Navigating the Menopausal Transition
Did you know the average age of natural menopause (i.e., 12 months after the final menstrual period) in the United States is 52 years? However, various demographic reproductive, genetic, and lifestyle factors may impact the age at which menopause occurs.
The menopausal transition, the stage leading to the final menstrual period, is marked by increased variability in menstrual cycle length and hormonal fluctuations. Menopausal symptoms are likely to occur during this stage, which can begin anywhere between 4-10 years before the final period, which means some women could potentially begin experiencing symptoms as early in their late 30s!
How do you know if you are in the menopausal transition?
Some of the most common symptoms include:
- Menstrual cycle irregularity (persistent difference of 7+ days in the length of consecutive cycles)
- Hot flashes and night sweats
- Sleep disturbances
- Mood changes
- Weight gain, especially around the midsection
- Brain fog and cognitive changes
- Genitourinary symptoms (e.g., vaginal dryness, irritation, urinary frequency)
- Low sex drive
- Joint pain
As the estrogen produced by your ovaries declines during the menopausal transition, your risks for osteoporosis, high cholesterol, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases increase. This makes the menopausal transition the optimal time to start making healthy lifestyle changes.
How can you treat your menopause symptoms?
There are some common methods to address your symptoms and lower your risk of developing chronic health conditions as you go through menopause.
- Start by discussing your symptoms with a certified menopause practitioner near you.
- Talk to your certified menopause practitioner about hormonal and non-hormonal prescription options to treat some of your symptoms:
- Systemic menopause hormone therapy (pills, patches, sprays, gels, vaginal ring)
- Local low-dose vaginal estrogen therapy
- Neurokinin-3 receptor antagonist (fezolinetant)
- Serotonin-Selective Reuptake Inhibitors and Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs/SSNIs)
- Gabapentin
- Cognitive behavioral therapy has been shown to improve sleep and stress.
- Lower the thermostat at night and sleep with minimal bedding—and avoid alcoholic beverages close to bedtime because alcohol can worsen night sweats.
- Eat more fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and complex carbohydrates.
- Reduce your consumption of processed foods, simple carbohydrates, saturated fat, and alcohol.
- Increase aerobic physical activity to 30 minutes at least 5 times per week (but not close to bedtime).
- Strength training / weight-bearing exercises 2-3 times per week can help preserve muscle and bone mass as you age.
- Stop smoking, vaping, or using any other nicotine-containing products.
Things to Know About Menopause
- Hormone levels fluctuate so testing is not very reliable or recommended to guide menopause staging or treatment.
- Several treatments recommended in the media are not FDA approved (such as hormone pellets, custom compounded hormones, and “natural” products/ supplements) nor have they been found to be safe and/or effective—these should be discussed with your menopause certified clinician before taking.
More Articles
What Women Need to Know about Breast Cancer Screening with MRI
When actress Olivia Munn announced on Instagram that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer, her story quickly took over social media. The diagnosis was a surprise to many, but just as surprising was the method by which her doctor arrived at the diagnosis.
Women's Heart Health Part 1: What to Know about Women and Heart Disease across the Lifespan
Heart disease is the leading cause of death among American women. Most research that has guided heart disease treatment comes from studies of men. However, growing research over the past several decades has shown us that women have unique experiences related to heart disease.
The Gut-Brain Connection: How Stress and Sleep Impact Your Gut
Have you ever had “butterflies” in your stomach before a big event? Or felt your stomach churn when you’re anxious? That’s because your gut and brain are constantly communicating.
Search Healthy Living
Keyword
Become A Member
Have a health-related topic you'd like to cover? Members can submit Healthy Living articles for consideration!