Menopause and anxiety frequently occur together. It’s not uncommon for menopausal women to experience rushes of energy, exhaustion, panic attacks, body vibrations, burning chest, and other sensations both mental and physical.

When women begin to enter menopause it is much more likely that they will experience anxiety and even depression. Many women find that their anxiety may increase as a result of other symptoms they experience. For example, concern over potentially dealing with a hot flash in the middle of a business presentation or having a sudden mood swing can understandably make women anxious. Beyond symptoms, some women are simply anxious over the new role they will be playing in life. Their reproductive years are behind them, their bodies are changing, and they wonder if they will still be considered attractive and wanted. Of course, many post-menopausal women are beautiful and desirable, but going through the change can cause doubt in many women.

Feelings of depression may also arise from hormonal imbalances. And, some women who already feel slightly anxious may feel their anxiety rise to the surface as a result of menopause. Anxiety is a feeling of worry even when there is no specific reason to be worried. It can be uncomfortable and cause the body stress. There are many everyday life events that can trigger anxiety and most people are able to reign in their feelings. However, menopausal women tend to focus on their problems more and have difficulty controlling them. When these feelings get out of control a panic attack might occur. This is an uncontrollable shaking and feeling as if death may be imminent.

Many women who are physically fit before menopause are less likely to deal with anxiety during menopause. Women who do have these symptoms may want to undergo a psychiatric evaluation or work with a therapist. Menopause and its many symptoms are stressful to deal with, however women who get plenty of exercise, who are open about their emotions, and who have strong interpersonal relationships are more likely to get through this change of life no worse for wear.

Biological factors cause depression, most specifically the hormones in the brain. Your mood is regulated by serotonin and when the levels of this hormone drop then mood can fluctuate and severe depression may be experienced. When a person experiences depression symptoms may included feeling hopeless and sad for prolonged periods of time. There are a variety of other symptoms that may be experienced and can be quite disastrous. These include extended periods of sleep, isolating oneself, and even feeling suicidal. Women who suffer from depression need to realize it is not their fault and that its onset is not controllable. Depression during menopause is common in many women due to the many fluctuations in hormones.

It is common for menopausal women to feel sad and experience episodes of depression. In fact, approximately 8-15% of women are thought to go through menopause related depression. Usually, women who will be affected by this will experience it during perimenopause, which is the period leading up to menopause. There are many theories as to why women going through the change of life experience mood disorders.

One idea is that the many menopausal symptoms experienced can cause the onset of depression. Women have many responsibilities including their families, employment, finances, and social obligations. Adding the many physical changes that occur as a result of menopause could be the final straw for many women.

The many changing hormones during menopause is another theory as to the cause of depression in women. The levels of progesterone, estrogen, and androgen change dramatically throughout menopause and these hormones may affect the brain’s mood center. When hormones drop suddenly, like estrogen, then women may feel hopeless and sad. When a major drop occurs in hormones depression may result.

You may be at an increased risk of developing depression during menopause if you have a previous history of depression and/or mood disorders. Women who have experienced depression before, especially during their 20s, are more likely to have their depression recur during menopause. Surgical menopause is also a cause of increased depression. Luckily, there are many treatment options for women who experience depression as a result of menopause. Talk with your doctor about your symptoms and don’t feel weak or guilty that this has happened to you.

Many women believe that when they are going through menopause they are unable to become pregnant. However, that is not the case and while your body may be changing and your periods may be irregular there is still a chance of pregnancy. Some women have become pregnant at 50 simply because they were going through perimenopause and thought they couldn’t get pregnant. Before you can bet on being infertile due to menopause you will need to experience 12 consecutive months with no period. Until you reach that you will be able to get pregnant.

Of course, your chances of getting pregnant during this time are not the same as the chances you had of conceiving during your 20s and 30s. However, you can still get pregnant and that means you need to use some form of protection if you aren’t willing to risk a pregnancy.

