Will the real teenager please stand up!

3 women standing in field of sunflowers

Are you a middle-aged teen too?

Sometimes, if you’re like us, it’s hard to tell who the real teen is in the house. The rollercoaster of hormones during your 40’s can be just like those teen years.

Both stages involve significant hormonal changes in the body.

From your early 40’s, a woman's oestrogen and progesterone levels can fluctuate widely, much like they do during puberty in teenagers. These hormonal fluctuations can cause a variety of physical and emotional changes – hello irregular periods, acne, mood swings and changes in sexual desire.

Similarly, during puberty, teenage girls experience similar changes in hormone levels as they become a woman – mood swings, acne and changes in body shape.

If that isn’t tough enough, both perimenopause and puberty mark significant life transitions that can be a little tough to navigate. Teenagers are often figuring out their identities, establishing independence, and navigating new relationships, while women going through perimenopause are adjusting to changes in their bodies, dealing with ageing, and managing new health concerns.

So next time you want to be young again… remember in some ways you’re experiencing your teen years again, but with a bit more life experience!