Menopause is the time in your life when you stop having menstrual cycles, meaning the end of your child-bearing years. This is a naturally occurring process that usually begins in your late 40s to mid-50s, but it can happen at any point in those years.

Menopause is divided into three stages — perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause. Perimenopause is the time before the actual menopause stage when your body is preparing, and your hormones are changing.

Menopause is the actual time when you’ve gone 12 consecutive months without a menstrual cycle. Your hormones change drastically during this period, bringing on a lot of undesirable symptoms. Menopause may last for several years in some instances.

Postmenopause is the rest of your life after you’ve not had your menstrual cycle for 12 months in a row. You can no longer conceive a child naturally, and your hormones have settled down.

Menopause hits each woman differently, and it can happen at any time after the age of 40. If you happen to start going through menopause earlier than 40, it’s considered premature menopause. No matter what stage you’re in, the symptoms can make life pretty uncomfortable for a while.

Menopause Transition Tips

There isn’t much you can do while your body goes through this stage in your life. However, you can make the transition a lot easier on you and your body. Here are a few tips to help you make it through menopause:

Meditate
Emotions run high during menopause, so taking some time for yourself to breathe and put your mind at ease can help with mood swings.

Drink Plenty of Water
Hot flashes take a lot out of you, including sweat. During menopause, you want to make sure you stay properly hydrated daily, which can help cool your body down as well.

Cool Your Bedroom
Insomnia is a real threat during this stage, partly due to hot flashes and chills. Keeping your bedroom nice and cool and sleeping in a light pair of pajamas may help your body relax so you can get some much-needed sleep.

Get Lubricant
Vaginal dryness during menopause makes sex with your partner pretty uncomfortable. Finding a good lubricant may help you enjoy sex more and make it a lot more pleasurable.

Eat a Healthy Diet
When your hormones are all over the place, it’s often hard to maintain a healthy weight. Adding plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables to your diet and avoiding sugar can help you keep the excess weight off.

Caffeine and alcohol can be triggers for hot flashes or other symptoms. It’s important to either cut them out during menopause or drink them only in moderation. The same goes for smoking, although quitting is really the best option to calm your symptoms.

How To Get Help

ReVital offers free consultations where you can speak to one of our clinicians about ReVital’s Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy. At ReVital, we can conduct simple blood tests to evaluate the levels of these hormones in your system and prescribe supplements or therapies to treat and control the majority of hormonal imbalances. We also encourage you connect with your regular doctor about any changes in your health and moods.