Menopause is a natural biological process where there is a decline in reproductive hormones when a woman reaches her 40s or 50s. Menopause marks the end of your menstrual cycles.
Common symptoms of menopause
- Irregular periods
- Vaginal dryness
- Hot flashes
- Chills
- Night sweats
- Sleep problems
- Mood changes
- Weight gain and slowed metabolism
- Thinning hair and dry skin
- Loss of breast fullness
Effects of menopause on your body
1. Heart disease
When your estrogen levels decline, your risk of cardiovascular disease increases. When estrogen levels drop, your heart and blood vessels become stiff and less elastic.
Because of these changes, your blood pressure tends to rise, causing hypertension. You may also be more susceptible to heart attack, abnormal heart rhythms and heart blockages
2. Osteoporosis
This condition causes bones to become brittle and weak, leading to an increased risk of fractures. The lack of estrogen, a natural consequence of menopause, is directly related to a decrease in bone density.
The longer a woman experiences lower estrogen levels, the lower her bone density is likely to be. Women who are at greater risk for osteoporosis are those who experience early menopause, go for a long time without having a menstrual period or have very irregular periods, indicating that they are not ovulating regularly.
Postmenopausal women with osteoporosis are especially susceptible to fractures of their spine, hips and wrists.
3. Urinary incontinence
As the tissues of your vagina and urethra lose elasticity, you may experience frequent, sudden, strong urges to urinate, followed by an involuntary urinating on yourself when coughing, laughing or lifting heavy objects.
You may also have urinary tract infections more often.
4.Sexual function
The change in estrogen levels can also be responsible for a decrease in your natural vaginal lubrication.
For some women, vaginal dryness can combine with reduced blood flow to the clitoris and lower vagina. This can lead to reduced sensitivity of your erogenous zones and loss of libido.
Vaginal dryness may also cause a general sense of discomfort during intercourse to some women while others experience severe pain as well as soreness and burning.
5. Weight gain
Estrogen affects where women store fat and how it is burned. Many women gain weight particularly around the abdomen during the menopausal transition and after menopause because metabolism slows.
Other contributors to weight gain at menopause include declining oestrogen levels, age-related loss of muscle tissue and lifestyle factors such as diet and lack of exercise. Weight gain increases your risk of heart disease.
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