A lot of people believe that menopause is a condition that appears in older women, above the age of 60. But, statistics say that about 1% of women between the ages of 15 and 45 are affected by early or premature menopause. This can appear because of many reasons, and it always leaves an imprint on the lives of all affected women.It was decided that if menopause appears before the age of 45, it is considered early menopause, and if it occurs before the age of 40, it is considered premature menopause.

It’s when you realize that you have gained a few pounds. Your looks different. You are noticing a new, very annoying roundness to your tummy. Your waistline seems to have disappeared. The scale is becoming your enemy… yet you’re not doing anything different than you used to. And you begin pondering as to what is going on! Your friends may say that it was due to normal ageing process. Your metabolic rate drops as you age, which accounts for the weight gain. In addition, older women are more inactive. But, watch out….. It may be because you are going through menopause. It is imperative for a woman to know about menopause as it happens to be an important phase in her life.
What Happens in Menopause?

* The supply of eggs in a woman’s ovaries dwindles.
* Estrogen & progesterone hormone levels fluctuate, then decline.
* Menstrual periods become irregular, then cease.
* Due to hormone fluctuation, the body suffers a variety of side-effects

Signs of Menopause? Is There Something to Worry about?

For most young women, the very thought that they will one day have to pass through a stage in their life known as menopause is enough to send them into a kind of trauma. Older women who have gone through menopause would rather not think about the harrowing times they had. And women who are experiencing this situation right now, the less said the better.

Menopause has always occupied a place of dread in the women’s psyche. Most common signs of menopause are the hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, burning and itching. These are enough to make the woman’s life hell, but that is not all. The signs of menopause do not stop there. There could be several other problems with normal urination such as increased urination, an unstoppable urge to urinate all of a sudden and urinary incontinence, etc. Mood swings are very common in women undergoing menopause, and so are a host of other mental disorders. Some women also become irritable during menopause, while others can have depressions, extreme fatigue and even temporary amnesia. These signs of menopause mark it as a very dreadful phase in the lives of women.

There are 34 menopause symptoms I can name off the top of my head, But if for the sake of this article We will focus on little tips you can apply to stop hot flashes causing an interruption to your day. I shall cover the other top 8 symptoms you will need to know about, and have a back up plan to be able to control the side effects. Controlling, and dealing  with your symptoms WILL make the transition period a LOT easier.

How Do I Stop Hot Flashes, What Exactly Are They?

Firstly a hot flash is a sudden, intense, hot sensation that generally will hit your face and upper body. Sometime you may get an unannounced rather rapid spurt of heart as an added bonus, and this usually is a warning signal that a hot flash is on the way. Once an episode occurs you could be left with unpleasant red cheeks, and heavy sweating. This will varies from person to person, regardless of the intensity none of this is pleasant and it is also very embarrassing.

Twice as many women are affected by depression than men with an increased risk of depression in women who have reached midlife. Menopause also seems to be a period where women are more susceptible to becoming depressed. Studies have revealed that menopause and depression occurs with more frequency during the transition to menopause. Notable is during this period there is a gradual decline in estrogen levels, where studies have shown changes in estrogen levels can be attributed to depression.

Symptoms of menopause and depression include two or more weeks where there is a loss of interest in pleasurable activities, sleep changes, Loss of energy and fatigue, trouble concentrating, changes in eating, mood changes, feelings of guilt or worthlessness, suicidal thoughts, restlessness and irritability. Many women think these symptoms are part of the getting older, these symptoms should not be mistaken as normal for getting older.