Perimenopause starts before actual menopause begins, when levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone start to decrease--typically between the ages of 45 and 55, notes WomensHealth.gov. These hormonal changes often cause a wide variety of symptoms that can interfere with activities of daily living.
Exercise, Yoga and Meditiation
Regular exercise--at least 30 minutes on most days of the week--helps the body maintain fitness and can also improve sleep patterns during perimenopause, notes the Mayo Clinic. Work to limit stress during the years approaching menopause. Use relaxation techniques like yoga and meditation to relax and soothe the body.
Eat Healthy
Maintaining a healthy diet will help to limit perimenopause symptoms. The Mayo Clinic advises eating a low-fat and high-fiber diet that includes vegetables, fruits and whole-grain foods. Avoid caffeinated drinks such as soda, tea and coffee, and do not eat very large meals. Minimizing alcohol intake will also help the body function at its best during perimenopause.
Eat Soy
Adding soy-based foods such as tofu and soy milk to the diet is another way to quell perimenopause symptoms. Soy has phytoestrogens--plant-based substances similar to estrogen--that raise the body's estrogen levels. Women with estrogen-dependent breast cancer should talk to their doctor before consuming soy products; typically, these women are advised to avoid soy.
Kegel Exercises
Urinary problems often arise during perimenopause, and urine may leak from the body while exercising or coughing. This is due to organs in the body drooping into the vaginal area, called a pelvic organ prolapse, due to weak pelvic floor muscles. To prevent this problems, do regular Kegel exercises to strengthen muscles in the vagina, notes the Mayo Clinic. Kegel exercises involve clenching the pelvic floor muscles and holding them for short periods of about 10 seconds and then releasing them.
Counseling and Support Groups
Undergoing individual counseling or joining a support group will help ease the stress that some women feel during perimenopause. Having a chance to talk about symptoms and how to handle them is helpful and decreases anxiety.
Maintain Social Contact
Maintaining social bonds in the community and with friends is also helpful to keep the mind sharp and functioning well during the perimenopause period. Too much isolation fogs the mind and allows negative thoughts to fester.
Vaginal Lubricant
Vaginal lubricants can be helpful for symptoms of dryness of the vagina or vaginal thinning during perimenopause, notes WomensHealth.gov.
Hormonal Treatment and Antidepressants
Hormonal treatments can boost hormone levels and thus improve levels of sexual desire, notes WomensHealth.gov. Antidepressants will also help with the mood swings and hot flashes that can occur during perimenopause.
