Nearing your 40’s and having  irregular periods ? You may be transitioning into a new phase biologically. Welcome to the menopause stage. Women in the United States reach their menopause around the age of 50, but due to lifestyle changes and other factors, the average age of menopause is slowly coming down.

All women face menopause in their life – it’s a part of female life. But you have to understand that menopause brings with it a host of other physical, emotional and cognitive symptoms, which if not addressed properly would disturb the internal equilibrium. In order to help you gracefully transition into menopause, we have listed the 10 most significant symptoms of menopause and have also outlined the strategies for handling them:

1. A sudden hot sensation

As menopause sets in, the  estrogen levels  in the blood tend to fall. If the fall is gradual, you will miss the temperature differences, but if it is sudden, you will feel a hot sensation suddenly that will spread from the head to the toe of your body for no reason. This is called “hot flashes”. You can avoid these hot flashes by staying in places where the temperature is cool, and avoid getting tensed or anxious (as these emotions trigger hot flashes). Avoiding foods containing spices and caffeine, not smoking cigarettes and wearing loose clothing would reduce the incidence of hot flashes. Exercising regularly also helps. If you do encounter a hot flash, do  deep breathing exercises , as they always help.

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2. Sweating at night

Night sweats are an extension of the hot flashes but predominantly at night where you feel the intense heat all over your body, and you wake up drenched in your sweat. Sometimes night sweats can be uncomfortable enough to disturb your sleep for the rest of the night. You can avoid this by maintaining adequate ventilation in your bedroom, wearing loose clothes, keeping your ambiance cool, and avoiding a thick mattress and a thick quilt/duvet.

3. Hair fall

The fall in estrogen will impact your hair’s health. Apart from graying, the hair follicles loosen up, making your hair brittle, dry and fall very often. This can be handled by taking proper care of your hair at home, like using egg whites on your hair once a week, as they strengthen your hair follicles. Avoid harsh chemicals and try to use  homemade remedies for hair loss . Avoiding stress will be very effective to control hair fall. Also, eat fish and  fish oil capsules .

4. Mood swings

In the morning you may feel like climbing Mount Everest suddenly followed by a deep sense of worthlessness. On top of that, there will be victims of your temper tantrums at home and office. Your mood will be sandwiched between anxiety and irritation. The  best way to handle mood swings  is to avoid situations that might put you in the position of anxiousness and take adequate vitamins, mainly vitamin B12.

5. Unexplained fatigue

One of the main features of menopause is the onset of unexplained fatigue even for work that was very easy previously. It is mainly due to hormonal imbalances. You can tackle fatigue by following a nutrition-rich diet, doing regular exercise, and having a good night’s sleep every day.

6. Difficulty in remembering things

The cognitive decline associated with menopause will manifest itself as a minor memory loss. You can keep your brain active through regular learning, playing brain games, learning languages, etc.

7. Decreased desire to have sex

The fall in estrogen will lead to a  loss of libido . The best way to handle this is to discuss with your partner about planned regular sex and to treat issues like  vaginal dryness , stress, etc.

8. Irregular and missed periods

As mentioned earlier, irregular and missed periods are indications that you are entering menopause. It just requires physical and mental preparation on your part to handle the irregularities.

9. Sudden weight gain

The hormonal changes you go through during menopause will reflect on your metabolism leading to the accumulation of belly fat.  Try high-intensity interval training  with regular cardio and running for battling this.

10. Unexplained headaches

Women complain of sudden unexplained headaches that require usual analgesics and rest.
Although, if your headaches are more severe, it is advised to visit your physician who might suggest you a hormone replacement therapy to counter the  sudden hormonal imbalances .