- Women typically enter perimenopause in their mid-to-late 40s with declining oestrogen levels
- Perimenopause symptoms include mood swings, hot flashes, night sweats, and sleep disturbances
- Night sweats caused Bhagyashree severe discomfort and sleep loss requiring frequent linen changes
In the mid-to-late 40s, most women enter perimenopause, although some may experience it earlier. It is the transitional phase leading up to menopause, during which oestrogen levels begin to decline and menstrual cycles can become irregular before stopping altogether.
It is a natural stage in a woman's life, but often one of the most challenging, as it can last for years and be accompanied by symptoms such as mood swings, hot flashes, night sweats, low libido, vaginal dryness, and sleep disturbances. In a recent interview with SheThePeople, Bhagyashree shared how she navigated perimenopause.
Bhagyashree On Navigating Perimenopause
Bhagyashree shared, "I used to cry a lot in the shower. Whenever I felt like I was on the verge of tears, I would let the water wash away whatever energies were there."
She added that she believes in the aura and the power of water to wash away negative energy and sorrow. "I think I had 4-5 showers during the day at that point in time," she said.
Whenever she felt sad or could not understand her emotions, she would go into the shower and cry her eyes out.
What Menopause Taught Bhagyashree
The 57-year-old actor admitted that when she was going through perimenopause, she consulted many doctors, asked them questions, and learnt about her body. It helped her navigate both perimenopause and menopause.
"It made me more aware of my body," she said, adding that she was better equipped to deal with the symptoms and take them in her stride. She shared that she started reflecting on whether it was worth spending a lot of time thinking about what other people thought of her, and ultimately decided to follow her heart and live her life.
Sharing about her experience, Bhagyashree said she experienced "a lot of mood swings and hot flashes". She used to get worked up a lot. "Suddenly having a mind fog, not remembering your lines, not remembering what you left the room for, so yes, I had all of it... I put everything else on the back burner and I said, 'I have to look after myself.'" she shared.
What helped her during this phase was eating the right foods and doing the right exercises. She would tell her husband, Himalaya Dasani, that she was about to have an outburst and wanted him to simply listen rather than offer advice.
"I would have night sweats, and it would be so horrible. I used to be drenched in sweat," she said, adding that she often had to change her nightclothes, and even the bed linens would get soaked, which created another challenge.
She said that it was a "horrible" time because she got very little sleep and felt uncomfortable in her body. The actor also shared a few tips for women going through perimenopause:
- Keep a nightsuit or nighty next to you so you don't have to search for one in the middle of the night.
- Keep a bottle of talcum powder nearby if needed.
- Keep an extra bedsheet within reach.
- Keep all these things by your side so you don't waste time in the middle of the night and lose sleep as a result.
Bhagyashree said she drank pomegranate juice, hibiscus tea, ate nuts and adequate fibre, reduced her sugar intake, meditated, and spent plenty of time in sunlight and fresh air.