You have reached menopause if it has been one year since your final menstrual period. The hormonal shifts that take place around this time cause a variety of symptoms, with hot flashes, night sweats, and difficulty sleeping ranking among the most common.
This article will explore the stages of menopause, and what side effects to expect as you move through this natural process.
What Is Menopause?
Menopause is the natural process that occurs in the body as a woman reaches the end of her reproductive years. As we age, all sorts of hormone levels begin to drop—both for men and for women.
In women particularly, menopause occurs when your ovaries stop making estrogen and your progesterone levels drop. Without these hormones, you stop menstruating and are no longer able to become pregnant.
Menopause usually occurs around age 51, but can happen anywhere between the ages of 45 and 55. In some cases, menopause can occur earlier or later and can be influenced by external factors, like certain surgeries or medications. For example, chemotherapy and other cancer treatments can sometimes make you enter menopause early and suddenly.
You have officially reached menopause when you have gone 12 months without having a period. Your period doesn’t usually stop suddenly. You will notice gradual changes in your body as hormone production slows, so there are several stages of menopause.
Side Effects and Symptoms
Just like during puberty, the shift in reproductive hormones that occurs during the stages of menopause can trigger all kinds of symptoms. Not everyone has symptoms during menopause, but about 85% of women experience some level of menopause symptoms by the end of the process.
Perimenopause: This is usually a three- to five-year period before menopause when your estrogen and other hormone levels begin to drop. You can still get pregnant during this period, and you may experience irregular periods or other symptoms of menopause. Early menopause: This is the name given to the sudden or early menopause some women may face. This stage can occur at any age and is usually the result of medication, procedures like the removal of your uterus (hysterectomy) or ovaries (oophorectomy), or a condition called premature ovarian failure. Menopause: This is the period that begins 12 months after your last menstrual period. As your body adjusts to the lack of reproductive hormones, you can experience a variety of symptoms. This process usually begins around age 51, and can take one to three years. Postmenopause: This is the period generally a year or more after your last period, typically once you have adjusted to the drop in reproductive hormones.
Vasomotor symptoms are most common, and these happen when your blood vessels change in diameter. Below is a list of the most common symptoms reported during menopause and what to expect from each.
Irregular Periods
Hormones control the timing and function of your reproductive cycle. As these hormone levels naturally drop, changes in your menstrual cycle may be one of the first things you notice.
Some changes you may notice to your monthly period include:
Having your periods close together Heavy bleeding Spotting between periods Bleeding that lasts for more than a week Less frequent periods, you may have months between them
Vaginal Dryness
During menopause, the lining of your vagina may become thinner, dryer, and less stretchy. This can lead to uncomfortable vaginal dryness, painful sex, and even an increase in the risk of sexually transmitted infections due to small tears in the vaginal wall. About 13% of women experience this symptom during menopause.
Hot Flashes
Dropping estrogen levels are likely to blame for hot flashes—one of the most common and notorious symptoms of menopause. An estimated 40% of women experience hot flashes during menopause.
This symptom appears as a sudden feeling of heat, either in the upper body or all over your body. You may also notice red blotches on your skin, heavy sweating, or even shivering during a hot flash. Hot flashes usually last between 30 seconds and 10 minutes and can happen as little as once a week, or as often as a few times each hour.
Night Sweats and insomnia
Night sweats actually fall into the category of hot flashes. These hot flashes can be mild and you may only notice them when you wake up sweaty. They can also be severe, waking you from your sleep.
Night sweats aren’t the only thing to disrupt your sleep during menopause. Many women report sleep problems during menopause, such as having trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, waking during the night, or staying awake. Roughly 16% of women report some form of sleep disruption during menopause.
Weight Gain
Weight gain can happen during menopause for a variety of reasons. Aging can slow your activity levels, and other mood and sleep changes from menopause don’t help.
Hormones also play a role in your metabolism and activity levels, making weight gain easier. Additionally, your waist may change shape, your bones can lose density and become weaker, and you may begin to lose muscle. About 12% of women report weight gain as a symptom of menopause.
Mood changes
The hormonal shifts that occur during menopause can have a big impact on your mood. This can be in part due to the stress and frustration of dealing with symptoms like insomnia or hot flashes. Roughly 12% of women report mood changes during menopause, and the risk is usually higher among women with a history of depression or other mental health problems.
You may also notice changes in your sexual desire or performance. Some women report an increase in sexual desire, but others may find less interest or pleasure in sex. Lubricants, extra time for arousal, and even masturbation may help, as these increase lubrication and circulation in vaginal tissues creating a protective effect.
Headaches
Hormonal shifts are a common cause of headaches before, during, and after menopause. Estrogen is usually blamed for headaches during menopause, but not everyone experiences increased headaches during this period. One study found that 24.4% of women reported an improvement in their headaches during menopause, while 35.7% reported worse headaches.
Diagnosis
Menopause is usually diagnosed with just a review of your symptoms, and your personal and family health history. In some cases—especially when menopause symptoms begin suddenly or unexpectedly—healthcare providers may suggest hormone testing using your blood or urine.
Treatments
There are many ways to tackle the symptoms of menopause, from homeopathic or natural remedies to prescription medications and hormone therapy. Menopause does not necessarily require medical treatment. Talk to your healthcare provider about which option is right for you.
Medication
Most of the medications used to treat menopause are hormone therapies that artificially replace the activity of estrogen and progesterone. There are risks to these therapies, though. Risks and side effects of hormonal therapy can include:
Blood clots Headaches Bloating Heart disease Increased risk of certain cancers
Other options include medications like:
SSRIs/SNRIs gabapentin pregabalin clonidine
Home Remedies
There are a number of natural, homeopathic, herbal, and home remedies that are used to manage the symptoms of menopause, but clinical guidelines usually stress that there is a lack of data to support these therapies.
Still, some options for home or herbal remedies of menopause symptoms may include things like:
Black cohosh Omega-3-fatty acids Red clover Vitamin E Acupuncture Soy Mind/body therapies like yoga or meditation
Lifestyle Changes
As with other periods in life, lifestyle changes can go a long way toward helping you deal with the symptoms of menopause. This can include changes like:
Quitting smokingLimiting alcoholMaintaining a healthy weightRegular exercise
A Word From Verywell
Menopause can be a challenging time, both emotionally and physically. As your body changes, you experience things like sweating, hot flashes, and insomnia. Alongside this, you are dealing with the other realities of getting older, like decreased energy level and sexual desire, as well as coping with the loss of your fertility.
You don’t have to treat menopause medically, but your doctor can help you find ways to ease your symptoms and cope with the emotions that come with this transition. Remember, menopause is a natural event for women, and most will experience some degree of symptoms.
