Our office will be closed on Monday, September 7, 2026, in observance of Labor Day. We will resume normal operating hours on Tuesday, September 8, 2026.
Our office will be closed on Monday, September 7, 2026, in observance of Labor Day. We will resume normal operating hours on Tuesday, September 8, 2026.
Menopause marks the end of the menstrual cycle and the years when pregnancy is possible. It’s reached after 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period. The symptoms associated with menopause, such as hot flashes, restless nights, and mood changes, often begin during perimenopause, the transition leading up to menopause. If symptoms of perimenopause or menopause are interfering with daily life, there are effective treatments available to bring relief.
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Menopause is a normal part of aging that’s diagnosed after a full year without a period or spotting. There are three stages of menopause: perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause. Perimenopause is the transition leading up to the last period, while menopause occurs after 12 months without one. After that, a person is considered postmenopausal.
The transition to menopause typically concludes between ages 45 and 55, after the ovaries have gradually begun producing less estrogen and progesterone during perimenopause. Many people imagine a steady decline, but hormone levels rise and fall, affecting the intensity and timing of symptoms. These fluctuations can influence sleep, mood, memory, energy, sex drive, fat distribution, bone density, skin elasticity, and heart health.
Hot flashes are one of the most recognizable signs of menopause. A sudden wave of heat may spread across the face, neck, or chest, followed by sweating, chills, flushing, or a racing heart.
Mood also changes. Irritability, anxiety, sadness, and emotional ups and downs become more noticeable, while motivation or interest in familiar activities might fade. For people with a history of depression or anxiety, symptoms can return or become harder to manage. That’s because the transition itself can affect mental health, while fluctuations in hormones such as estrogen may also impact neurotransmitters like dopamine that influence mood.
Other symptoms include irregular or heavier periods, vaginal dryness or discomfort during sex, urinary symptoms, headaches, joint and muscle aches, and changes in weight or hair.
While menopause is completely natural, disruptive symptoms don’t have to be part of your experience. Targeted menopause treatments can help you feel better and confidently navigate this time.
Perimenopause
The years leading up to the final period, beginning as early as the late 30s and extending into the mid- to late 40s. This is typically when the first signs of hormonal change surface. Periods might become less predictable, heavier or lighter than usual, and hot flashes, sleep problems, or mood changes may enter the picture. This can be an unnerving time for many women, especially when symptoms occur without a clear pattern.
Menopause
The point 12 months after the final period, when the ovaries have significantly reduced their production of estrogen and progesterone. For some, the symptoms that began during perimenopause start to ease; for others, hot flashes, sleep issues, mood changes, vaginal dryness, and other symptoms continue.
Postmenopause
The stage that begins after menopause and continues throughout the rest of a person’s life. For many, this is when the body settles into a new hormonal baseline and symptoms become less intense. Some changes may persist, while lower estrogen can affect bone density and cardiovascular health, bringing a new focus to long-term well-being.
Early, Premature, Surgical, or Induced Menopause
Menopause between ages 40 and 45 is considered early menopause. Before age 40, it’s called premature menopause, or primary ovarian insufficiency. About 5% of women go through early menopause naturally. It can also happen when both ovaries are surgically removed, or when chemotherapy or pelvic radiation affects ovarian function. When menopause happens earlier or more suddenly than expected, it can bring changes in fertility and a major shift in how someone experiences their body, sometimes with symptoms that arrive quickly or feel more intense.
Menopause can affect physical and emotional well-being, with symptoms that range from subtle to severe.
It may be time to get help if:
• Symptoms routinely make it difficult to sleep through the night, concentrate at work, maintain responsibilities, exercise, socialize, or be intimate.
• You’ve felt sad, hopeless, disengaged, or low on energy most of the day, nearly every day, for two weeks or longer.
• Your periods have stopped or become irregular before age 45.
• Your periods are unusually heavy, happen less than 21 days apart, or last more than seven days.
• You have bleeding between periods or after sex.
• You’ve gone 12 months without a period and then have recurrence of vaginal bleeding or spotting.
• Memory changes come on suddenly, including confusion, forgetting familiar information, or trouble completing routine tasks.
• A partner, family member, or friend has noticed a significant change in your mood, behavior, or daily functioning.
• You’re regularly using alcohol, cannabis, sleep aids, or other substances to fall asleep, calm anxiety, or otherwise cope with symptoms.
You have thoughts of harming yourself or feel that life is not worth living. If so, get immediate support by calling or texting 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7 in the U.S. You can also use the Lifeline chat. Services are free and confidential.
As ovaries age, they produce less estrogen and progesterone, while the body produces more follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in response. This eventually leads to the end of ovulation and menstrual periods. Genetics also influence when menopause occurs. A family history of early menopause increases the likelihood of experiencing it earlier, while conditions such as Turner syndrome can affect ovarian function and lead to early menopause. Certain autoimmune conditions, including thyroid disease and rheumatoid arthritis, can also affect ovarian function.
Certain exposures and medical treatments can affect ovarian function. Smoking is associated with reaching menopause up to two years earlier and with more severe symptoms, particularly vasomotor symptoms of menopause such as night sweats or rapid heartbeat. Chemotherapy and pelvic radiation can also damage the ovaries and lead to earlier menopause. A hysterectomy causes immediate menopause only if both ovaries are removed; otherwise, it may lead to natural menopause a few years earlier.
Stress and mood disorders don’t cause menopause, but they can influence how the transition is experienced. A history of depression, anxiety, or ADHD, along with stressful life events, may increase the risk and intensity of depressive symptoms during perimenopause and menopause.
Menopause treatment varies depending on the patient’s experience, health history, and preferences. Hormone therapy can be an effective option for physical symptoms and long-term risks of low estrogen and progesterone, while nonhormonal treatments can help improve sleep, mood, and more.
Our providers specialize in nonhormonal treatment approaches focusing on the mental and emotional changes that accompany menopause, including anxiety, depression, sleep disruption, brain fog, and shifts in mood.
How it works:
Connect with our team to ask questions, share your experiences, and explore care options. We’ll match you with a licensed clinician whose expertise and approach align with your needs.
Schedule an initial appointment to begin a thoughtful, collaborative evaluation. Your clinician will listen closely to your experiences, learn about your symptoms and history, and use evidence-based tools to better understand what’s going on. This process ensures recommendations are tailored to you.
Start your care journey. Therapy can help with anxiety, low mood, stress, sleep, and drops in motivation or focus. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one evidence-based approach that can reduce distress associated with menopause symptoms.
Medication may also be incorporated. SSRIs and SNRIs are commonly used to treat certain mental health conditions, and some can help reduce hot flashes. Healthy routines promote mental well-being during menopause, too. Regular physical activity, nutritious meals, and social connection support outlook, energy levels, and overall resilience.
Connect with our team to ask questions, share your experiences, and explore care options. We’ll match you with a licensed clinician whose expertise and approach align with your needs.
Schedule an initial appointment to begin a thoughtful, collaborative evaluation. Your clinician will listen closely to your experiences, learn about your symptoms and history, and use evidence-based tools to better understand what’s going on. This process ensures recommendations are tailored to you.
Start your care journey. Therapy can help with anxiety, low mood, stress, sleep, and drops in motivation or focus. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one evidence-based approach that can reduce distress associated with menopause symptoms.
Medication may also be incorporated. SSRIs and SNRIs are commonly used to treat certain mental health conditions, and some can help reduce hot flashes. Healthy routines promote mental well-being during menopause, too. Regular physical activity, nutritious meals, and social connection support outlook, energy levels, and overall resilience.
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