Nearly nine in ten people who go through menopause experience symptoms (and often many of them at one time). Learn how to find relief.
In most simple terms, menopause is the time when you’ve gone 12 consecutive months without a period. Yet the word “menopause” can mean much more than that: it’s a time that marks a biological transition; a natural sign of getting older; the end of reproductive years.
Essentially, menopause is much more than the end of your periods. A lot is going on in your body during this time—especially with your hormones. Estrogen and progesterone levels decline, and their dip can cause a wide range of physical, emotional, and mental changes known as menopause symptoms.
If you’re experiencing menopause symptoms—especially more than one—you’re not alone. But what exactly should you look out for? How do you know for sure that you’re in menopause (vs. perimenopause)? And is there any way to get relief? Here’s your ultimate guide to menopause symptoms.
What is menopause? Quite literally, menopause is the 12 consecutive months after your last period.
In the years leading up to menopause, your ovaries start producing less estrogen and progesterone . These hormones play a key role in regulating your menstrual cycle—which means when they start to decline, you’ll start to see irregular periods and irregular cycles . This transitional period, which can last anywhere from many months to many years, is called perimenopause .
>>MORE: Perimenopause vs. Menopause: What's the Difference?
Over time, your periods will likely become less and less frequent, until eventually you won’t get them anymore. The 12 months after your last period is menopause.
All of the time after those 12 months is called post-menopause. At this point, your menstrual cycles have completely stopped. Your ovaries aren’t releasing eggs anymore, and therefore it’s not possible to become pregnant naturally. Because your estrogen and progesterone levels are now much lower, you may still experience menopause symptoms for a few years post-menopause, but they generally tend to get better over time.
What are menopause symptoms? Menopause symptoms are a range of physical, mental, and emotional symptoms that occur during this transitional period, most often due to declining levels of estrogen and progesterone. If you experience any of these symptoms, you’re not alone—almost all (85% ) of people who go through menopause report menopause symptoms.
While every person’s experience is unique, there's a common chorus of symptoms that can appear during menopause. You might experience multiple symptoms at once, too. According to one study , participants experienced an average of 10.7 menopause symptoms.
Here are some of the most frequent ones:
Hot flashes: These are the signature signs of menopause, affecting up to 80% of women. They come on suddenly and intensely, causing a wave of heat to flood your upper body, often accompanied by sweating, flushing, and a rapid heartbeat. They can strike at any time, day or night, lasting anywhere from seconds to minutes.Night sweats: These are hot flashes that disrupt your sleep, which can leave you drenched in sweat and in need of a change of pajamas.Vaginal dryness: Vaginal walls can become dry, thin, and even inflamed, making intercourse uncomfortable or even painful.Mood swings: Fluctuations in estrogen can trigger emotional swings, anxiety, irritability, and even symptoms resembling mild depression—up to one-third of people going through menopause report a depressed mood.Sleep disruption: Hot flashes, night sweats, and emotional changes can all contribute to difficulty sleeping.Brain fog: Changes in memory and concentration, like difficulty focusing, forgettingfulness, and trouble recalling words can come from sleep disruption. Joint and muscle pain: Stiffness, aches, and pains in your joints and muscles are a common complaint during menopause.Changes in weight: Menopause can lead to weight gain, especially around the abdomen, due to changes in metabolism and body composition.Changes in libido: Decreased estrogen levels and vaginal dryness can cause a decline in sex drive.Headaches: More frequent or intense headaches can occur during menopause.Hair loss or thinning: You might notice some hair loss or thinning on your scalp, although hair growth can increase on your face and body.Changes in skin: Your skin may become drier, thinner, and lose its elasticity.Urinary tract issues: You may experience increased urinary urgency or frequency, or even mild incontinence.Heart palpitations: Some women experience a fluttering or racing heart sensation during hot flashes.How do you know you're in menopause? If you're experiencing some of these menopause symptoms, you might be in perimenopause or entering menopause. Many perimenopause symptoms are the same as menopause symptoms, which can make it confusing to figure out what stage you’re in—but there’s a key difference.
