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.

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.

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

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/

• 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity

  or

• 1 hour and 15 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity

  or

• A combination of moderate and vigorous aerobic activity

  and

• Muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days of the week

If you are not active, ask your doctor what’s okay for you. Activity is important for everyone.

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

• Change in pattern of periods (They can be shorter or longer, lighter or heavier, or there may be more or less time between periods.)
• Hot flashes (sometimes called hot flushes), night sweats (sometimes followed by a chill)
• Trouble sleeping through the night (with or without night sweats)
• Vaginal dryness
• Mood swings, feeling crabby, or crying spells
• Trouble focusing, “fuzzy thinking,” or forgetfulness
• Hair loss or thinning on your head or more hair growth on your face

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

Menopause is sometimes called, “the change of life.” In the years leading up to menopause, a woman’s ovaries slowly make less and less of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. You might not be aware of the changes happening in your body. Or, you might have symptoms as you near menopause. Many women wonder if these symptoms are normal, and many are confused about how to treat their symptoms.

You will feel better by learning all you can about menopause and talking with your doctor about your health and your symptoms. If your symptoms are causing you discomfort or concern, your doctor can teach you about treatment options and help you to make wise choices.

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

1. Premenopause — refers to the entirety of a woman’s life from her first to her last regular menstrual period. It is best defined as a time of “normal” reproductive function in a woman.
2. Perimenopause — means “around menopause” and is a transitional stage of two to ten years before complete cessation of the menstrual period and is usually experienced by women from 35 to 50 years of age. This stage of menopause is characterized by hormone fluctuations, which cause the typical menopause symptoms, such as hot flashes.
3. Menopause — represents the end stage of a natural transition in a woman’s reproductive life. Menopause is the point at which estrogen and progesterone production decreases permanently to very low levels. The ovaries stop producing eggs and a woman is no longer able to get pregnant naturally.
4. Postmenopause — refers to a woman’s time of life after menopause has occurred. It is generally believed that the postmenopausal phase begins when 12 full months have passed since the last menstrual period. From here a woman will be postmenopausal for the rest of her life.

Some women go through menopause before the age of 40. This is called premature menopause. It can happen naturally or as a result of certain medical treatments.

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

Most of today’s women will live 25 to 30 years — one-third of their lives — after menopause. An understanding of the body’s changes during this phase of life can ease the transition, and equally important, better prepare you to safeguard your health during your later years. There are many different considerations a woman needs to take as she approaches menopause. Specific treatment for menopausal symptoms will be determined by your doctor based on:

• Your age, overall health, and medical history
• Current symptoms
• Your tolerance for specific medications, procedures, or therapies
• Your opinion or preference

Today, women entering menopause are healthier, feel younger than their years, and lead more active lives and careers than previous generations. Despite the problems menopause may bring, the years afterward are the most productive and satisfying for many women.

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