Menopause: What you need to know in numbers

There’s a lot of information to take in about the menopause, so we’ve broken it down into the essential facts and stats you need to make sense of it all.

Like puberty or pregnancy, menopause is a natural stage of life for a lot of people. But it’s still shrouded in mystery; very few people know exactly what to expect.

These simple statistics will help you – or anyone else – get your head around what’s going on inside your body.

Skip to:

• Age
• Signs
• Symptoms
• Duration
• Postmenopause
• Supplements
• Tips

When do you go through menopause?

Usually between the ages of 45 and 55.¹ 

Menopause means your ovaries stop producing eggs and hormones, oestrogen levels fall, and you stop having periods so you can no longer get pregnant naturally.¹ 

You’ve officially gone through the menopause when you’ve had no periods for 1 year.²

What’s the average age for menopause?

In the UK, it’s 51.

But one in 100 people go through it before the age of 40, known as premature menopause or premature ovarian insufficiency.¹ 

A late menopause is after 55.³

How do I know if I’m going through menopause?

Early signs are unpredictable periods – a 2012 study found changes in women's menstrual cycles started on average 6 to 8 years before menopause.⁴ Flow varies, too – it can be much heavier or lighter than usual.

Your GP can carry out a blood test to confirm changing hormone levels, which may be useful if you’re under 45 but is not recommended if you’re over 45.¹

How many menopause symptoms will I get?

Most people experience around 7 symptoms, according to a survey by the British Menopause Society.⁵

What are the most common menopause symptoms?

8 in 10 or 80% of people get the infamous hot flushes – an overwhelming feeling of heat, which spreads throughout the body.⁵ 

Some experience them several times a day, while others only have occasional episodes.

Other common symptoms include:

• Night sweats (70%)
• Insomnia (22%)
• Achy joints (18%)
• Issues with memory and concentration (20%)⁵

Less well-known symptoms include anxiety, mood swings, low mood, fatigue, heart palpitations, vaginal dryness, bladder weakness and loss of libido

Does everyone get all the symptoms?

1 in 5 or around 20% of women don’t get any menopause symptoms at all, but most women will get some.⁶

How long does menopause last?

So, you might be wondering, how long does menopause last? On average, symptoms continue for 5 to 7 years after your last period, but they can last for as long as 14 years.⁷

In addition to this, you can experience some symptoms of menopause months or years before your periods have completely stopped, which is known as perimenopause.⁸

On the flip side, research shows that 42% of women aged 60-65 still experience symptoms such as hot flushes.⁹

This indicates that symptoms can continue during postmenopause as well.

It’s worth knowing that it’s not the same for everyone. In fact, your lifestyle and biology can impact how long you experience menopause for.

Factors like smoking, the age you started menopause, your race and ethnicity can also affect the duration as well.⁷

What about post-menopause symptoms?

Post-menopausal people have a higher risk of developing 2 conditions: osteoporosis and heart disease.

Oestrogen helps protects against both, so lower oestrogen levels increase your risk.^10,11 

Bladder and vaginal symptoms also increase after the menopause, and may get worse over time.

What are the best herbal menopause remedies?

Looking for alternative management methods? There are a number of natural solutions you can choose from instead.

Here are 5 of the most popular herbal remedies for menopause:

1. Black cohosh – the European Medicines Agency reports that black cohosh can be ‘used to treat menopause complaints such as hot flushes and excessive sweating’ - but this is based on traditional use only.¹²
2. Red clover – this herb contains compounds that mimic oestrogen in the body.¹³ A 2016 review of trials found that red clover could reduce the number of hot flushes, especially in those who had more than 5 severe hot flushes a day.¹⁴
3. Agnus castus – another clinical review, carried out in 2009, concluded that there was enough ‘emerging pharmacological evidence’ to support a role for Agnus castus in the management of menopausal symptoms.¹⁵
4. St John’s Wort – an assessment by the European Medicines Council noted that St John’s Wort 'improved psychological symptoms', and could treat anxiety 'particularly if associated with menopause'.¹⁶
5. Sea buckthorn oil - this oil, rich in omega-7, has been shown to improve vaginal thinning and lubrication, and may be useful for those who cannot use oestrogen for vaginal atrophy.¹⁷

Talk to your GP or a healthcare professional before taking any herbal remedies to tackle your menopause symptoms.

Which lifestyle tips can help?

Limit your intake of hot drinks and spicy foods, as these can trigger hot flushes.

And make sure you keep exercising – a small study by Penn State University, US, in 2012 found those who exercise experienced fewer hot flushes for 24 hours after a workout.¹⁸

A 2014 study published in the journal Menopause, revealed that 12 weeks of aerobic activity reduced insomnia and depression in midlife women.¹⁹

The final say

Talking about menopause shouldn’t be a taboo. Hopefully now you’re feeling more confident about what it means in numbers, so you can make informed choices about your own health and wellness.

The advice in this article is for information only and should not replace medical care. Please check with your GP or healthcare professional before trying any supplements, treatments or remedies. Food supplements must not be used as a substitute for a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.

Last updated: 14 September 2022