How to Recognize Symptoms of Menopause

With the approach of menopause, many women will experience physical and emotional changes. Some of these symptoms can be blamed on menopause, while others are just part of the natural aging process.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Evaluate yourself for hot flashes - the feeling of heat washing over your head and upper body, followed by profuse sweating. About 70 to 75 percent of menopausal women experience hot flashes. A warm room, a hot summer day, heavy clothing, and the ingestion of alcohol or hot beverages can all cause hot flashes. Sometimes there is no cause other than changing hormones.

2. Be prepared for your hot flash to last from 2 to 5 minutes.

3. Understand that you may experience night sweats. These are hot flashes that occur when you are sleeping. They are more common than hot flashes during the day.

4. Be prepared for flow, frequency and duration changes in your monthly menses.

5. Expect that you will have headaches, perhaps even an occasional migraine. Hormonal changes, especially low levels of estrogen, may cause vasoconstriction of the blood vessels in your forehead.

6. Accept that you may have unexplained fatigue. Your body is being stressed by the hormonal changes and is using up extra calories and energy.

7. Be prepared for a slight amount of short-term memory loss. Hormones and aging can both cause this.

8. Expect mood shifts. When your hormones are in flux, your moods can be affected.

Tips & Warnings

• For more information about the symptoms of menopause, call the North American Menopause Society at [phone].
• If you have any questions or concerns, contact a physician or other health care professional before engaging in any activity related to health and diet. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.

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