What Changes With Your Periods?
In perimenopause, your menstrual cycle may become unpredictable. Periods might arrive every 21 days, then skip a month, then come back heavy. You might experience flooding (suddenly soaking through pads), longer periods, or spotting between cycles. This is often the very first sign that perimenopause has begun.
Why Does This Happen?
During perimenopause, ovulation becomes irregular. Some months you ovulate, some months you don't. When you don't ovulate, progesterone isn't produced, leading to a thicker uterine lining that results in heavier, longer periods. The fluctuating oestrogen levels cause the unpredictable timing.
How Common Is This?
Virtually all women experience some change in their menstrual cycle during perimenopause. Heavy bleeding affects about 25% of women and can be significant enough to cause iron deficiency and fatigue.
What You Can Do
Managing heavy periods:
- Track your cycles: use an app or simple calendar to note dates, flow, and symptoms
- Iron-rich foods: spinach, jaggery, dates, pomegranate, and lentils help replenish iron lost during heavy periods
- Vitamin C alongside iron-rich foods improves absorption
- Keep extra supplies handy, heavy flow can be unpredictable
Lifestyle support:
- Anti-inflammatory diet: reduce processed foods and increase fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
- Stress reduction: chronic stress can worsen cycle irregularity
- Regular exercise: helps regulate hormones and reduce cramp severity
- Adequate sleep: supports hormonal balance
When to Seek Help
See a doctor if you're soaking through a pad or tampon every hour, passing large clots, experiencing periods lasting more than 7 days, bleeding between periods, or if heavy bleeding is causing fatigue or dizziness. These need proper evaluation to rule out other causes.