How Menopause can affect your daily life

Menopause means different things to different women. Some women welcome the end of monthly turmoil of cramps, bloating, and PMS. Other women would prefer the predictable hassle over hot flashes and insomnia. But menopause is a fact of life, and with it, your life will change in many ways. Not all of these changes are negative, though.

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How menopause changes your life

The significant ways in which menopause affects your life are entirely manageable. Sure, you might need to be a little more mindful, and it may take a minute to wrap your head around what’s happening to your body. But, in the end, this life change called menopause is completely natural, and what your body was designed to do. Here are the ways menopause can change your everyday life.

Workout expectations may be different

Many women find they go a little softer in the middle after estrogen production wanes. You can add miles to your daily speed walk, or run, and even incorporate additional cardio workouts to increase your calorie burn, but that may not help. Change up your workouts. Along with your cardio, which is, after all, excellent for your overall health, introduce some weight training, pilates, and yoga. Not only will your body respond in fantastic ways, as you reshape and tone, but you’ll be building bone-, and muscle-mass, which will help you continue to live a healthy life for many years to come.

Your sex life will change a little bit

Estrogen drop-off causes your vaginal lining to become thinner and drier. This can cause intercourse to become painful. Over the counter lubricants can help. Also, when you’re intimate on a regular basis, you stimulate your vaginal region, which will promote circulation, and help increase your sexual enjoyment.

Your hair may thin

Your crowning glory may become thinner. This is caused not only by a reduction estrogen, but also, owed to the hormone androgen, which the estrogen kept in balance. Hormone replacement therapy will rebalance your androgen and stop the process of thinning hair.

Sleep becomes elusive

Your sleep patterns are disrupted significantly when you enter into menopause. The problem only becomes worse in the later stages. Nearly 50% of women report sleep disruptions in the later years of menopause. Night sweats typically hit in the middle of the night, leave you restless in a tangle of sheets, and wide awake at 3:00 a.m. You may feel especially useless the next day. The best remedy for menopause-related sleep disruption? Workout earlier in the day, put down your tablet, and smartphone at least 2 hours before bedtime, make sure your room is cool, and sip some relaxing herbal tea to soothe you into your night’s sleep. Try going to bed earlier. This may help you add some restful hours onto your night.

Twinges, and pains that were never there before

Some women experience aches and pains as they sail into menopause. Joint pain is reported by as many as 60% of menopausal women. You can attribute the joint pain to the lack of cushioning, that was supported by…you guessed it! Estrogen! One way to help with joint pain is to enjoy an anti-inflammatory diet. Eat less processed, and more whole foods. Kick processed sugar to the curb. Enjoy more fruits and vegetables and lean protein. We can also discuss options for hormone replacement therapy with you.