How Long Does Menopause Last?

Just how long does menopause last?

Typically around 7 years, but this varies.

Symptoms will tend to vary in severity within this period.

But it's important to remember that the menopausal transition affects each person differently.

Hot flashes, night sweats, low libido, and trouble sleeping aren’t exactly symptoms to get excited about — but the thought of becoming menopausal doesn’t have to be completely scary.

It’s a challenging, but natural, part of the aging process, and we’re here for you every step of the way.

Everyone’s journey will be different, so it’s best to speak to your doctor if you have any concerns.

Bearing that in mind, here we go.

The answers to all of your burning questions about how long menopause might last.

In this article: 📝

How long does a woman go through menopause?

The average length of time menopausal symptoms may be present is around 7 years in total, and around 4.5 years after reaching menopause.

Having said that, it can last much less time, or linger on for longer, sometimes into your 60s, 70s, or even 80s.

In some cases, it may last up to 14 years, but it depends on lifestyle factors, age, and ethnicity.

It’s also important to know that while “menopause” is often the term used for the entire transition, there are 3 stages to the process.

First, there’s perimenopause, which is often when symptoms arise and your menstrual cycle becomes irregular.

Then, the transition to menopause occurs.

This is when you haven’t had a period for around 12 months.

And lastly, postmenopause, which the term for life after menopause.

At this final stage, your menopausal symptoms may become milder or go away completely.

What are the signs of coming to the end of menopause?

Your periods will become more and more irregular — either more frequent, or less frequent, heavier, or lighter — before stopping completely.

You may have a break between bleeds of several months before they start again, but you need a full 12 months since your last period to know you’ve reached menopause.

When does menopause end?

You might feel like asking, does menopause ever end? if you’ve been suffering from symptoms for years already, and the answer is, kind of.

When you reach menopause, it means you haven’t had a period for 12 months and your body has stopped producing estrogen.

Your symptoms may actually get temporarily worse than in the perimenopausal phase as your body adapts to this new balance.

“Postmenopause” is the term for life after menopause when, typically, symptoms ease off after 2-3 years.

But, for some women, they might never completely disappear.

What is the average age for menopause to end?

In America, the average age to reach menopause is between 50-52 years old, but it’s also normal for it to be any age between 45 and 55.

It’s considered early menopause to start having symptoms before the age of 45, and premature menopause if symptoms occur before age 40.

The age at which you go through menopause can be hereditary.

In fact, some studies indicate how a woman’s age at menopause is reflective of her mother’s age at menopause!

And race, ethnicity, demographic, and lifestyle also all can impact when you enter perimenopause and how long menopause lasts for you.

Speaking with other women in your family about when they went through the transition might give you a relatively good indicator as to when you might expect the changes.

How long does menopause weight gain last?

Your metabolism tends to slow down whilst you go through menopause, and it can be harder to lose weight when you’re postmenopausal.

If possible, keeping active and eating healthily throughout will help keep any weight gain in check.

Learn more about menopause and weight gain.

How long does surgical menopause last?

Surgical menopause is a result of the removal of the uterus (hysterectomy) and/or ovaries (bilateral oophorectomy) or damage caused by treatments such as chemotherapy.

The onset of menopausal symptoms will be immediate after surgery if you have both your uterus and ovaries removed and how long they last will be dependent on your post-op treatment plan.

Can menopause last 10 years?

Unfortunately, some menopause symptoms like hot flashes can last for 10 years or more, especially if they start at the beginning of your perimenopausal phase.

Remember, everyone’s menopause journey will be individual, so let’s take it one step at a time.

And if you want to talk about your menopause experiences, join us on Peanut.

We're having the conversation.