How Do I Know Which Stage of Menopause I’m In?

It can be surprisingly tricky to know exactly where you are on the journey. Many women wonder if a blood test can give them the answer — but the reality is that hormone levels fluctuate daily, monthly, and even more unpredictably during perimenopause and menopause. A test is really just a snapshot, not a conclusion.

That’s why one of the best ways to understand where you might be is to tune into how you feel and notice the changes happening in your body. (We prefer not to use the word “symptoms,” because menopause is not a disease, for most women).

In our earlier blog about the stages of menopause, we talked about when each stage typically occurs and what you can expect. In this article, we want to offer some simple ways you might begin to identify which stage you’re in right now.

Using Your Periods as a Guide

For many women, periods are one of the clearest markers of which stage they’re in.

Regular periods with changes: If you still have a monthly period but notice differences in your cycle — such as shorter or longer lengths, lighter or heavier flow — it often signals the transition into menopause, known as perimenopause.
Irregular or missed periods: As you move closer to your 50s, cycles tend to become more irregular. Missing periods for one or more months, alongside other changes, usually points to late perimenopause or beginning of menopause.
No periods for 12 months: Menopause is officially defined as the point when you have gone a full year without a period. By the time you know for sure you’ve reached menopause, you’re already in postmenopause - the longest stage of all, lasting from the end of your menstrual cycle through the rest of your life.

Taking Notice of How You Feel

Periods aren’t the only way to get a sense of where you might be on the journey. Changes in how you feel can also be strong indicators.

You might notice shifts in sleep, mood, focus, or energy, or feel like something is “off” even if you can’t quite put your finger on it. For many women, these experiences begin subtly in early perimenopause and then become more frequent or intense in the later stages.

Some women don’t have their periods as a guide — whether due to medical reasons, surgery, or another factor. If that’s you, the best way to get a sense of where you’re at is to consider your age, how you’re feeling, and the changes in intensity and frequency of your experiences.

Interestingly, many women report that while late perimenopause feels the most challenging, once they move through menopause into postmenopause, they often find a renewed sense of balance and stability.

The Menopause Journey Is Like a Marathon

The way I see the menopause journey, it’s a lot like running a marathon — but not one we voluntarily signed up for or had opportunity to plan and train for.

The warm-up (early perimenopause): At the start of a marathon, you notice subtle changes — a little heavy breathing, your body adjusting, sweat starting to bead. Just like in early perimenopause, life feels harder to manage, even if things don’t seem “serious” yet. This is the time to support for the early stage of the journey — and to "prepare" yourself for the later stage, when changes can feel more intense.
The mid-race (late perimenopause and menopause): Here’s where it gets intense. You feel hot, tired, and start questioning, Why am I even doing this? It’s the stage of endurance in action, and it mirrors the later part of the transition when experiences become harder to ignore. What matters most here is support for resilience and strength — so you can "embrace" the race with confidence.
Crossing the finish line (postmenopause): When you’ve gone 12 consecutive months without a period, you’ve “broken the tape” and entered postmenopause. This is a phase of victory and renewal, where the most intense shifts of the transition have passed. Just like marathon runners need recovery, this is the time to refocus, realign, and "thrive" for your long-term well-being.

The key isn’t just knowing which stage you’re in — it’s also understanding what kind of care and support your body needs most at that stage.

The Bottom Line

While tests and medical markers can offer some information, there isn’t always a neat answer to “which stage am I in?” Menopause is a deeply individual journey, and your body may move through it differently than someone else’s.

By tuning into your cycle, your age, and how you’re feeling, you can begin to piece together where you might be on the journey — and most importantly, you can give yourself the care and compassion you need to run this marathon well.

Read this blog if you want to know some simple and free ways to support your body.

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Disclaimer - This content is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to imply benefits of any specific product.