Menopause Guide: Perimenopause, Menopause & Postmenopause

01 / UNDERSTAND THE TRANSITION

Perimenopause, menopause and postmenopause.

Most Australian women reach menopause between 45 and 55. Symptoms before 45 deserve medical assessment; before 40, ask about premature ovarian insufficiency. Some cancer treatments or removal of both ovaries can bring menopause on earlier.

Read: Perimenopause, menopause and postmenopause — Australian Government.

02 / NOTICE WHAT HAS CHANGED

There is no single menopause experience.

Possible symptoms include hot flushes, night sweats, disturbed sleep, mood changes, anxiety, brain fog, joint or muscle aches, vaginal dryness, urinary changes and changes in sexual desire. Some women have few symptoms; others need substantial support.

Symptoms overlap with other conditions. A symptom list cannot confirm menopause or explain every new change. Keep a short record of periods, symptoms, sleep, medicines and how daily life is affected, then take it to your appointment.

Read: NICE — Menopause: identification and management.

03 / HOT FLUSHES & NIGHT SWEATS

Make room for comfort, and ask for treatment.

Light layers, breathable bedding, a fan and cool water can make episodes easier to manage. Notice whether alcohol, hot drinks, caffeine or spicy food trigger symptoms for you; responses differ.

Frequent or disruptive symptoms are a reason to see your doctor. Menopausal hormone therapy (MHT, also called HRT), non-hormonal medicines and menopause-specific cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) are options to discuss. Cooling habits can support comfort; they do not replace treatment when it is needed.

Read: Australian Government — Managing symptoms at home and treatment options.

04 / SLEEP, MOOD & BRAIN FOG

Rest deserves a place in your care plan.

Try consistent waking and bedtimes, morning daylight and a calming wind-down. Review late caffeine and alcohol, and keep your room comfortably cool. Persistent insomnia needs assessment, including other possible causes.

Ask about menopause-specific CBT for sleep problems associated with hot flushes. Mood symptoms also deserve support: tell your doctor about anxiety, low mood or changes in concentration rather than assuming you must tolerate them. Seek urgent help if you feel unsafe or unable to keep yourself safe.

Read: NICE recommendations on sleep and CBT and Australian Government self-care advice.

05 / FOOD & EVERYDAY NOURISHMENT

A balanced pattern beats a miracle ingredient.

Build meals around vegetables, fruit, whole grains, legumes and protein sources such as fish, eggs, tofu or lean meat. Dairy foods or calcium-fortified alternatives support calcium intake. Include protein across the day to help maintain muscle, alongside strength activity.

For example, try oats with yoghurt or a fortified alternative, a lentil and vegetable lunch, or fish or tofu with vegetables at dinner. Watermelon can be an enjoyable fruit choice; this guide does not present it as a treatment for menopause, dryness or hot flushes.

Limit alcohol, and consider less caffeine if it affects sleep or flushes. Avoid restrictive “hormone detox” diets. Discuss vitamin D, calcium or other supplements with a clinician or dietitian instead of assuming more is better.

Read: CSIRO — Nutrition tips and Jean Hailes — Looking after yourself.

06 / MOVEMENT, MUSCLES & BONES

Build strength at a pace that suits you.

Combine aerobic movement you enjoy with resistance and weight-bearing activity suited to your health. Walking, dancing and progressive strength work are options. Balance and mobility work belong in the mix too. Start gradually if you have been inactive, and break up long periods of sitting.

Current Australian guidance for adults aged 18–64 includes at least 30 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity on most days, muscle strengthening on two or more days and balance, mobility or coordination activities on three or more days. Ask for an individual plan if pain, osteoporosis or another condition affects what you can safely do.

Read: Australian Government — Adult movement recommendations.

07 / JOINT PAIN, FROZEN SHOULDER & BACK PAIN

Aches deserve attention, not assumptions.

Joint and muscle discomfort can occur around menopause. A painful, progressively stiff shoulder may be frozen shoulder, but a clinician needs to assess it. Persistent shoulder pain or difficulty moving your arm warrants a GP or physiotherapy appointment.

Follow individually prescribed gentle movement and rehabilitation rather than forcing painful stretches. Treatment can include physiotherapy and clinician-directed pain relief or injections. Frozen shoulder can take a long time to improve; it is not something an oil or massage can promise to cure.

For lower back pain, seek assessment if symptoms persist, worsen or concern you. Stay active within your ability and follow a tailored plan. Get urgent medical care for new loss of bladder or bowel control, numbness around the genitals or saddle area, or new leg weakness.

Read: NHS — Frozen shoulder and Australian Low Back Pain Clinical Care Standard.

08 / MASSAGE & RELAXATION

A supportive ritual, with realistic expectations.

If you enjoy gentle massage, use it as time to relax. Research on massage for menopause has mixed findings across different symptoms; it does not establish a treatment for vaginal dryness or frozen shoulder. Tell a qualified therapist about pain, injuries, osteoporosis or other health concerns before treatment.

Be cautious with supplements or “natural hormone” promises. Natural does not automatically mean safe, and supplements can interact with medicines. Discuss complementary approaches with your doctor.

Read: 2026 systematic review of massage and menopause symptoms and NCCIH — Complementary approaches.

09 / VAGINAL DRYNESS & INTIMATE COMFORT

A lubricant, a moisturiser and a treatment are different.

Lower oestrogen can affect vaginal and vulval tissues. Dryness, irritation, pain during sex or urinary symptoms may occur, sometimes described as genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM). Infection and skin conditions can cause similar symptoms.

Avoid douching and irritating perfumed products. Persistent itching, burning, unusual discharge or pain needs assessment. Lariese sells personal lubricants, not treatment for infection or menopause itself. Our formulas contain argan oil: do not assume condom or toy compatibility; check the label and manufacturer’s instructions.

Read: NHS — Vaginal dryness and Australasian Menopause Society — GSM.