Natural Wellbeing Blog

When you were young, your parents or teachers probably gave you “the talk” about changes your body would experience. But as women continue to age, a sudden onslaught of symptoms warrants a second talk…about menopause. Your periods stop, but they’re quickly replaced with some unpleasant signs—hot flashes, mood swings and low libido, to name a few.

Menopause is a reality for all women. Although the age you begin your transition and the symptoms you have might differ from your family and friends, menopause is a shared experience that’s more understood now than ever before. During this time, it’s important that you take time to take care of your body and mind. Exercise, get sleep, eat healthily and spend time destressing to help make all your symptoms easier to manage and mitigate the potential for health risks, chronic stress, anxiety or depression.

Menopause is not only a transition that comes with frustrating side effects like insomnia or hot flashes. The changes your body experiences during menopause may also increase your risk for severe health problems that you’ll need to watch out for as you age. One of these health risks is heart disease.

Many people are familiar with that bleary “Monday-at-2 PM” feeling; you’re sluggish, your thoughts are at half-speed, your to-do list looms, and you’ve just realized you forgot to answer an important email last week. It’s tough to stay organized when you just don’t feel with it. Brain fog can be all this and more: mental fuzziness, forgetfulness, exhaustion, and lack of motivation. But where does brain fog come from - and can it be a sign of something more than just a ‘case of the Mondays’? 

At some point, all women will experience the transition known as menopause. This transition typically occurs around the age of 50, although it’s normal for some women to experience it earlier or later. What’s less normal, however, is for women to experience menopause a decade (or more!) early.

Among the many symptoms women might experience as they approach menopause, one of the most difficult to cope with might be insomnia. It is common for both women entering perimenopause and who are post-menopausal to complain about sleep trouble in their middle age.

Leading up to and after your last period, your body experiences a number of changes, from dips in libido to mood swings to insomnia. Most of these are caused by fluctuating and, later, reduced levels of estrogen and progesterone. Unfortunately, these hormonal changes can also have lasting effects on your skin.

As you approach the age when menopause is likely to begin, you’ll probably know of a few symptoms to watch out for. Hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia—these are commonly discussed and complained about among menopausal women. But what’s not talked about as often—and what should be—is the effect this transitional period can have on your mental wellbeing.

As women age and approach menopause, one of their biggest complaints (aside from frustrating menopause symptoms) is that their waistline is growing. Many women believe that their weight gain and growing waistlines are side effects of menopause itself—just more bodily changes that occur as a result of hormonal fluctuations. However, what is really happening in the body is a little more complicated.