Perimenopause or 'around menopause' is when the body makes the natural transition to menopause. Women start perimenopause at different ages. Mostly, it starts when they're mid-30s.  The common symptoms are irregular periods, hot flashes, sleep problems, and vaginal dryness. Once the woman has gone through 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period, she's officially reached menopause and the perimenopause period is over. This article highlights the 8 perimenopause facts that will guide you in your transition.  1. Perimenopause affects mental health. About 4 in 10 women have mood symptoms during perimenopause that are similar to PMS (premenstrual syndrome). Perimenopausal women feel irritable, have low energy, feel tearful and moody, or have a hard time concentrating. Unlike PMS, these symptoms come at times unrelated to the menstrual cycle and they occur for years with no pattern. This type of mood change is known as perimenopausal mood instability . Additionall...