When approaching menopause the changing levels of hormones such as estrogen and progesterone may result in a wide range of symptoms and conditions. Because all women are different, so will each women’s menopause experience be. Some transition very easily, while others have more severe problems.
Common signs of menopause include:
A change in the menstruation cycle is not unusual. Periods becomes irregular with more or less bleeding. Some women may have heavy blood flow for a few days and then very light bleeding for a couple more days, sometimes regular periods are less than twenty two days apart and you may have break through bleeding.
By far, the most prevalent menopause symptom is hot flashes. Hot flashes demonstrate with a sudden heat flushing over the torso and redness in the face and neck. Some women might also have hot flashes while trying to get to sleep and these are referred to as night sweats. Both hot flashes and night sweats vary in intensity among women, in most cases they only last a few years.
It’s not uncommon to have small urine leaks when laughing or straining plus you may need to use the bathroom more often.
Vaginal dryness is also quite common, as the tissues of the genitalia become thin and less elastic, and sex might feel unpleasant. Menopause symptoms also include changes in sex drive and desire; some women have a sudden loss of libido. Some women actually feel more free because getting pregnant isn’t a problem and report having more sex. Because people are living longer healthier lives, sex well into the twilight years is an option. And, even though you can no longer get pregnant, a condom should still be used to provide protection against venereal diseases.
It is not uncommon to have mood swings and feel exhausted. Many women feel a lot more additional stress and anxiety. Women in the menopausal phase also tend to get easily tired, sometimes having fatigue strokes. Although some women may try to get the recommended eight hours of sleep, they report not feeling fully rested because they get woken up by night sweats.
Another sign of menopause is weight gain; in some instances the waist becomes thicker, while fat levels tend to increase. Skin begins to lose some of its elasticity. It becomes more difficult to increase muscle definition, and the body has a tendenency to pack on a little more weight around the stomach area.
It is not unusual to have minor heart palpitations or an irregular heart beat. This usually only lasts for a short period and isn’t usually dangerous or life threatening. In some cases though these signs could mimic symptoms of other diseases and conditions, therefore you should see an expert to avoid complications and additional problems.
Because everyone’s body is different, no two women will experience menopause exactly the same. Going through menopause is a natural phase that women have experienced for thousands of years. If you can control your menopause symptoms and keep your spirits up, you’ll be much better equipped to handle the ups and downs. Women in menopause need to get more sleep, reduce stress, and make sure to do weight bearing exercise. In general, you need to be better to yourself and cut yourself some slack because this is a difficult life phase and additional life stresses will only make it worse.