These 7 symptoms tell you that you are entering menopause

Women can have signs or symptoms different during the menopause. This is because the estrogen, now produced in smaller quantities, are used for many functions. Some women experiment very mild symptoms which can be easily treated by making small lifestyle changes, such as avoiding caffeine or bringing a portable fan to use when you get hit by a hot flash. Others, on the other hand, require no treatment. Still others finally report more problematic symptoms.

Broadly speaking, symptoms can include various pains, headaches and heart palpitations. Since the symptoms of menopause can be caused by the change in hormone levels, how often you will have hot flashes or other symptoms and how severe they will be is unpredictable. Talk to your doctor if these symptoms interfere with your daily life.

But what can these symptoms be? Here are the most common changes from the age of 45, as reported by the website of the NIH (National Institute on Aging). Warning: some can be triggered byaging and not be directly related to menopause.

Change in the menstrual cycle

This is typically the first red flag: menstrual cycles may no longer be regular, be shorter, or last longer. You may be bleeding more or less than usual. These are all normal changes, but to make sure there are no problems, consult your doctor if: your periods are very close together, you have heavy bleeding, you have spotting episodes, your periods last more than a week or resume after they stop for more than a year.

Flushes

Many women have hot flashes, which can last a few years after menopause. They can be related to the change in estrogen levels. A flush is a sudden sensation of heat in the upper part or throughout the body. The face and neck become red, red spots may appear on the chest, back and arms, followed by heavy sweating and chills. Hot flashes can be very mild or strong enough to wake you up (night sweats). Most hot flashes last between 30 seconds and 10 minutes. They can happen multiple times an hour, a few times a day, or just once or twice a week.

Vaginal health and bladder control

Your vagina may become drier, causing discomfort during sexual intercourse. Or you may have other problems, such as vaginal or bladder infections, with difficulty holding urine long enough to get to the bathroom (incontinence) and episodes of urine leakage during exercise, sneezing, or laughing.

To sleep

With mature age, some women begin to have problems with sleeping at night: they cannot fall asleep easily or wake up too early or because of night sweats, with difficulty falling back asleep.

Sex

You feel less like having sex or, on the contrary, you feel more free and sexy. After a full year without a period, you can no longer get pregnant, but you may still be at risk for sexually transmitted diseases. If so, make sure your partner uses a condom every time you have sex with non-fixed partners.

Mood changes

In the period of menopause, you may feel more moody or irritable. Scientists don’t know why this happens, but it’s possible that stress, family changes, a history of depression, or feelings of fatigue can cause mood swings.

The body looks different

The waistline may widen, lose muscle tone and gain weight. The skin may become thinner, memory problems may arise, and the joints and muscles may appear stiff and sore. Are these changes the result of less estrogen production or are they just related to aging? Experts have not yet found the answer.