What is the menopause?
For many women, the question “What actually is the menopause?” is a question we only ask when it's arrived. It appears slowly, maybe you notice your cycle changes, or you start to feel more tired than usual, or when night sweats leave you peeling back the duvet at 3am. At Jaya Life, we meet women every day who feel like they’ve landed in a new phase of life without a map. And yet the menopause, for all the mystery that surrounds it, is one of the most universal biological transitions there is.
As I tell my patients “Menopause is a natural transition, not a failure of the body, not an illness, and certainly not something women should have to navigate alone.”
So, what is the menopause, really? Here’s the clearest, evidence-based explanation of what’s happening in your body, your hormones, and your life.
Menopause: A One-Day Marker in a Multi-Year Journey
Menopause is not a years-long event. The menopause is defined as the day 12 months after your last period. That’s it, one day.
Everything leading up to it is peri-menopause, and everything after it is post-menopause. But because symptoms often begin years earlier and can continue for years after, most of us use “menopause” as shorthand for the whole transition. As the transition around it, physically, emotionally, socially, is what women actually feel.
The Three Stages of the menopause transition
1. Perimenopause: the hormonal shift that starts it all
Perimenopause is the longest and often the most intense stage. Hormone levels, particularly oestrogen, begin to rise and fall unpredictably, affecting everything from your cycle to your sleep. It can last four to eight years, sometimes longer.
Common early signs include:
Irregular or heavier periods
Mood changes or anxiety
Sleep disturbances
Brain fog
Changes in libido
Vaginal dryness
Reduced energy levels
Joint aches
Hot flushes or night sweats
You don’t have to have all of these to be perimenopausal. And yes, you can be in perimenopause even in your early forties, or sometimes earlier.
Menopause: the official milestone
Once you’ve gone a full year without a period, you’ve reached menopause. It signals that the ovaries have dramatically reduced their production of oestrogen and progesterone.
Many women never notice the exact moment, they’re too busy dealing with life events and the symptoms before and after.
Post-menopause: the long rest of life
After that one-day marker, you are postmenopausal. Hormone levels stabilise at their new, lower baseline, and some symptoms ease. Others, such as vaginal dryness, fatigue, mood changes can, persist but can be addressed.Your longer term health is also affected including cardiovascular health and bone health.
The postmenopausal years can be vibrant, healthy, and empowering, especially with the right support. Post-menopause isn’t the end of something. For many women, it’s the beginning of a more grounded, self-aware phase of life.
What’s Actually Happening in the Body?
At its core, menopause is the body’s transition away from reproduction. Ovarian function slows, ovulation becomes irregular, and oestrogen levels change significantly.
Shifts in oestrogen affect:
Thermoregulation (hot flushes)
Sleep cycles
Cognition and mood
Vaginal and vulval tissues
Bone density
Cholesterol levels
Skin elasticity and joint health
This is why symptoms can feel so varied, and sometimes confusing.
Is Menopause the Same for Everyone?
Absolutely not. Genetics, lifestyle, medical history, ethnicity, and environment all influence how menopause feels. Some women barely notice it. Others experience symptoms that deeply disrupt daily life. Both experiences are valid.
What matters is knowing you deserve support, not just when symptoms become unbearable, but from the moment you sense something is shifting.
How Jaya Life Supports Women Through the Menopause
We take a holistic, personalised, evidence-based approach. That means:
Detailed assessment of symptoms, history, and lifestyle
Medical guidance based on BMS best practice
Support with HRT (if right for you)
Lifestyle strategies for sleep, stress, bone health, and emotional resilience
Continuity of care, because your needs evolve as you do
Women deserve clarity, confidence, and compassionate support, not confusion or dismissal.
The Bottom Line: What Is the Menopause?
Menopause is a natural biological transition, marked by the end of menstrual periods, shaped by hormonal change, and experienced uniquely by each woman. It’s not something to “get through” silently. It’s a phase of life that deserves understanding, care, and support.
At Jaya Life, we believe menopause can be a moment of empowerment - a time to reassess wellbeing, prioritise yourself, and build a healthier, more resilient future.
