Dear Daughters,

Often misinterpreted as a disease, changes after menopause are a natural process that typically occurs in women between 45 and 55 years. The transition of menopause lasts from 2 to 8 years.

Well, the first stage of it is perimenopause, and it happens when a woman’s body produces less estrogen and progesterone. During the whole cycle, irregular periods, and emotional and physical changes are common.

Perimenopause turns into menopause after the one year shut down of the final menstrual period. Since your body is heavily dependent upon the hormones, an unexpected fluctuation in the hormone level shows different changes in your body.

First Change:

The first change you feel is irregular menstruation, and you should start living with it. Monthly periods may be shorter – sometimes longer too. You may encounter occasional spotting and light to heavy bleeding. You shouldn’t get confused that you’re pregnant. Also, if the occasional spotting is visible after 12 months of a missed period, you should see a doctor.

The Second change: 

Furthermore speaking, hot flashes suddenly bring the feeling of heat. In the night, you may sweat heavily. Your body temperature exceeds, which turns your face and neck red. For two years before menopause, women experience hot flashes occasionally. It may last for thirty seconds to 10 minutes.

 

The third change:

Vaginal dryness and vulvar itching are the worst menopause changes you could feel while you’re in menopause. Dryness means your body doesn’t produce moisture around the vagina. You may feel less interested in sexual activity. As a solution, FDA-approved natural lubes should be used while getting intimate.

The Menopausal Switch

Additionally, the pain of itching and burning sensation around the vulva makes you urinate frequently. Even though you don’t have STDs, you feel discomfort during sex. So, if you visit the hospital, your doctor may prescribe a vaginal moisturizer to resolve this problem.

Psychological Changes after Menopause

Talking about psychological changes, you may suffer from mood swings. The decrease of estrogen hormone makes you moody during menopause. If you’re feeling sadness, lack of interest in doing work, fatigue, or anxiety, you should learn to overcome these. Doing yoga, meditation, and listening to music might help you.

The risk of cardiovascular disease increases after menopause. From premenopause to post-menopause, women have three times more risk of heart-related disease. As estrogen is believed to help blood flow, women who smoke and drink regularly should start quitting it after menopause. And those who don’t smoke should focus on a healthy lifestyle and a balanced diet.

Finally, the change can happen in your bones. Your body is more vulnerable to osteoporosis due to a lack of estrogen. If you’re more than 45 years old, your body is already losing bone mass. Similarly, the start of the menopausal phase helps solve this problem.

Strain, back pain, bumps, and fractured bones are common causes of osteoporosis. For the precautions, doctors advise taking sufficient calcium through foods such as milk, fish, cheese, yogurt, and dark green leafy vegetables.

Some may refer to menopausal hormone therapy to treat the problem. However, it can increase the risks of breast cancer, blood pressure, and other severe illnesses.

How Postmenopause Affects The Body

When menopause occurs, it is usually a sudden and unexpected event. However, for some women, it may be a gradual process.

Heart/Cardiovascular System

A healthy heart requires adequate amounts of oxygen to function properly. The blood provides oxygen. When the blood is oxygenated, it can deliver oxygen to the body.

Blood oxygen levels decline with age. In women, this decline occurs after menopause.

With menopause, blood volume decreases and becomes more viscous, and less able to flow.

Bone/Skeletal System

The skeleton is the framework of the body. It is made of bone and cartilage. The skeleton supports the body and helps it move. It is also a storehouse of calcium.

During menopause, the bones become thinner and more fragile.

Menopause also increases the risk of fractures.

Menopause is a risk factor for osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a disease that causes bones to become weak and brittle. This makes them more likely to fracture.

Urinary System

The urinary system consists of the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. The kidneys filter waste products from the blood and produce urine. The ureters carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder. The bladder stores urine. The urethra is the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body.

The amount of urine that a woman produces varies throughout her life. It also varies during the menstrual cycle.

Sexuality

During the menstrual cycle, the hormones estrogen and progesterone help prepare the body for pregnancy. During pregnancy, the hormones relax the muscles, increase blood flow, and cause the vagina to thicken. These changes prepare the body for childbirth.

The decline in estrogen and progesterone after menopause causes these changes to stop. The vaginal muscles weaken, and the vagina thins.

The effects of menopause on the body can affect a woman’s ability to have sexual intercourse.

Conclusion

Menopausal changes, from the physical side, can actually make a woman feel more energetic than ever before. Physical changes can lead to increased energy and strength, which could leave women feeling more confident. From a mental perspective, though, it is hard to say whether women feel better because they are aging, or whether the transition to menopause makes them feel happier.