Perimenopause vs Menopause
Regretfully, there isn't enough research on the subject to know this for sure. But my bet would be the parts of perimenopause are far more difficult because there can be lots of instability and changes to get used to that can really rattle the nervous system.
Perimenopause has three stages - early, middle, and late. And they're all going to have different challenges and you may need different strategies to help you.
In menopause, it's more constant. The body gets used to not having periods and it learns to adapt to lower hormone levels. It's easier to find a treatment strategy. A lot of women feel really good in midlife.
What I recommend to help you
I find logging my symptoms helpful, and it's useful to take with you if you decide you need some professional advice. But also, if you see things written down, it'll help you make connections.
For example, for the last two weeks, if you've been tired every single day, but you're consistently staying up after midnight, or you're not drinking enough water, or you've only gone for one walk. I'm not saying that drinking glasses of water is going to fix everything, but it might help!
Also, any investment in your nervous system, like getting enough sleep, relaxation techniques like taking a few deep breaths, or lovely herbal tonics like Passiflora, will help buffer the effects of unstable hormones. These will help during all of the stages of perimenopause and into menopause.
