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People often use “menopause” as a catch-all term to describe all three stages of menopause: perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause, but it actually refers to a moment in time when you haven’t had a period for 12 months.

There are three stages of menopause: perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause. These stages cause hormonal changes which can impact your physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing.

Premature menopause (also known as premature ovarian insufficiency or primary ovarian insufficiency – POI) is when you enter menopause before the age of 40. Early menopause is when you enter menopause before the age of 45.

When people talk about menopause symptoms, they’re usually talking about the symptoms of perimenopause, like hot flushes, sleep disturbances, and changes to your menstrual cycle.

Hormone therapy, sometimes called menopause hormone therapy (MHT) or hormone replacement therapy (HRT), is the most effective treatment we have for relieving many symptoms of perimenopause and menopause.

There's limited and mixed research showing that lifestyle and behaviour changes directly improve menopausal symptoms. However, some women find that making some lifestyle changes can help, even if indirectly.