It may be surprising, but women over 40 abort 60% of unwanted pregnancies. Surprisingly, half of women between 45 and 49 do not use any form of contraception. There are a few that may use natural methods to avoid pregnancy, however it is really difficult to use natural methods to protect against an unwanted pregnancy because your periods are irregular and so is ovulation.

There are also many risk that are associated with pregnancy after the age of 35, for both mother and baby. Still birth, premature birth, and low birth weight may all occur after the age of 35. After the age of 40 there are even more dangers to be aware of .

Many women choose to protect themselves from an unwanted pregnancy through sterilization. Tubal ligation is easy and effective. Men may choose a vasectomy to prevent against pregnancy, too, and this is usually fast and safe, too.

Some women may choose to continue taking oral contraceptives to prevent against pregnancy. Low dosage pills may be used for a long period of time and can also help protect against a variety of cancers. These pills can also help with vaginal dryness and hot flashes. Other options include condoms, sponges, cervical caps, and the like.

Your entire body may be affected by the “change of life” aka menopause so you might as well know how to deal with them. One of the most common symptoms women experience is hot flashes and they can really be uncomfortable, wake you from sleep, and be quite embarrassing. If you suffer from hot flashes you will want to know different ways for dealing with them. Luckily, the following tips will help you deal with hot flashes.

When you have a hot flash it is due to a biochemical event in your body. For some reason the mechanism in your body that controls your temperature gets slightly off. As a result, your body thinks you are too hot even if you aren’t. Because of this your body will direct the blood vessels to discharge the “extra” heat. The resulting sensation is the feeling that your skin is truly on fire.

Your estrogen levels will be rising and falling throughout the years preceding menopause and it is to uncommon to experience a variety of hot flashes that range in intensity. The vast majority of women will experience at least one hot flash during their journey through menopause and many others will experience them regularly.

For many years women used hormone replacement therapy, HRT, to help them cope with their hot flashes and other symptoms. However, HRT has been shown to cause some pretty bad side effects on its own so many women are now back to square one, so to speak, learning how to deal with their symptoms.

There are many ways to deal with a hot flash. First, make sure you where lightweight clothing made of natural fibers. Dress in layers, too, so that if you feel a hot flash coming on you can take off a few layers quickly and without causing a scene. The next option is cool water. Place a cool rag on your forehead, wrists, or even on your groin to help you calm down. You can splash water on your face, too, if you are in a public place and need a fast fix. Another suggestion is to stop smoking if you are a smoker. Exercising regularly is also important because women who exercise regularly have been shown to have fewer hot flashes. There are also a few smells that can help stop a hot flash including lemongrass, lavender, roses, and even vanilla.

You may have heard about the effects of soy on menopause, but did you know that drinking soy milk may help you replace some of your lacking estrogen hormone naturally? Of course, you shouldn’t drink soy milk thinking that it will “cure” you of your menopausal symptoms. However, if you are interested in alleviating your symptoms naturally then you may want to try it. Soy isoflavones are found in soy milk and this is a estrogen like substance that natural occurs in plants. Soy foods include soy milk, tempeh, tofu, and others.

You may have tried soy products in the past and not cared for them. That’s okay because not everyone will like soy. However, you might want to try it again. There are many new soy products that are actually really good. Chocolate soy milk could be a treat or you might like blending vanilla soy milk in a smoothie.

Before you begin eating soy products to help you with your menopausal symptoms you probably want to know how much you need to feel a decrease in your hot flashes. Generally, if you consume between 40 to 50 mg of soy isoflavones on a daily basis you will experience a decrease in hot flashes. That translates to one to four servings per day.

For example, 1 cup of soy milk has 40 mg of isoflavones as well as 4 ounces of tofu, 4 ounces of tempeh, or a half up of miso. One half cup of roasted soy nuts contains 20 mg of isoflavones and ½ cup of soy protein has 35 mg.

If your menopausal symptoms and hot flashes don’t seem to be relieved by supplementing with soy then you may want to talk with your doctor regarding your other options. There are many natural methods for treating menopausal symptoms without having to take a prescription drug.

