Perimenopause and the Yoga of Listening

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Perimenopause and the Yoga of Listening

Thirty years after my interval started, the sample shifted but once more.

This was an enormous shift, however on reflection, I had no concept how huge it might be. It got here on progressively, with blended messages, complicated signs, and unpredictable patterns.

Every little thing I had realized from my durations, my physique, and my thoughts over the earlier a long time gave the impression to be thrown up into the air.

To be sincere, I don’t even assume I acknowledged that this was the start of perimenopause. I simply knew one thing was totally different. One thing was altering.

The journaling, the understanding of my cycle, and the patterns I had come to belief shifted ever so slowly earlier than me. However I used to be not totally conscious that my hormones have been almost definitely in flux, mixing issues up.

By:
Fiona Stang
Printed:
Might 13, 2026
Reviewed: Might 15, 2026

Editor’s Notice: That is Half 2 of Fiona Stang’s three-part sequence on yoga, perimenopause, menopause, and the way a lifelong follow evolves by way of change. In Half 1, Fiona mirrored on menstruation, being pregnant, motherhood, and the delicate starting of perimenopause. On this article, she explores the uncertainty of perimenopause and the way follow grew to become a method to hold listening when acquainted patterns started to vanish.

Key Takeaways

Perimenopause can start subtly, even earlier than menstrual cycles change into clearly irregular.
Signs resembling fatigue, dizziness, irritation, nervousness, sleep modifications, and tendon sensitivity can really feel complicated when there isn’t a clear clarification.
An extended-term yoga follow can change into a useful resource throughout uncertainty, particularly when the physique now not follows acquainted patterns.
Listening turns into extra necessary than forcing.
Displaying up nonetheless counts, even when follow turns into shorter, softer, or extra restorative.

When the Previous Patterns Disappeared

I had years of regular cycles, cramping, PMS signs, being pregnant, birthing infants, elevating toddlers, and elevating kids behind me.

Had all of these experiences ready me for this shift?

Sure and no.

At this level in my life, I understood the ebbs and flows of my physique, actually. I knew what to anticipate round ovulation in my follow and in my life. I knew what to anticipate within the two weeks earlier than my interval began. I knew the 2 days earlier than my interval may be inwardly reflective and fewer energetic.

However I additionally knew it might be the exact opposite. On uncommon events, I might change into superwoman in my follow and life in a single day.

Nonetheless, there was some evident sample.

All of a sudden, all of the buildings I had come to know began disappearing and shifting earlier than me.

My interval was nonetheless common, however earlier than it even began altering from a 28-day cycle to an unknown, unsure one, issues had already begun to alter. Looking back, I consider that they had been altering for a while.

I used to be all of a sudden extra drained. I had random pores and skin rashes and really itchy pores and skin. My hamstrings began getting agitated when enjoying tennis, and I ended up with tennis elbow. My tendons have been extra delicate in all places, however I didn’t make that connection till seven years later.

I observed random bouts of irritation in my physique and was examined for rheumatoid arthritis.

As I look again, my hormones have been shifting, however I had no concept this was almost definitely hormonal.

All my assessments have been “regular,” however I used to be feeling much less and fewer like superwoman.

Making an attempt to Discover the New Regular

To assist with the fatigue, I began including in a restorative follow as soon as every week. That labored for a bit, however every time I discovered one thing that gave the impression to be working, it might change once more.

The standard patterns I knew and trusted simply dropped away.

Typically my interval was unexpectedly heavy. Typically I menstruated two weeks after my interval. I puzzled if I’d ever return to that “regular” feeling in my follow.

Then I went by way of six months of intense dizziness.

That introduced me to my GP, a neurologist, physiotherapists, an MRI, and many assessments. I used to be identified as “positive.”

I had unusual irritation in my joints. My rings stopped becoming my fingers. My wrists felt infected. After which, all of a sudden, that will shift again to “normal-ish.”

There was by no means a brand new regular.

The dizziness was actually difficult and essentially the most complicated undiagnosed symptom of perimenopause or hormonal flux. I’d be exhausted by the afternoon and infrequently do a guided deep leisure or relaxation. Shiny daylight was onerous on my head, and I used to be vulnerable to complications on high of the dizziness.

However in accordance with the medical doctors and the assessments, every little thing was “regular.”

Considered one of my feminine tennis pals, Lynda, gave me the perfect analysis of anybody. She talked about that she knew of some ladies round my age — I used to be 46 on the time — having comparable dizzy spells.

Hormonal modifications.

I nonetheless, to at the present time, discover it unimaginable that nobody aside from Lynda linked my signs to the huge hormone change I used to be present process. Folks informed me I used to be too early for hormonal signs.

Good day, perimenopause.

Did I do know it on the time?

Completely not.

However this was actually the onset of perimenopause for me.

Follow as a Useful resource

I didn’t know what to do with the dizziness.

I had two elementary faculty children, ran a yoga studio, and ran a family. I used to be busy. I used to be actually dizzy. And I used to be drained.

Fortunately, I had a really supportive husband, and I used my follow to useful resource myself.

I continued training in and all through this new, unknown world, the place there was now no regular. Motion and train have been a saving grace throughout that point.

However within the afternoons, the all-day dizziness left me feeling exhausted.

I discovered that calming my nervous system by way of yoga, meditation, guided deep leisure, forest walks, train, and common naps was the primary method I navigated this difficult and complicated interval of my life.

