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Menopause-an end or a new beginning

Periods are an inevitable part of a woman’s life. An average woman menstruates from the age of 13 up to 51, almost for 3-7 days in a month. She can lose anywhere from about 30-72ml in this duration. 

If you ask me, I would say it will be outstanding when it gets over. I would have so much time and way fewer reasons for my tension. But everything in a woman’s life comes with consequences, and so does menopause. 

It is that part of the woman’s life that marks the end of the menstrual cycle. It marks the end of the fertility phase in her. If you do not menstruate for 12 months after your last period then that marks your menopause. It is usually seen in women who are 45+ and the median for this is 51 years. Most of them experience a few symptoms when this phase is near or when they have already reached their menopause.

Symptoms of menopause

clock-and-calender

1. Hot flashes and night sweats

Most women undergoing menopause might suddenly feel hot. It could last for a few seconds to even a few minutes. The warmth can even lead to redness on the back, chest, and face. These red blotches usually fade soon after the hot flashes are gone. They may sometimes lead to night sweats and can wake you up from a deep sleep. 

How to deal with it?

Cold packs solve your hot flashes. Keep one under the pillow and just flip your pillow whenever you feel too hot, or keep it under your feet. Drink water throughout the night. Maintain the temperature of your room to cooler than usual, in case you get up in the middle of the night because of night sweats. Wear comfy clothes made of cotton that absorb sweat and don’t irritate the skin. 

2. Mood swings

The estrogen level in the body transforms at the time of menopause. This might lead to serious mood swings. Any insignificant thing can cause your mood to fluctuate. Menopause can cause severe irritability and can seriously mess up the human brain. 

How to deal with it?

Deep breathing exercises, yoga, meditation can be helpful to deal with anxiety and fatigue. Sometimes the mind just needs a few seconds to relax. Close your eyes and concentrate on the breath and you will start feeling better. Consulting a doctor who can then prescribe you anti-depressants is also useful in serious cases. 

3. Sleeplessness

The erratic hormone levels also mess up with the body clock. The decline in estrogen levels in the body can cause hot flashes and disrupt a good night’s sleep. Alcohol and caffeine intake before bedtime is never a good idea.

girl-in-pian

How to deal with it?

Calming blends of oil can be used to diffuse in the room where you sleep. Sipping chamomile tea is helpful to calm the body and give a good night’s sleep. Create an environment that is inviting and calming. Dim lights and a cozy bed should do the trick. 

4. Weight gain

Menopause can surely mess up the metabolism of the woman. Along with the hormonal changes that the body is going through, this slowed-down metabolism could lead to a drastic increase in the weight of an individual. Certain areas of the body such as the abdomen, thighs and hips are more prone to deposition of fat. However, you shouldn’t just go around blaming the menopause for the extra inches added to your waistline. Lifestyle choices made by you in the later part of your life are equally responsible for the extra kgs that you see on your weighing scale. 

How to deal with it?

Consume healthy fat free food. Include a lot of fruits and vegetables in the diet. Be conscious of what you eat and how much you eat. 

5. Vaginal health

Menopause can cause the tissues of your reproductive system to change. The vagina may become drier. The sexual desire may reduce significantly or you might feel even sexier after menopause.   

How to deal with it?

We can easily solve vaginal dryness with the help of vaginal moisturizers or lubricants. Work on the sexual drive by trying something new. Sex should not be forgotten since it helps in maintaining blood flow and vaginal hygiene. 

Along with the above symptoms, there are other symptoms such as headaches, pains, frequent urination, etc which a woman may or may not suffer from. 

Stages of menopause

1. Perimenopause (when the body begins transition)

It is that phase in a woman’s life when she starts experiencing symptoms of menopause. This stage occurs when the body adapts changes that eventually lead to permanent infertility or menopause. The ovaries stop producing eggs and lower the production of estrogen. Your periods may become erratic. They may be longer, shorter, heavier, lighter, more frequent or delayed. 

2. Menopause

When a woman goes twelve consecutive months without having periods it is referred to as menopause. The female is no longer fertile and can’t get pregnant. Even then, it is suggested to use condoms while having sex, as it reduces the chances of transmission of STDs (sexually transmitted diseases) in people who have sex with multiple partners or which one who in turn has multiple partners. 

3. Postmenopause

This is the phase where symptoms of menopause slowly start to fade and women start to see normalcy in their life in terms of their body changes. The fall in the hormone levels in the body can lead to an increased risk of heart diseases, osteoporosis, etc.  

Considering all the symptoms and changes that a woman has to go through mentioned-below is a list of ways to deal with the same. 

Ways to deal with menopause

1. Increase your calcium and vitamin intake

calcium-food

Changes in the level of hormones in the body can lead to weak bones. In order to avoid discomfort and fractures, one should have an adequate amount of calcium and vitamin-D in their diet. This will let them have strong bones and avoid fractures or injuries of any sort. 

2. Make workout a part of your daily regime

Getting overweight is one of the symptoms of menopause. Working out and keep a tab on the weight can be very helpful in staying fit. Exercising helps in calming the brain and relieving the anxiety built up in the individual. 

3. Calming blends for the diffuser and tea

Diffusing a blend of lavender essential oil in the bedroom at night or using a pillow spray with essential oils should help with sleeping problems. Chamomile tea is also known to ease and the brain and help with disturbed sleep. 

4. Consume foods rich in phytoestrogen

Since the body gets devoid of natural estrogens produced by the body, artificially inducing estrogens in the form of food helps replenish the lack of it. Therefore, eating foods rich in phytoestrogen such as legumes, fruits, vegetables, and soy chunks, etc.

5. Avoid caffeine and alcohol consumption

Caffeine and alcohol can mess up a person’s body functions. They can trigger hot flashes. Replace your glass of wine that you drink before bed with a glass of warm milk. 

Avoid-alcohol

Menopause is the end of the fertile phase of your life, but it shouldn’t be seen as the end of fun in your life. Rather, women should feel freer and sexier than ever with the baggage of periods being gone for good. You must have spent your entire life worrying and caring about others and not so much about yourself. Treat this part of your life as your time for self-care and enjoyment. 

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