This article is from the WebMD Feature Archive
It's Not Your Mother's Menopause
"The Change" has changed.
The symptoms of menopause, including hot flashes and loss of libido, are still the same, but today's women are taking a modern approach to menopause. Forget the embarrassment -- they're heading in droves to see Menopause: The Musical and joining the Red Hot Mamas. And they're approaching life during and after menopause with optimism and determination.
Understanding Menopause -- the Basics
Menopause simply means the end of menstruation. As a woman ages, there is a gradual decline in the function of her ovaries and the production of estrogen. Around the time a woman turns 40, this process speeds up. This transition is known as perimenopause. Women typically menstruate for the last time at about 50 years of age. A few stop menstruating as young as 40, and a very small percentage as late as 60. Women who smoke tend to go through menopause a few years earlier than nonsmokers. Most women...
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"Women are becoming more accepting of the physical and emotional challenges that are associated with menopause and accepting them as natural transitional changes," says Karen Giblin, founder and president of Red Hot Mamas. "They're focusing on feeling good and looking at menopause more positively."
And by uniting with one another, talking about what they've learned, women are now sharing their wisdom of menopause, from coping with symptoms to changing their lives.
Those Famous Menopause Symptoms
Menopause: Technically it means the absence of a menstrual period for one year. But the term is often used to describe the changes taking place in a woman's body as she approaches the end of her reproductive years. Every woman goes through menopause differently. Experts estimate that roughly 75% of the female population reports experiencing some symptoms of menopause and 20% to 25% of women ultimately seek medical treatment for those symptoms.
Yet signs of menopause often begin far sooner, during perimenopause, a phase preceding menopause that can last for up to 10 years.
"For many women, perimenopause is much harder than menopause," says JoAnn Pinkerton, MD, medical director of the Midlife Health Center and professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville. "Because it is not well described, people are not expecting it. And symptoms vary from month to month, so it's hard to get a handle on it."
Due to the fluctuations of estrogen and testosterone taking place during perimenopause and menopause, women may experience a wide range of symptoms, including:
- Irregular periods
- Heavy bleeding
- Worsening premenstrual syndrome
- Sleep problems
- Hot flashes
- Vaginal dryness
- Loss of libido
Over time, lower circulating levels of estrogen in the body also can have negative effects on the cardiovascular system and bone density.
Managing Menopause Symptoms: Lifestyle Changes
"Most women are caretaking for other people, including teenagers and aging parents, and they may be working from home or the office," Pinkerton tells WebMD. "They stop putting themselves first. They're not exercising, they're stress eating, and they're not getting adequate amounts of sleep, all of which make it more difficult to go through this process."
But here's the good news: There are many things you can do to improve symptoms -- during and after menopause -- including exercising, eating right, and getting enough sleep.
For example, regular, weight-bearing cardiovascular exercise, such as walking and jogging, can protect your cardiovascular and bone health. Add some strength training to regular aerobic exercise and get an even greater boost in bone protection. Exercising in the morning and engaging in stress-reduction activities like yoga and Pilates may help you sleep better, too.
Today in Menopause
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