Can Perimenopause Cause Air Hunger? The Two Are Linked, Experts Say

You’re just walking through the grocery store or at dinner with a friend, and suddenly you’re out of breath. What gives? You didn’t even do anything! If you’re in your late 30s or 40s and dealing with other symptoms of perimenopause, it could be that you’re experiencing oxygen hunger. That sensation of being out of breath or unable to get a deep breath in can feel really scary, especially if you’ve never heard that perimenopause might be behind it all.

So, we chatted with a menopause expert about why this happens, when to bring it up with your doctor, and more.

What is oxygen hunger?

It should comfort you to know that oxygen hunger, as a symptom, describes that feeling of being short of breath or unable to get a deep enough breath in to satisfy your body. That said, it does not mean your body is actually low on oxygen or that you’re in medical distress.

“Oxygenation or oxygen levels in the blood may not necessarily correlate to the sensation of what you’re feeling. So your oxygen levels, when you’re looking at a pulse ox or getting measured on blood levels, may be completely normal,” says Dr. Stephanie McNally, a board-certified OB-GYN, nationally recognized and certified menopause provider, and director of Northwell Health’s Katz Institute for Women’s Health.

So while you likely don’t have to worry about your body truly lacking for air, it still doesn’t feel great to be winded from just walking across your house — or even just sitting around. What exactly is going on with that?

Why does oxygen hunger happen during perimenopause?

As estrogen levels in the body decline and progesterone levels change, it can have wide-ranging effects on many systems of the body, McNally says. That’s because there are estrogen receptors throughout the bodies of anyone biologically female, including in smooth muscle, which lines many of our organs — yep, that means the lungs. It’s part of what helps them transfer oxygen and carbon dioxide efficiently, McNally says.

“When that estrogen level changes, the smooth muscle capacity also changes, so your body has to work in a different way — sometimes causing a sensation of working harder in that perimenopausal time.”

Aside from this biological reason for oxygen hunger, perimenopause is also a time of major shifts in mood and mental health. Feeling breathless could be related to panic or anxiety, McNally notes.

What should you do if you’re experiencing oxygen hunger?

Any time you’re dealing with shortness of breath, you want to work with a doctor to make sure there are no underlying health conditions causing your symptoms, McNally says. So, don’t try to manage your oxygen hunger at home without first checking in with your primary care provider or OB-GYN.

“There could be an underlying cardiovascular change. Is there something structural at the heart that has gone on that you’re unaware of? Do you have some type of lung disorder or obstructive pulmonary disease? So again, knowing that there could be body things that are happening, you want to make sure. And then that hormonal piece, thyroid can also contribute sometimes, where your heart is racing and you feel as if you can’t catch a breath. So, making sure that there’s not an underlying medical event that needs immediate attention. That, I would not manage at home,” she says.

What you can do at home, while waiting on that appointment, is log when you notice your oxygen hunger. Jot down what you were doing right before it began, how long it lasted, and what helped. This can help you and your doctor identify triggers and possible causes.

Don’t be surprised if your doctor asks about your exercise routine — McNally says with all the changes in your body and its performance, conditioning and strength training are an incredibly important part of feeling your best during perimenopause. If you think deconditioning may be contributing to your shortness of breath, they’ll probably have you start there.

Just remember that if you’re dealing with oxygen hunger, don’t power through and try to deal with it by yourself. “Women are so dismissive of our own health. We do that ‘Oh no, it’s nothing. I’m stressed. I have to take care of these other things.’ Putting us first and foremost is the most important thing that we can do for ourselves,” McNally says.