Menopause is a major life changing event.

Menopause is a major life changing event that marks the end of fertility in a woman’s body.  Menopause marks the spot when menstruation comes to a halt and the ability to conceive stops.  During the time leading up to menopause and throughout, hormone production slows causing women to experience a wide variety of symptoms. 

According to the North American Menopause Society or NAMS, menopause occurs on average at the age of 51 and there is nothing that can be done to prevent it.  It is a natural occurring process in the life of a woman.  Nearly 6,500 women reach menopause on a daily basis in the United States and the number continues to rise as the population grows. 

The most common symptoms of menopause include the following:

• Hot flashes
• Mood swings
• Sleep disturbances
• Loss of menstruation

Hot flashes are the most common symptom of menopause in women health.  Due to hormonal changes in the body, blood vessels begin to dilate in order to attempt to keep the body cool.  Women often become flushed and begin to sweat during a hot flash episode.  During a hot flash a woman’s heart rate may increase causing shortness of breath.

It is not uncommon to experience irritability and mood swings during menopause.  Feeling hot and overwhelmed can cause some of the mood swings and bouts with irritability.  Also, women who do not get enough rest at night and wake up tired often have a higher rate of irritability. Learn how to survive hot flashes without killing someone.

Bouts of sleep disturbances and insomnia are common during menopause.  Women may wake up several times throughout the night due in part because of the hot flash episodes that may occur.  In some cases, there may be a difficulty in falling asleep.  The fluctuation in hormones may cause these sleep disturbances.  Avoiding excessive amounts of caffeine throughout the day may help with the bouts of insomnia. 

Loss of menstruation is one of the most noticeable symptoms of menopause.   If a woman has gone a year without visible signs of a period and has reached menopausal age then it is safe to say that the woman has reached menopause.  Irregular periods are common as menopause impends and is typically common in women over the age of 50. 

How to curb the symptoms of menopause

The goal of nearly every maturing woman is to learn the secret of eliminating menopausal symptoms.  Crankiness and irritability accompanied with hot flash episodes makes one miserable and difficult to be around.  For the sake of your own sanity and that of your family members it is important to learn what can be done to curb these inevitable symptoms.

Regulate the mood swings

Mood swings and irritability can be regulated through diet and exercise.  A healthy diet plan free from refined sugars, high sodium and greasy fats helps the overall body which in turn helps the overall mind.  The days should be balanced with healthy food and a regular exercise program.  Getting at least eight hours of sleep each night will help you awake refreshed and ready for the day. 

As always, if the symptoms become unmanageable at home it is wise to seek the advice of your health care provider.  Natural remedies and prescriptions drugs are available in the event that changes in the diet are not enough.

Fight the hot flashes

Hot flashes are about as fun as a punch in the face, but the good news is there is some practical things at home you can do to eliminate the impact.  Deep and slow breaths can help cool the body down.  Combine the deep breathing techniques with a cooler thermostat and you will have a match made in heaven.  Wearing lighter and more airy clothing also keeps the hot flash episodes at bay.

Remain intimate

Just because you are going through menopause does not mean that sexual intimacy must end.  Many women carry on a normal and healthy sex life well into their golden years.  The body does change throughout menopause and a lot of times female dryness may occur.  Coconut oil is recommended as a natural remedy for dryness. 

Coconut oil smells wonderful and can be used as a body massage oil if kept at room temperature.  Many couples utilize fresh oils during intimacy to spice things up.