6 Surprising Menopause Symptoms You Need To Know

When you reach menopause you might expect to experience hot flushes, but there are a lot of other physical and emotional symptoms that many women experience.

We take a look at six surprising menopause symptoms that you might not be aware of and what you can do to ease them.

Insomnia

Many women find it difficult to sleep during menopause due to the drop in their estrogen levels, which in turn affects how the temperature control in their brain functions.

It’s fairly common to experience hot flushes during the night that wake you up and then have trouble falling asleep again, or just have restless sleep throughout the night and find yourself feeling exhausted in the mornings.

Dry and itchy skin

Lower estrogen levels in your body also have a significant impact on your skin’s elasticity. Estrogen stimulates the formation of collagen and oils in your skin, and as this is affected by menopause your skin may feel drier.

It also impacts your skin’s ability to retain moisture. Skin can become tight and itchy, and it can be especially uncomfortable during the night.

Try making some changes to your diet and eating more fatty acids, such as omega-3s. This helps your skin to produce more oil and keep it hydrated — you should also drink plenty of water for the same reason.

Sunscreen, too, is helpful for reducing the risk of damaging your skin further and drying it out. Using a heavy moisturizer can help boost hydration and soothe irritated skin.

Acne and breakouts

The drop in estrogen and increase in androgen hormones such as testosterone can also cause you to experience acne during menopause. However, there are lots of factors that can trigger your skin to break out, so it’s important to figure out what the exact cause is first.

Take a look at a body acne map to work out what’s the meaning behind your body acne. You might also find that making some changes to your diet and lifestyle will help clear your skin too.

If your acne is caused by hormonal changes during menopause, topical treatments like tea tree oil can help alleviate the symptoms somewhat. That said, the best treatment is often medication, like an oral contraceptive, as it can address the root of the issue to help balance out the hormones.

Thinning hair

Some women will also experience hair thinning and hair loss as they go through menopause. This is again due to hormonal changes and the dropping levels of estrogen and progesterone in the body. They usually help the hair to grow more quickly and stay attached for longer, but when the levels fall, hair growth slows significantly. Your scalp can also get a lot drier causing more of your hair to fall out.

There are several other reasons for hair loss that can also make it worse. These causes include long-term stress or vitamin deficiencies, which can be identified and treated to reduce hair loss. You can also use moisturizing shampoos to hydrate your scalp and choose products specifically designed for thinning hair.

Memory problems

Menopause and hormone changes can also impact your brain function and make it harder to remember things or retain new information. In some cases, it will cause a general fogginess that makes it harder to focus.

This is also made worse by insomnia and sleep deprivation, which also has an effect on your memory and concentration over prolonged periods. In general, most women find that their memory improves after they’ve been through menopause.

Feeling light-headed

Another less talked about symptom of menopause is feeling light-headed, faint, dizzy, or even nauseous. These are thought to be caused by fluctuating hormone levels and can come and go with little warning. There’s no specific way to treat these symptoms, but eating a healthy, balanced diet and exercising regularly can ease them, alongside general treatments for menopause that helps to manage hormone levels.

Whatever symptoms you experience during menopause they can be uncomfortable, unpredictable, and frustrating. But there are plenty of ways to manage and ease the symptoms, from changes to your lifestyle and diet to medication. If you’re finding the symptoms difficult to manage, it’s a good idea to speak to your doctor who can recommend the best approach.

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