If you are dealing with some tough symptoms of menopause then you may want to consider supplementing with a variety of different supplements that may offer some relief. Remember, not all supplements will work for everyone and you should always talk with your doctor before you start taking any supplements. Below is an overview of several different supplements that may work for you.

Flaxseed Oil

Flaxseed oil can improve your immune system, lower cholesterol, and even help with fatigue and depression. If you find yourself exhausted consider supplementing with flaxseed oil.

Marine Phytoplankton

Some women find marine phytoplankton helps with depression, mood swings, and improves memory. It’s not uncommon for women to be moody, irritable and have memory problems during menopause. Marine phytoplankton offers a natural way to fight these symptoms.

Evening Primrose Oil

Many women experience headaches, water retention, irritation, and cramping during perimenopause. If this is happening to you then consider supplementing with evening primrose oil.

Vitamin B6

Anxiety may be reduced by supplementing with vitamin B6 because it increases progesterone and serotonin.

Coral Calcium

Coral calcium helps restore the body’s balance by reducing levels of acidity.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is also a wonderful way to alleviate symptoms of menopause. Many women find vitamin E to be a mild form of hormone replacement therapy that is natural.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C helps fight off disease and strengthen the immune system. This can ward off infections, disease, and other illnesses.

Zinc

Zinc is a healthy supplement for menopausal women. That’s because it can strengthen bones, boost the immune system, decrease levels of estrogen while increasing progesterone levels, and reducing the risk of developing osteoporosis.

Always talk with your doctor before you begin supplementing with one or more of these supplements. If you are taking other prescription drugs make sure your doctor recommends what supplements are safe to take and those that are not.

You have likely heard of menopause before, but perhaps you weren’t aware that there are four different stages of menopause. Many people refer to menopause during all four of these stages, but they are all actually different and women should be aware of the different phases and of what happens.

The four stages are:

1. Premenopause
2. Perimenopause
3. Menopause
4. Postmenopause

Premenopause is the period when a woman is fertile. This is during her reproductive years and represents the period from the first period to the last. Premenopause is not just for the years right before menopause or for premature menopause, but rather for the entire period of reproductive years.

Perimenopasue refers to the years that immediately precede menopause. Many women begin experiencing menopausal symptoms during perimenopause as a result of hormonal changes. Women usually experience the onset of perimenopause between the ages of 45 and 60. Perimenopause can last anywhere from two to six years.

Menopause is the period of time when a woman has her final period. This means that the woman has experience 12 consecutive months without a period. When menstruation and fertility are permanently over this means the woman is menopausal.

Postmenopause represents the time in a woman’s life when her last period has ended for good. There are health issues that may result from postmenopause and the resulting changes in hormone production of progesterone and estrogen. Heart disease and osteoporosis are the most serious health concerns women should pay attention to during the postmenopausal years.

It’s important to know the different stages of menopause and also know what to expect. Generally, women begin ovulating less and producing fewer hormones by their late 30s and early 40s. As a result, it’s important for women to know what to expect so they can take control of their fertility as well as realize the symptoms they are experiencing as those related to one of the stages of menopause.

Menopause occurs in all women who live long enough to reach this stage of life. Sometimes, women will need to undergo a hysterectomy and those who do will experience a “surgical menopause” or menopause as a result of a hysterectomy. During a hysterectomy one or both ovaries are taken out and this includes the fallopian tubes and uterus. Women undergo menopause quite abruptly as a result and symptoms can be severe and settle in quickly. It might be surprising, but women who undergo a surgical menopause usually experience symptoms that are much more difficult to handle than the symptoms women who start menopause naturally experience. The night sweats, hot flashes, depression risks, and the like, are longer lasting and stronger. Women who undergo menopause as a result of a hysterectomy are also more likely to develop heart disease or osteoporosis. So far, doctors and researchers are unsure of exactly what causes these severe symptoms as a result of surgical menopause.

