Menopause is sometimes called the change of life, and, like most changes, it tends to get disruptive. Think of what we women go through - hot flashes, mood swings, heavy periods, spotting. It seems our whole systems are disrupted.

Remember. though, that not all women react the same. According to an article from the Womens Issues Blog:

Despite the fact that there are certain symptoms that appear to be universal in that they affect most if not all menopausal women, the truth is that everyone is different and their bodies may or may not experience the same symptoms as everyone else. It is also important to note that the symptoms of menopause are similar to those that could be indicative of more serious illnesses, which is why it is essential to seek a Medical Diagnosis at the onset of any/all of the aforementioned symptoms.

And those symptoms can begin to manifest early - three to five years before we actually enter menopause. This is called perimenopause. I found an article called General things about early menopause in Article Alley that describes it this way:

A woman's body stops producing estrogen in the moment when ovaries stop functioning. In most of the cases women pass through a transition period of 3 to 5 years called perimenopause before menopause. During this transition period women do not stop menstruating but symptoms of menopause appear and the level of estrogen is getting low.