Menopause marks the end of a woman’s menstrual cycle. A commonly talked about symptom is hot flashes. Women may wake up in a sweat in the middle of the night. Or they may want to kick on the AC, even in the dead of winter. However, there are other lesser-known symptoms of this rite of passage. Are you familiar with the following four surprising symptoms of menopause and how to treat them? Read on to learn more!
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1. Weight Gain
As if slowing metabolism that comes with aging isn’t enough, women must face weight gain associated with menopause. According to the Mayo Clinic, the weight women gain during this time will most likely appear around the abdomen. This is especially true if your relatives carry their weight around the stomach area.
Besides aging and genetics, other factors can contribute to weight gain during menopause, including eating processed foods, sweets, and carbohydrates. If you don’t get enough sleep at night, you’re liable to snack on unhealthy foods during the day, causing weight gain. This happens because sleep deprivation disrupts the balance of hunger hormones, making you crave high-calorie snacks for a quick energy boost.
Weight gain during menopause, especially around your abdomen, can cause serious problems, like breathing issues, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. In fact, extra weight is connected to cancers like breast, endometrial, and colon cancer.
However, you don’t have to gain weight during menopause. As you age and your metabolism begins to shrink, pay special attention to the foods you eat. Choose healthy fruits and vegetables, whole wheat grains, and lean meats, and eat smaller meals. Utilize supplements like probiotics for women to help with regular bowel movements. Most people become less active as they get older. However, increasing your activity level can help you maintain or even lose weight.
2. Sleep Issues
You may be surprised to learn that sleep issues are common during menopause. The issues may actually start during perimenopause, the time leading up to menopause. Unfortunately, poor sleep may last throughout the transition and even after menopause.
It may seem like hot flashes wake you during the night, but actually women will wake just before it occurs. Changes in the brain that trigger the hot flash are typically what wake you. Even if you don’t experience hot flashes, you may still wake up during the night.
The loss of reproductive hormones has been linked to the development of sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea. In fact, after experiencing menopause, women are at least two times more likely to have sleep apnea. Unfortunately, it often goes undiagnosed because its symptoms are attributed to menopause. Anxiety and depression during menopause could also cause sleep problems.
Thankfully, it’s not all bad news. You can get better sleep during the change of life. Be sure to stay active during the day. Take the stairs, go for a brisk walk, or go swimming. Adding exercise to your daily routine will help with your nightly one. And you should have a nightly routine! Shut off electronics an hour before bed. Wind down with a book or a bath. Go to bed around the same time every night, even on weekends and holidays. This helps your body know when it’s time to sleep.
3. Psychological Concerns
Do you have trouble finding the word you’re looking for even though it’s on the tip of your tongue? Are you suddenly very irritable, snapping at family members for no reason? Has your self-esteem taken a turn for the worse? You could be entering menopause.
Menopausal symptoms aren’t just physical. You may experience psychological symptoms, as well, including anxiety, stress, or depression. Hormonal changes have been linked with mood changes throughout a woman’s life. Consider premenstrual syndrome and postpartum depression, both of which are the result of hormones.
Women who have struggled with their mental health in the past are more likely to develop depression or anxiety with menopause. In fact, for those women, the chances of developing depression doubles during menopause.
Treatments for psychological problems associated with this midlife condition exist. Options include counseling, cognitive behavioral therapy, hormone replacement therapy, and mindful meditation. You may also find that simple lifestyle changes help, like eating balanced meals and exercising.
4. Hair Loss
If your hair is falling out in large clumps when you shower or brush it, you may be going through menopause. Women don’t often experience bald spots like men do. Instead, they may have thinning hair in the front, top, and sides of the head. On the other hand, menopausal hormonal changes can cause hair growth on the chin and “peach fuzz” on the cheeks.
There are other factors that may be causing hair loss. High stress levels, missing nutrients, or illness can also make your hair thin. Talk to your doctor if your hair has begun falling out. They can conduct blood tests to determine if other causes of hair loss, such as thyroid problems, are the culprit.
You may be concerned about the appearance of your hair, but there are steps you can take to help matters. Try slow, measured breathing or yoga to help reduce stress. These exercises also assist with other menopausal symptoms, such as mood swings and anxiety caused by reduced estrogen production.
What you eat can also help with hair growth. Of course, you want to eat well-balanced healthy meals. Be sure to add mono-saturated oils in your diet, including olive or sesame oils. You can also help get your hair growing again with green tea and supplements like B6 and folic acid. Ensure you’re consuming essential fatty acids by eating foods like nuts and fish.
Menopause Symptoms
Don’t be surprised by the approach of menopause. Be prepared by knowing the signs and symptoms. Don’t just accept the onslaught of problems, but rather, take action. You are in control of your body. There are steps you can take to get the train that is menopause back on the tracks and your life back in order.