Beth Behrs: I’m in My Late 30s and in Perimenopause. Here’s What I Wish I Knew

glamour.com:

Most women know of the term menopause, which refers to the natural process when a woman’s ovaries stop producing estrogen and progesterone, ending the menstrual cycle. (According to the Mayo Clinic, the average age most women experience menopause is 51.) But which means "around menopause" and involves menopause-like symptoms such as hot flashes, sleep issues, and menstrual irregularity—is less discussed.

Most women notice these changes in their 40s, but some can begin experiencing symptoms as early as their mid-30s. Given the reluctance to talk as openly about perimenopause, it can often be a scary and uncertain time in a woman’s life.

Beth Behrs, who turns 39 later this month, she began experiencing perimenopausal symptoms around the age of 35. As such, she wanted to speak openly about the last anxiety-ridden few years to help others feel less afraid of this very normal period in a woman’s life.

Here, Behrs tells Glamour what she’s learned.Growing up, I remember hearing about menopause, but to me, it seemed so old lady-ish; so far down the line.