Interestingly, if a single ovary is removed the woman will start menopause naturally. However, if the ovaries are left and the uterus removed then the menopausal symptoms associated with the change of life will begin earlier and the menstrual cycle will cease. If both ovaries are removed then she is immediately post menopausal and the symptoms can be quite severe. If you have already undergone menopause and then require a hysterectomy there will be no onset of symptoms since you have already gone through the change and there won’t be any change in hormones. Women who have a hysterectomy will wake up from the anesthesia in the throes of menopause and their bodies will no longer produce progesterone or estrogen. In essence, the woman will awake to her body dealing with estrogen withdrawal. The symptoms are intense and the doctor treating her should be aware that she needs estrogen immediately. Otherwise, the woman will awake to anxiety, depression, irritability, hot flashes, heart palpitations, crying, fatigue, memory lapses, headache, and much more. Usually, women will be started on HRT in the hospital to help them deal with their symptoms. Later, they may try natural remedies or other methods to treat their symptoms.

If you are facing menopause you may be wondering about using Vagifem to treat your symptoms. There are side effects associated with Vagifem because it is a medication. In many cases, the risks of taking Vagifem are small and the symptoms are mild. The most common symptoms include back pain, abdominal pain, headache, upper respiratory tract infection, vaginal yeast infection, and vaginal itching. The benefit of Vagifem is that it is designed to only work where it is placed in the vagina and it does not appear to significantly impact any other tissues or organs in the body. If you are taking Vagifem and experience side effects be sure to tell your doctor.

Vagifem’s active ingredients include estradiol, which is an estrogen. This estrogen is produced naturally by the body before menopause takes place. This treatment is a vaginal local estrogen therapy and it treats atrophic vaginitis. The other organs of the body do not absorb the estrogen secretions, only the vagina, so the side effects are minimal. Many other hormone therapies affect the entire body, but Vagifem is different since it is localized.

Using Vagifem is relatively easy since the applicators are disposable and come preloaded with the medicine. Inserting the applicator is similar to inserting a tampon and all that is required is to click a button to deliver the Vagifem tablet to the vaginal area. The tablet will work locally to relieve any pain or discomfort that is associated with atrophic vaginitis. Vagifem tablets are used once for two weeks initially and then twice per week depending on your doctor’s direction. You should notice an improvement in your symptoms within the first two weeks.

If you have irritation, soreness, or dryness in your vagina due to menopause you may benefit from Vagifem. Atrophic vaginitis can be uncomfortable and make intercourse painful so be sure to talk with your doctor about your symptoms and how Vagifem can help.

Some women use red clover to treat their menopause symptoms, but there are some side effects that you should be aware of. Of course, one of the side effects is that red clover relieves mood swings and hot flashes and that is why many women choose to use it during menopause. If you are considering hormone replacement therapy, or HRT, then you may want to try red clover. It may help women avoid estrogen loss, which can cause many of the menopausal symptoms women want to avoid. Women who take red clover will receive many of the same benefits as HRT, but without the high price tag. There are other benefits of red clover as well including lowering blood pressure, treating arthritis, PMS treatment, and others.

Of course, all that glimmers isn’t gold and while red clover may help with menopausal symptoms it can also cause some side effects that aren’t that great. For example, red clover may stimulate strokes and/or cancer. Neither of these side effects are things that most women want to go through. The phytoestrogens in the red clover may stimulate breast cancer and uterine cancer cells and allow them to grow faster than they would otherwise. There are also contraindications for taking red clover. For example, you cannot take birth control pills in addition to red clover. Women who are allergic to aspirin should also avoid this supplement because it could cause some ugly side effects. Red clover may also decrease fertility. If you are interested in taking red clover but are worried about the side effects make sure you only take it for a short period of time and in a low dosage.

If you were considering taking HRT then you may find that you get similar results with red clover, but at a cheaper price. It is important not to write off the risk of stroke and/or cancer while using this or HRT. Make sure you are aware of the risks before you make a decision.