Hot flushes and night sweats are sometimes called vasomotor symptoms.
A hot flush can feel like a sudden wave of heat across your face, neck, chest or body. You may also experience sweating, flushing, chills or feel your heart beating more quickly.

You may find it harder to fall asleep, wake more often during the night or wake earlier than usual.
Sleep can also be affected by night sweats, stress, changes in mood, pain or needing to go to the toilet during the night.
Over time, poor sleep can contribute to tiredness, reduced energy, irritability and difficulty concentrating.

Hormonal changes, disrupted sleep, and the many other pressures of midlife may all affect how you feel.
You might notice:

• Irritability
• Anxiety
• Low mood
• Reduced motivation
• Feeling overwhelmed
• Mood changes that feel different from your usual self

Many women describe changes in their thinking and memory during perimenopause as brain fog.
You might become more forgetful, find it harder to concentrate, struggle to find the right word or simply feel less mentally sharp than usual.

Muscle aches, joint pain and stiffness can become more noticeable during perimenopause and menopause.
Hormonal changes may play a role, but other factors such as sleep, physical activity, muscle strength, previous injuries and other health conditions can also contribute.

Both ageing and hormonal changes can affect your body composition. Sleep, activity levels and other lifestyle factors can also play a role.
You may notice reduced muscle mass or changes in where your body stores fat, particularly around the abdomen. These changes can occur even if your overall body weight doesn’t change significantly.

Your skin may become drier, thinner or more sensitive. Some women also notice itching or unusual crawling or tingling sensations. Hair can become thinner or change in texture.