In perimenopause, you can still get pregnant. In menopause, you’re no longer ovulating, so you no longer can get pregnant.
So, how can you tell if you’re in menopause? You’ll need to focus on what’s going on inside your body:
Track your cycle: Keeping a menstrual calendar can help you identify changes in your period patterns, such as irregular bleeding, skipped periods, or heavier or lighter flow.Hormone testing: Testing your hormone levels over time can help you understand trends in your hormone decline—specifically estrogen and progesterone—and confirm whether you’re still ovulating or not.The Oova perimenopause kit allows you to track key perimenopause and menopause hormones (estrogen, progesterone, and luteinizing hormone) from the comfort of your own home. You’ll get insights into how your body is changing over time and get confirmation on whether you’re still ovulating—and therefore, whether you’re still in perimenopause.
Menopause risks Menopause itself isn’t a disease, and it’s a very natural part of getting older. However, the hormonal changes during this transition can do more than cause menopause symptoms. There are some health conditions to be aware of:
Osteoporosis: Decreased estrogen levels weaken bones, making them more susceptible to fractures.Heart disease: Estrogen often offers a protective effect against heart disease in women. When estrogen levels decline because of perimenopause and menopause, the risk of cardiovascular disease increases. Breast cancer: Menopause doesn’t directly cause any cancer, yet there is an increased risk of breast cancer with age. This is because longer exposure to estrogen increases risk of cancer; women who experience menopause after the age of 55 are at higher risk of ovarian, breast, and uterine cancers.Menopause symptoms: hormonal and non-hormonal treatment Menopause symptoms can range from frustrating to debilitating—and no matter what you’re facing, there are options for treatment that can improve your quality of life.
Hormonal treatment Because many menopause symptoms are caused by declining levels of estrogen and progesterone, hormone replacement therapy can help improve symptoms. This therapy replaces the declining levels of estrogen and progesterone. It comes in various forms, including pills, patches, and creams.
Hormone replacement therapy is often most successful in alleviating hot flashes, night sweats, and vaginal dryness.
However, hormone replacement therapy comes with its own risks, ranging from blood clots to strokes. It’s important to discuss your individual health profile with a professional to review your risk factors and understand if hormone replacement therapy is the right option for you.
Non-hormonal treatment If hormonal therapy isn’t an option, or you’d like to try a natural approach, there are various lifestyle changes and adjustments you can make to management symptoms.
Diet: Limiting foods that can exacerbate hot flashes like caffeine, alcohol, and spicy foods, can help make these symptoms less severe. Plant-based diets that minimize oil and specifically increase soybean intake have also been proven to reduce the frequency and severity of symptoms. Exercise: Studies show that physical activity can decrease the severity of menopause symptoms. Regular aerobic exercise, like running and swimming, and low-intensity exercise like yoga can help with hot flashes and night sweats. Stress management: Stress can exacerbate menopause symptoms. Practices like yoga, meditation, and deep breathing can help you manage stress, find inner calm, and reduce the severity of symptoms.Sleep hygiene: Establishing a regular sleep schedule, creating a relaxing bedtime routine, and maintaining a cool bedroom temperature can all contribute to better sleep during menopause.Supplements: Certain supplements like black cohosh, red clover, and vitamin D may offer some relief from hot flashes and other symptoms. However, it's important to talk to your doctor before starting any supplements, as they can interact with medications you're already taking. (Learn what perimenopause vitamins help relieve specific symptoms.)Menopause symptoms: the bottom line Menopause, or the 12 months since your last period, is a time of a lot of changes in your body—especially hormonal changes that can wreak havoc on your body. Dealing with menopause symptoms can be frustrating, confusing, challenging, and even emotional.
Yet while menopause is a significant transition in a person’s life, it doesn’t have to define your everyday life. With knowledge, open communication with health professionals, and care for your health, you can navigate this stage—and your menopause symptoms—with confidence and empowerment.
