Have you noticed that your cycle doesn’t behave the way it used to? Maybe your period comes closer together, skips a month, or just feels different.

This can be a sign that your body is entering what’s called perimenopause – the time before menopause.

During this phase, your ovaries begin to change how they work. Sometimes hormones are produced as usual, and sometimes not in the same way. This means that estrogen levels can fluctuate quite a lot – going up and down from one month to the next.

Progesterone, which is produced after ovulation, often starts to decrease earlier. That’s because ovulation doesn’t always happen the way it used to. And without ovulation, less progesterone is produced.

These changes are what can make your body feel different and sometimes hard to understand. One week you might feel like yourself, and the next, not quite.

This is a natural transition – but it can take time to understand what’s happening.

It can help to know:

Your cycle can change long before it stops completely.

Hormones fluctuate more than they simply decrease at first.

Progesterone often drops earlier than estrogen.

Ovulation becomes more irregular.

Your body is adjusting, even if it doesn’t always feel that way.

Alma’s tip:

If your body feels different, try not to assume something is wrong right away. Instead, stay curious about the changes. Understanding what’s happening can make it feel less overwhelming and easier to navigate.