Irregular periods. Night sweats. Changes in libido. Hot flushes. All are commonly-felt impacts of perimenopause and menopause on the body, but ones we are often conditioned to be embarrassed to talk about. However, thanks to the work of charities like the British Menopause Society and the candour of public figures from Davina McCall to Michelle Obama and now Drew Barrymore, we’re being more open than ever about how changes in our hormones really impact us.

While presenting The Drew Barrymore Show on Monday 27 March, Barrymore shared with the audience that she was experiencing her very first hot flush – a common symptom of menopause that feels like a sudden flare of heat, paired with sweating and flushed skin – live on-air.

“I am so hot, I think I’m having my first perimenopause hot flashes,” she shared while quickly taking off her blazer and fanning herself. “For the first time, I think I’m having my first hot flash. Whoa!”

“Oh, I feel so honoured,” responded Jennifer Aniston, who was being interviewed alongside Adam Sandler, before Barrymore told her guests that she recently spoke on a panel about menopause and it’s “crazy” that she experienced the hot flash while on TV.

“Well, I’m so glad I have this moment documented,” she added with a laugh.

Viewers were quick to praise Barrymore, commenting on how refreshing it was to see the topics of perimenopause and menopause being discussed more openly on such a public stage.

Last week, the 48-year-old actor sat down with Gayle King to speak about their personal experiences with perimenopause – the time when the body starts to make its natural transition to menopause.

“I realised that I was in perimenopause when I started having my period every two weeks,” Barrymore shared during the Facing Fertility series. “One doctor also just told me this could last, in the worst-case scenario, 10 years. And I was like, I will never make it 10 years like this!”

“I’m just glad we’re even having this conversation because I had heard of menopause but I had never even heard of the phrase perimenopause until I went to the doctors,” King added.

Images: Getty