Menopause Body » Menopause Signs

Menopause can affect your mental health

admin — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 01:32:36 +0000

Around the time of menopause, most women are experiencing extra stress in life. They’re juggling raising teenage children, paying for college, career, and caring for their aging parents, and go through hormonal changes. Midlife is often considered a period of increased risk for depression in women. Some women report mood swings, irritability, tearfulness, anxiety, and feelings of despair in the years leading up to menopause.

But the reason for these emotional problems isn’t always clear. Research shows that menopausal symptoms such as sleep problems, hot flashes, night sweats, and fatigue can affect mood and well-being. The drop in estrogen levels during perimenopause and menopause might also affect mood. Or it could be a combination of hormone changes and menopausal symptoms.

But changes in mood also can have causes that are unrelated to menopause. If you are having emotional problems that are interfering with your quality of life, it is important to discuss them with your doctor. Talk openly with your doctor about the other things going on in your life that might be adding to your feelings. Other things that could cause feelings of depression and/or anxiety during menopause include:

Having depression before menopause
Feeling negative about menopause and getting older
Increased stress
Having severe menopausal symptoms
Smoking
Not being physically active
Not being happy in your relationship or not being in a relationship
Not having a job
Not having enough money
Having low self-esteem (how you feel about yourself)
Not having the social support you need
Feeling disappointed that you can’t have children anymore

Source: Womenshealth.gov

Most women don’t need medical treatments during menopause

admin — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 19:19:35 +0000

Under most conditions, menopause is natural. Most women don’t need medical treatments. It happens on its own. However, some women need treatment because the symptoms bother them. Sometimes, though, menopause is medically induced, which means it’s caused by an operation or medication. If so, you should work closely with your doctor to feel comfortable and take good care of your health. Some women worry about menopause, and it can cause uncomfortable symptoms. But there are many ways to treat symptoms and stay active and strong.

Menopause is the point in time when a woman’s menstrual periods stop. Menopause happens because the ovaries stop producing the hormones estrogen and progesterone. Once you have gone through menopause, you can’t get pregnant anymore. Some people call the years leading up to a woman’s last period menopause, but that time actually is the menopausal transition, or perimenopause.

During the time of the menopausal transition (perimenopause), your periods can stop for a while and then start again. Therefore, the only way to know if you have gone through menopause is if you have not had your period for one year. (And it’s not menopause if your periods stop for some other reason, like being sick.) The average age of menopause is 51, but for some women it happens as early as 40 or as late as 55.

After you go through menopause, you are considered in the post-menopausal stage of your life. Your female hormones won’t go up and down the way they used to with your periods. They will stay at very low levels.

Source: Office on Women’s Health

Menopause Night sweats are one of the signs of menopause

admin — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 03:24:13 +0000

Many women notice night sweats in their late 40s. Some women experience it earlier, some later. But most of the night sweats started when a women suddenly wakes up in the middle of the nights and notice even though the air conditioner is on, she’d still be covered in sweat. This and along other symptoms, mark the beginning of the menopause. Many women write that this sudden change make them feel old. They were still young women, and the noticeble menopause symptoms mark the beginning of a changing life.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. Think about the freedom of not having periods for the rest of your life! No more birth controls. Menopause is actually the half way mark in the women’s life. Other than the fact that you no longer can bear children, you still have years ahead of you. Most of today’s women will live 25 to 30 years, a third of their lives, post menopause.

Don’t underestimate the benefit of exercise during menopause

admin — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 19:49:01 +0000

Most women notice menopause symptoms in late 40s. During this time, many women have busy lifestyle with children still in the house and aging parents to take care of. Just remember that maintaining an active lifestyle can lower your risk of early death from a variety of causes and help you maintain a healthy weight. The benefit of exercising is sometimes ignored by people who are busy. It can help with your menopause symptoms.

Regular exercise can also improve your mood and help you sleep better at night. Make an exercise plan and stick to it. It is recommended that older adults do 2.5 hours of moderate aerobic physical activity each week. You can also substitute it for 1.5 hour vigorous aerobic physical exercise. Keeping an active exercise schedule might be easier than you think. Even with busy schedule, most women can find 2 hours each week for themselves.

Some women have symptoms before the start of menopause

admin — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 16:36:10 +0000

Female menopause occurs in women, when they no longer get their period. There is no fixed age for the menopause. It may occur in forties or fifties in women, depending from person to person.

