New Delhi, June 23 -- Menopause is as important a transition in a woman's life as menstruation is. The years between regular periods and menopause are called perimenopause, and it doesn't arrive dramatically. It slips in slowly. Sleep starts getting disturbed for no clear reason. Then, suddenly, there's irritability, tiredness, or unexplained weight gain around the stomach. Some women feel emotionally low, while others feel unusually anxious. The body suddenly starts feeling different. At this stage, a woman needs to understand that the body requires better food, better sleep, some movement and a little more self-care than before.

Senior gynaecologist and women's health expert Dr Preety Aggarwal, Motherhood Hospital, Gurugram, advocates ...