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Common Menopause Symptoms Women Should Know By Estroven
Common Menopause Symptoms Women Should Know
"What's going on with me?" That's a very common question a lot of women have during perimenopause and menopause, when night sweats disturb their sleep, or they feel like they're losing their memory. Some women have many of these symptoms; others have very few. Some really lucky ones have none at all.
Changes in Menstrual Periods
About 90% of women experience menstrual cycle changes for about 4-8 years before they reach menopause. Your cycle will typically get shorter, with periods occurring more often than every 28 days. Bleeding may last fewer or more days than previously, and your flow may be heavier, lighter, or just spotting. Just before you go through menopause, you may even skip periods. These are all signs that you're not producing as much of the two hormones — estrogen and progesterone — that regulate your menstrual cycle.
What you can do: Be sure to keep extra tampons and pads in a number of places (work, home, car) just in case! Please consult your healthcare provider if you are concerned about the fluctuation in your cycle.
Hot flashes and Night Sweats
No one is completely sure what causes hot flashes (or their night-time counterpart, night sweats). But part of the reason is that at menopause, you don't produce enough of the hormones that tell the brain to regulate your temperature. The drop in estrogen confuses the body's thermostat and sends an alert to the heart, blood vessels, and nervous system to work harder, which in turn brings on a sudden sensation of intense heat. Then your body cools down, leaving you chilled. Night sweats can wake you from a sound sleep, and can make it difficult to get into the deeper layers of sleep that rest and revitalize the body.
What you can do: Dress in layers so you can always remove the top layer when a flash comes on, and then cover up again when you're chilled. At night, keep an extra nightshirt next to your bed and change it if you wake up sweaty. You can also spread a few towels between you and your sheets. After a hot flash, strip out the first towel and throw it on the floor. The next towel will be dry and comfortable, and you won't have to change the bedding.
Vaginal Dryness
As estrogen levels decline, the vagina becomes less lubricated. In addition, the number of layers in the vaginal lining shrinks, and this thinner skin is more likely to become irritated or susceptible to vaginal infections. For this reason, sex may not feel as good as it used to.
What you can do: Use a vaginal moisturizer to soothe vaginal dryness and itching, and an intimate lubricant during intercourse.
Forgetfulness
While it's true that many menopausal women become forgetful, in the vast majority of cases, this isn't a sign of more serious memory issues — the brain simply doesn't retain as much information as we age. And, if you don't get enough sleep and are frequently distracted by hot flashes, you may find it even harder to concentrate. Some women find that they are less distracted when the hormonal fluctuations of menopause have passed. The aging brain can be a lot better at remembering long-term events than short-term ones.
What you can do: Keep a pad and pen with you at all times to make lists. At home, always put your keys down in the same place. And when driving, park your car next to some specific landmark, and write it down so you can find it again.
Moodiness
There are many stressors that can hit women in midlife: divorce or death of parents or a spouse, grown children leaving home, the regret of never having had children — all can lead to feelings of vulnerability and moodiness. Yet there are no studies that show that menopause leads to depression or anxiety. You may recall that during adolescence — another time of life when your hormones were in flux — you were also moody and irritable at times. And now, just as then, your emotional state can be not so great one day, but excellent the next.
What you can do: Count to ten! This will give you time to breathe and get back to being in control of your emotions. But don't be afraid to cry, laugh, or do whatever you feel like to let off steam (when it's appropriate, e.g. not in the middle of a business meeting!).
Changes in Urination
Many women find that they have to urinate more frequently as they get older. Also, the bladder control muscles may weaken from lack of estrogen; and pressure from coughing, sneezing, or lifting can push urine though the weakened muscle. Up to 30% of women in midlife experience stress incontinence — or urine leakages — when coughing, laughing, sneezing, or lifting.
What you can do: Many healthcare professionals recommend women perform pelvic floor muscle exercises, or Kegel exercises, to help strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor. To do these, tighten your pubococcygeus, or "PC" muscles, which are the muscles you would tighten if you were to intentionally stop your urine flow. Tighten and hold these muscles for a count of 10; then relax. Do this ten times, three times a day. Results are typically seen in four to six weeks. Another benefit is that "PC" muscles play a vitally important role in sexual arousal and climax!
Weight Gain and Shift
Most of us put on a few pounds as we age, and more of what we eat turns to fat rather than muscle. This is because of the fluctuation in your hormones. Around the time of menopause, women develop "insulin resistance", making their bodies store fat rather than burn calories. This realignment of weight can make you appear heavier, though you may weigh the same as you always did. The good news is that an extra five pounds or so is good padding for your bones in case of a fall.
What you can do: Try not to step on a scale every day, or sweat every little calorie. If you're overweight, talk to your healthcare provider about setting up a well-balanced diet for this time of life. And exercise, exercise, exercise! Women who are physically active tend to have fewer and less severe hot flashes.
For more information on menopause and treatment options visit www.estroven.com.
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