Signs Of Menopause Starting And What You Can Do

Oprah Winfrey may have had a great show discussing signs of menopause starting on 'how great menopause will be'. But the truth is that menopause means your mid-life has started. Your hair growth on legs slows down, memory starts faltering, skin sags and wisdom sets it - wisdom about realizing the fact that we are sitting on the biggest curves our life throws at us. But remember that mid-life also brings appreciation, and our bodies expand to hold all wisdom and love we have acquired till now. Here are a few pointers about menopause...

What is menopause?

When there is absence of menstrual cycle for a period of 12 months, it signifies the end of menstruation cycle and fertility in a woman. This means that the ovaries have stopped producing eggs and production of hormones like estrogen and progesterone has reduced. While some women feel fine throughout this transition, some women experience hot flushes and mood swings. Menopause occurs after the age of 40, and is marked by stressful symptoms. At this point of time it is important to understand that this is not an illness.

When woman's ovaries produce eggs, it also activates production of estrogen and progesterone. These two hormones are responsible for regulation of menstruation and ovulation. However, when ovarian activity decreases, reduced production of hormones leads to the onset of menopause.

What are the signs of menopause beginning?

Menopause entails many symptoms and some common ones include:

• Irregular menstrual bleeding: In perimenopause hormonal level changes interfere with ovulation. If ovulation doesn't take place, the ovary continues to make estrogen that causes the endometrium layer inside uterus to thicken. This event leads to late menstrual period and is followed by irregular bleeding.


• Hot flushes that are accompanied with night sweat: These are the most common signs of menopause starting. These episodes can happen several times an hour, each lasting for about three to six minutes. It is fully understood why these hot flushes occur, but they happen mostly because of erratic automatic control of our nervous system. This disturbance triggers the skin blood vessels to open, which signal the sweat glands to become active.


• There is vaginal dryness and women experience itching in that area. Some women even get rashes. This is due to lack of oestrogen, which means that glands in your vagina don't produce enough lubrication, causing stinging especially during sex.


• Mood swings: Depression, tiredness, forgetfulness and irritability can be very distressing to you and your family.


• Irregularity in sleep pattern: Sleep disturbances can occur due to restlessness or night time sweat. Women who tend to sweat more often have to change their sheets several times during night.


• Sexual desire lessens: Women often don't feel like having sex, while others may feel that their orgasms are less intense.


• Thinning of hair: Hair thinning can occur both on your head as well as pubic area.


• Breasts lose fullness: Loss of breast fullness is one of the most disturbing signs of menopause. Last year's bra may become loose, and without support your breasts may sag. At the same time you notice more fat in your abdominal region.

Menopause doesn't require any medical therapy. The existing treatments only help alleviating its signs and symptoms. But knowing the signs of menopause starting can help you cope with it.