3. Irregular Periods
As menopause is approaching a woman may begin to experience very irregular periods. This typically will start during the mid to late 40s. There are a number of reasons that a woman may experience irregular periods, but during perimenopause, the most common reason is a hormone imbalance.
A woman may have a period either later or earlier than normal and the bleeding could be heavier or lighter than usual. Periods could go on for a long time or be very brief. Spotting or skipping periods is also a common symptom of hormone imbalance.