So if you’re within the perimenopause age vary and are noticing extra bodily physique points, sleep points, pores and skin or hair modifications, temper modifications, or different signs that don’t really feel such as you, concentrate.

Perhaps your hormones are shifting, even when your interval just isn’t.

And if you’re already in perimenopause, you’ll have your individual private story with it. My story just isn’t a one-size-fits-all type of state of affairs. There isn’t a “typical,” like there isn’t a typical girl.

We’re all distinctive, and so are our perimenopause journeys.

A few of my pals skilled many modifications. Some skilled little in any respect. Sure signs of perimenopause transferring into menopause are delicate. I didn’t acknowledge till a lot later that a few of what I had skilled was a part of an enormous hormonal shift.

Placing the Puzzle Items Collectively

I say this as a result of I didn’t put these puzzle items collectively till a few years later, once I observed a sample in my life.

Postpartum, after the start of my son and first baby, Ambrose, I went by way of six weeks of maximum dizziness that was unexplainable.

Then, proper on the onset of perimenopause — or ought to I say hormone change — I had one other six months of dizziness.

Quick ahead years later, at 52 years of age, once I first took estrogen gel. Inside two days, I had dizziness, and this lasted one other six weeks regardless of going off the estrogen after ten days.

So for me, dizziness was positively an indication of hormonal shift. For me, it confirmed up in several eras of my life.

Round 46 was in all probability the onset of perimenopause and the start of a special type of follow for me.

Yoga follow, instructing, staying energetic by way of tennis and snowboarding, calming my nervous system by way of meditation, deep leisure, and yoga — these have been important in transferring me ahead in that chapter and maintaining my physique and thoughts steady and midline.

This newest chapter was of full uncertainty.

Symbolically, as I look again now, this was my preparation for perimenopause and menopause — the period of unpredictable hormone change.

The Yoga of Listening

Listening is the place the true which means of yoga follow was born.

For me, this was the yoga of listening.

And once I say listening, I actually imply listening — after which studying from that listening.

For years, in my twenties, thirties, and even early forties, I might power by way of follow and varieties with out essentially having to hear, particularly at a delicate degree.

However throughout perimenopause and menopause, I couldn’t get away with pushing as a lot.

I began craving various things. I wanted various things for my physique.

Some days, my physique simply wished to sit down, rock, and meditate, so I’d do this earlier than I practiced.

Some days, making use of mula bandha felt counterintuitive, so I’d select a restorative follow.

Some days, I didn’t need to sweat in follow. I wanted to be positioned by a window and breathe in recent air.

Some days, I felt like I used to be 22 once more and as soon as once more a powerwoman in my follow.

Some days, I took a break and fell asleep on my mat.

Some days I felt robust.

So I began to know the yoga of listening in a brand new method. I began to know the yoga of not realizing.

And my mantra grew to become:

Present up and see what occurs.

Simply present up.

Displaying Up Nonetheless Counts

Perimenopause is the time to embrace your follow.

And sure, in case you present up and find yourself resting, you continue to confirmed up.

Hold that sample. It can serve you.

Attempt to hold constant, however hearken to your self and perceive that follow is greater than sophisticated asana.

If you’re exhausted in the future, add in a restorative follow in case you want extra meditation or deep leisure, honour that.

Simply hold displaying up and listening.

And please, be further form to your self.

It’s okay to purchase a pre-packaged meal for your loved ones dinner generally, even in case you don’t make the hummus from scratch.

It’s okay to take a nap within the afternoon in case you can squeeze in 20 minutes earlier than faculty pick-up.

For me, honouring perimenopause meant studying to be extra swish as I transitioned towards menopause — the sensible girl section of life.

It didn’t imply I understood every little thing because it was taking place.

It meant I saved displaying up.

It meant I saved listening.

It meant I allowed the follow to change into one thing deeper than the varieties I might or couldn’t do on any given day.

The Starting of a Totally different Type of Listening

That is the place the following chapter started.

For years, I had recognized the overall arc of my physique. I understood my cycle. I understood how my vitality moved. I understood when to relaxation, when to return, and the way follow might help the entire rhythm of my life.

However perimenopause started to alter that relationship.

The outdated maps have been nonetheless there, however they now not defined every little thing.

As a practitioner, this was unsettling. As a trainer, it grew to become humbling. It jogged my memory that even after a long time of follow, the physique can nonetheless change into unfamiliar. It jogged my memory that listening just isn’t one thing we grasp as soon as. It’s one thing we continue to learn, particularly when the physique begins talking in a brand new language.

Thus arrived the elusive period of perimenopause.

And with it, the dismantling of patterns I assumed I knew.

Proceed the Collection

Half 1: Yoga for Menopause: When Your Follow Begins to Shift
Half 2: Perimenopause and the Yoga of Listening
Half 3: Menopause, Modification, and Yoga Follow for Life

In Half 3, Fiona explores menopause, non-attachment, modification, and the deeper query that has begun to information her follow: How can I follow for the remainder of my life?

Reviewed & up to date Might 15, 2026 by Fiona Stang, Licensed Degree 2 Ashtanga Yoga Trainer

Fiona Stang

Fiona Stang is the founding father of Ashtanga Yoga Vancouver and an Licensed Degree 2 Ashtanga yoga trainer. She has practiced and taught Ashtanga yoga for many years, supporting college students by way of a gentle, conventional strategy whereas persevering with to discover how the follow evolves by way of totally different phases of life.

Study extra about Fiona and her instructing at Ashtanga Yoga Vancouver.

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