Menopause is defined as not having a menstrual period for one year. Although the age at which it starts can vary, it typically occurs in your late 40s or early 50s. It can cause many changes in your body.

Menopause symptoms are the result of a decreased production of the hormones estrogen and progesterone in the ovaries. Symptoms can include:

  • hot flashes
  • weight gain
  • vaginal dryness
  • mood changes

Vaginal atrophy during menopause contributes to vaginal dryness. This happens due to inflammation and thinning of vaginal tissue, which can make sex uncomfortable.

Menopause can increase your risk of developing certain conditions, like osteoporosis.

However, the physical symptoms can vary from one person to another. You may find that getting through menopause requires little medical attention. You may also decide to discuss symptoms and treatment options with a doctor.

Here are 11 things you should know about menopause.

In the United States, the average age at which menopause begins is 52 years old.

You typically stop having periods somewhere between the ages of 45 and 55. Your ovarian function may start declining years before that for some people. Others will continue to have periods into their late 50s.

The age of menopause onset may be genetically determined, but some factors can accelerate ovary decline, resulting in earlier menopause. These can include:

  • smoking
  • alcohol use
  • less physical activity

Having used oral contraceptives is also associated with later perimenopause.

Perimenopause refers to the time right before menopause begins.

During perimenopause, your body is beginning the transition into menopause. That means that ovarian hormone production is starting to decline.

You may begin to have some symptoms commonly associated with menopause, like hot flashes. Your menstrual cycle may become irregular, but it won’t stop during the perimenopause stage.

Once you completely stop having a menstrual cycle for 12 consecutive months, you’ve entered menopause.

Reduced levels of estrogen during menopause can cause physical symptoms.

  • Hot flashes: Hot flashes are the most common symptom of menopause. Research from 2019 reports that 80% of people in menopause have hot flashes. Hot flashes can occur anytime, day or night.
  • Sleep disturbances: Sometimes people also experience sleep disturbances in perimenopause and menopause due to night sweats, hot flashes, and anxiety.
  • Mood changes: Some people may also experience sudden mood changes, such as anxiety or depression.
  • Arthralgia: Menopause can cause muscle and joint pain, known as arthralgia.
  • Sexual health: Menopause can also affect your sexual health, contributing to vaginal dryness, vaginal atrophy, and changes in libido or arousal.

It can sometimes be difficult to determine whether these symptoms are caused by changing hormones, life circumstances, or a natural part of aging.

During a hot flash, you’ll likely feel your body temperature rise.

Hot flashes affect the top half of your body, and your skin may flush, turn red, or even become blotchy. This rush of heat can lead to:

  • sweating
  • heart palpitations
  • dizziness

After the hot flash, you may feel cold.

Hot flashes can occur daily or even several times a day. They may last just one year or over several years.

Avoiding triggers may reduce the number of hot flashes you have. Common hot flash triggers can include:

  • consuming alcohol or caffeine
  • eating spicy foods
  • feeling stressed
  • being somewhere hot

Smoking or having a higher body weight may also make hot flashes worse.

To help reduce hot flashes, you could try:

  • Dressing in layers: Layers can help you adapt to changing temperatures. You can also use a fan in your home or office space.
  • Doing breathing exercises: You may be able to minimize symptoms of hot flashes if you do breathing exercises during them.
  • Reaching out to a doctor about medications: Fezolinetant (Veozah) is a neurokinin 3 (NK3) receptor antagonist that was FDA-approved in 2023 to treat hot flashes and night sweats associated with menopause. A doctor may also recommend other medications off-label to help with hot flashes, such as birth control pills, gabapentin (Neurontin), clonidine (Catapres), and hormone therapies.

It’s best to talk with a doctor if you’re having difficulty managing hot flashes on your own.

Hot flash prevention

You may be able to reduce or prevent hot flashes by:

  • Avoid triggers like spicy foods, caffeine, or alcohol. Smoking may also make hot flashes worse.
  • Dress in layers.
  • Use a fan at work or in your home to help cool you down.
  • Talk with a healthcare professional about medications that may help reduce hot flashes.