During menopause women undergo a lot of hormonal changes in their body. Some women have symptoms before the start of menopause while others will not have any noticeable changes. Normally during menopause, women have hot flushes especially at night. The body becomes warm and they sweat profusely. Other symptom is vaginal dryness. Doctor will prescribe some lubricants to deal with it. Another symptom is headaches, and depression. They get irritated for no reason at all. Skin become dry and looses its elasticity.

Extra care should be taken by using moisturizers. Women should prepare themselves for menopause. They should remind themselves that they are under going hormonal changes in their body, which causes uneasiness in them.

Women have a tendency to have osteoporosis, in which, their bones become brittle there is a chance of fracturing their bones easily on falling. Calcium supplement is what they need. One should start taking lots of milk once they have the symptoms of menopause.

Menopause and Mental Health

admin — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 19:30:42 +0000

Midlife is often considered a period of increased risk for depression in women. Some women report mood swings, irritability, tearfulness, anxiety, and feelings of despair in the years leading up to menopause. But the reason for these emotional problems isn’t always clear. Research shows that menopausal symptoms such as sleep problems, hot flashes, night sweats, and fatigue can affect mood and well-being. The drop in estrogen levels during perimenopause and menopause might also affect mood. Or it could be a combination of hormone changes and menopausal symptoms.

Having depression before menopause
Feeling negative about menopause and getting older
Increased stress
Having severe menopausal symptoms
Smoking
Not being physically active
Not being happy in your relationship or not being in a relationship
Not having a job
Not having enough money
Having low self-esteem (how you feel about yourself)
Not having the social support you need
Feeling disappointed that you can’t have children anymore

If you need treatment for these symptoms, you and your doctor can work together to find a treatment that is best for you. Depression during perimenopause and menopause is treated in much the same way as depression that strikes at any other time life. If your mood is affecting your quality of life, here are a few things you can do:

Try to get enough sleep. Go to bed and wake up at the same times every day. Keep you room cool and dark. Use your bed only for sleeping and sex. Avoid alcohol, caffeine, large meals, or physical activity before bed.
Engage in physical activity for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week.
Set limits for yourself, and look for positive ways to unwind and ease daily stress. Try relaxation techniques, reading a book, or spending some quiet time outdoors.
Talk to your friends who are in perimenopause or menopause or go to a support group for women who are going through the same thing as you. You also can get counseling to talk through your problems and fears.
Ask your doctor about therapy or medicines. Menopausal hormone therapy can reduce symptoms that might be causing your moodiness. Antidepressants might also help.

Source: http://www.womenshealth.gov/menopause/mental/

What is Menopause?

admin — Fri, 15 May 2009 18:19:25 +0000

Menopause is a normal change in a woman’s life when her period stops. It is often called the “change of life.” During perimenopause, a woman’s body slowly makes less of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. This often happens between the ages of 45 and 55 years old. A woman has reached menopause when she has not had a period for 12 months in a row, and there are no other causes for this change. As you near menopause, you may have symptoms from the changes your body is making. Many women wonder if these changes are normal, and many are confused about how to treat their symptoms. You can feel better by learning all you can about menopause, and talking with your doctor about your health and your symptoms. If you want to treat your symptoms, your doctor can tell you more about your options and help you make the best treatment choices.

Source: Office on Women’s Health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Perimenopause is the time leading up to menopause

megdilts — Thu, 14 May 2009 20:21:14 +0000

Perimenopause is the time leading up to menopause when you start to notice menopause-related changes–plus the year after menopause. Perimenopause is what some people call “being in menopause” or “going through menopause.” But menopause itself is only one day–the day you haven’t had a period for 12 months in a row. During perimenopause, your ovaries start to shut down, making less of certain hormones (estrogen and progesterone), and you begin to lose the ability to become pregnant. This change is a natural part of aging that signals the ending of your reproductive years.

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Sexual Health and Perimenopause

megdilts — Thu, 14 May 2009 20:20:12 +0000

Many aging women enjoy an active sex life. Yet, many women are not aware of their risk of getting sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV. If you have more than one sexual partner or have started a new sexual relationship, talk with your partner about using condoms before having sex. Latex condoms used correctly and every time you have any type of sexual contact offer the best protection against STIs. Dental dams (used for oral sex) and female condoms also can help protect you from some STIs.