset some of these changes.
The bottom line
Menopause is a natural process that usually happens when someone is in their 40s and 50s, but this timing can vary based on genetics and health conditions. No matter when someone starts or finishes the transition, the general stages are the same. By understanding the physical and health changes that take place in each stage, you can better care for and understand your changing body during this time.
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