The decline in estrogen production can affect the amount of calcium in your bones. This can significantly decrease bone density, leading to a condition known as osteoporosis.

It can also make you more likely to experience hip, spine, and other bone fractures.

Many women experience accelerated bone loss during the first few years after their last menstrual period.

To keep your bones healthy:

  • Eat foods with lots of calcium, such as dairy products or dark leafy greens.
  • Take vitamin D supplements.
  • Exercise regularly and include weight training in your exercise routine.
  • Reduce alcohol consumption.
  • Avoid smoking.

There are prescription medications you may want to discuss with a doctor to prevent bone loss.

Not all people experience symptoms of heart conditions during menopause, though some people do experience dizziness or cardiac palpitations.

Decreased estrogen levels can prevent your body from retaining flexible arteries. This can impact blood flow.

Maintaining a moderate weight, eating a nutritious diet, exercising regularly, and not smoking can all reduce your chances of developing heart conditions.

Changes in hormone levels may cause you to gain weight during menopause. However, aging can also naturally contribute to weight gain.

Focusing on eating a nutritious diet, exercising regularly, and practicing other healthy habits can help you maintain a healthy weight for your body. Being overweight can increase anyone’s chances of developing heart disease, diabetes, and other conditions.

Weight management

You may be able to manage your weight with menopause by:

The symptoms of menopause vary from one person to another, even in the same families. Ovarian function declines at different rates and ages.

This means you’ll need to manage your menopause individually. What worked for your mom or best friend may not work for you.

Talk with a healthcare professional, such as a menopause specialist, if you have any questions about menopause. They can help you understand your symptoms and find ways to manage them that work with your lifestyle.

If your uterus was surgically removed through a hysterectomy, you may not know you’re going through menopause unless you experience symptoms like hot flashes.

This can also happen if you’ve had an endometrial ablation and your ovaries weren’t removed. Endometrial ablation is the destruction of the lining of your uterus to treat heavy menstruation.

A blood test can determine if your ovaries are still functioning if you aren’t having any symptoms. This test can help doctors find out your estrogen levels, which may be beneficial if you’re at risk of osteoporosis.

Knowing your estrogen levels may help determine whether you need a bone density assessment.

Several hormone therapies are FDA-approved to treat hot flashes and prevent bone loss.

Vaginal estrogen may help with vaginal atrophy.

The benefits and risks vary depending on the severity of your hot flashes, bone loss, and overall health. These therapies are not right for everyone. Talk with a doctor before trying any hormone therapy.

Hormone therapy may not be the right choice for everyone. Some medical conditions may prevent you from safely using hormone therapy, or you may choose to avoid it for personal reasons.

Changes to your lifestyle may help you relieve many symptoms without needing hormonal therapies.

Lifestyle changes may include:

  • weight loss
  • a new or more regular exercise routine
  • room temperature reductions
  • avoiding foods that worsen symptoms
  • dressing in light cotton clothing and wearing layers

Some people may also want to try other treatments, such as:

Several FDA-approved medications can be used to help prevent bone loss, including:

  • bisphosphonates, such as risedronate (Actonel, Atelvia) and zoledronic acid (Reclast)
  • selective estrogen receptor modulators like raloxifene (Evista)
  • calcitonin (Fortical, Miacalcin)
  • denosumab (Prolia, Xgeva)

Menopause is a natural part of life. It’s a time when your estrogen and progesterone levels decrease. Following menopause, your risk of developing certain conditions like osteoporosis or cardiovascular disease may increase.

To manage your symptoms, you can make healthy choices, such as eating nutritious foods and getting plenty of exercise. This will also help you avoid unwanted weight gain.

Reach out to a doctor if you have any adverse symptoms that affect your ability to function or notice any unusual changes to your health. There are many treatment options to help with symptoms like hot flashes.