7 Signs It's Perimenopause

It's that weird run-up to menopause, but you might not realise you're in it. Here's are a few ways to tell

- By Susannah Hickling

1 There could be more blood or less. Some women have fluctuating hormone levels for as long as a decade before their periods stop, while others only have fleeting, if any, symptoms. A key one is that your periods change. Some women have much heavier or longer bleeding. A survey from the University of Michigan found that more than a quarter of women experienced at least three periods in six months that lasted ten days or more. Others have a lighter flow than previously. You might find that the interval between your periods gets longer, or you could find they start coming closer together.