• Food
  • Family
  • Beauty & Health
  • Style
  • Great Women
  • Events/Win
  • Domestic Diva Awards 2022
  • Food
    • Eating Out
    • Cooking Tips
    • Festive Food
    • Asian Recipes
    • Food
    • Celebrity Recipes
    • Dessert Recipes
    • Healthy Recipes
    • Quick & Easy Recipes
    • Western Recipes
  • Family
    • Family
    • Save Money
    • Parenting
    • Sex & Marriage
    • Travel
  • Beauty & Health
    • Beauty & Health
    • Skincare
    • Makeup
    • Hair
    • Awards
    • Diet & Nutrition
    • Fitness
    • Wellness
  • Style
  • Great Women
    • Career
    • Great Women of Our Time
    • Real Life
  • Entertainment
  • EVENTS/WIN
  • #SchoolForLife
  • Hair Awards
  • Great Escape
  • Explore Singapore
  • Also available at:
Privacy Menu
SPH Media

Copyright © 2023 SPH Media Limited. Co. Regn. No. 202120748H. All rights reserved.

  • Food
  • Family
  • Beauty & Health
  • Style
  • Great Women
  • Events/Win

Beauty & Health

These Are The Early Warning Signs Of Menopause

Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
Wellness

These Are The Early Warning Signs Of Menopause

Perimenopause could be the reason for the baffling and debilitating symptoms you are experiencing in your 40s

September 18, 2020
perimenopause-early-warning-signs-menopause-symptoms

Credit: gballgiggs/ Twenty20

Mention menopause and you probably picture flushing, forgetfulness and temper flares. Yet these usually begin in perimenopause – the beginning of the end of your periods (but not your life!). Signalling “the change before the change”, women generally enter perimenopause around age 47 and it usually lasts four to six years, though it can last up to 10.

“There are dozens of symptoms associated with perimenopause, including itchy skin, weight gain, hot flushes, night sweats, sleep disruption, depression, anxiety, water retention, poor memory, dry eyes and aching joints,” says Liz Earle, author of The Truth About HRT. “I think it is fair to say perimenopause takes most of us by surprise – we may feel in the peak of good health, only to become aware of niggling changes in our body.”

READ NEXT

True Story: I Had Menopause Symptoms At 36

What To Eat (And Avoid!) During Menopause, According To A Dietician

10 Foods To Eat If You Want To Improve Your Memory

https://www.womensweekly.com.sg/gallery/beauty-and-health/wellness/perimenopause-early-warning-signs-menopause-symptoms/
These Are The Early Warning Signs Of Menopause
Every woman experiences different symptoms – from mild to severe
image

“Think of perimenopause almost as a second puberty,” explains Dr Peta Wright, a gynaecologist at Eve Health in Brisbane, Australia. “The ovaries are running out of eggs but the pituitary gland starts working overtime, pushing the ovaries to ovulate. This can result in hormone swings, shorter cycles, heavier or irregular periods, hot flushes, vaginal dryness, libido changes, muscle aches, sore breasts and brain fog.”

Symptoms tend to dissipate as you approach menopause around age 51.

“20 per cent of women will move through perimenopause smoothly but 50 to 80 per cent will experience symptoms ranging from mild to severe,” adds Dr Wright.

There is no simple blood test to pinpoint perimenopause, so if something is bothering you, see your GP.

@ppneung/Twenty20
Is HRT right for you?
image

There are many different types of menopausal hormone therapy which can ease symptoms such as hot flushes and night sweats if they are interfering with your life.

In 2002, HRT was linked to breast cancer and fear persists. The Jean Hailes for Women’s Health organisation reports that the risk of breast cancer increases slightly following four to five years of HRT but only certain types; it further increases with long-duration HRT (up to or more than 15 years).

According to www.breastcancer.org, research strongly suggests that oestrogen-only HRT appears to increase breast cancer risk less than combination HRT. For healthy women in perimenopause, or less than 10 years after menopause, current evidence suggests benefits – such as a decrease in osteoporotic fractures and cardiovascular disease, and possible positive effects on weight shift from hips to the abdomen – outweigh the risks.

If you are considering HRT, discuss it thoroughly with your GP and have a yearly review. If you do decide to take HRT, ask if you can take a lower-dose formula and talk to your doctor about taking it for the shortest time possible.

Vitaliy Vodolazskyy/123RF
Ways to help you survive perimenopause
image

For the first time in history, most women will live for 30 to 40 years after menopause, notes Liz: “So, my advice is to appreciate who we have come and what we may still achieve.”

“A conversation about perimenopause should always start with a holistic approach,” says Dr Wright. “Healthy habits can go a long way to improving or easing your symptoms before you even look at HRT.”

Her advice is to choose a Mediterranean diet, adding that some women find eating phytoestrogen-rich foods (such as tofu or soy) helpful, “although evidence is minimal”.

A few tweaks to your lifestyle can also help you navigate this transition and make life a little easier. You can try to:

  • Exercise to keep your bones and cardiovascular system healthy and promote positive moods
  • Meditate or practice mindfulness to ease mood swings and anxiety
  • Sleep seven to eight hours a night to keep you feeling best
  • Layer clothes and bedding in breathable fibres
  • Connect with friends and family to help you cope and keep moods stable
  • Take care of yourself; do not be last on your list because stress can exacerbate symptoms
  • Quit as smokers may go through menopause earlier and suffer more from hot flushes
  • Detox as endocrine disruptors like BPA, phthalates, parabens and pesticides may be linked to early menopause

 

Text: Vicki Bramley/bauersyndication.com.au

Read Next

7 Effective Ways To Cure A Migraine

Are These Indoor Pollutants Making You Sick? Here’s What You Can Do

Feeling More Pains & Aches? Here's How To Correct Your WFH Posture

@parin840056/Twenty20
  • TAGS:
  • Health
  • menopause
  • peri menopause
  • wellbeing
  • Wellness
SHARE THIS ON

What’s Hot

Wellness

Dealing With Lingering Coughs: Health Ex...

Wellness

How A 30-Day Detox Stopped My UTIs And C...

Wellness

10 Gadgets, Supplements And Apps To Help...

Wellness

Here's What 2023 Has In Store For You Ba...

Wellness

The Real Reason Behind Your Headaches

Wellness

This Singaporean Designer Is Hoping To S...

Wellness

Is It Safe To Skip The Bivalent Covid-19...

Wellness

Actress Janice Koh Discusses Her Experie...

Wellness

"I Couldn't Move The Right Side Of My Fa...

Wellness

Feeling Down? Here's How To Deal With Th...

Wellness

How To Commit To Getting Healthier And F...

Wellness

4 Glaring Signs That You're Burnt Out At...

Don’t Miss These
  • Beauty & Health SWW x Chloé: An Afternoon Of Layering And Setting Intenti...
Editor’s Picks
  • Diet & Nutrition Going From 92 To 61kg: How She Reached Her Weight Goal With Help Of A Friend ...
  • Beauty & Health SWW x Chloé: An Afternoon Of Layering And Setting Intentions For 2023
  • Wellness Dealing With Lingering Coughs: Health Expert Shares Tips To Relieve Different...
  • Wellness How A 30-Day Detox Stopped My UTIs And Changed My Life
  • Beauty & Health The Chloé Pop-up at Raffles City Is A Floral Dream Come True
  • Wellness 10 Gadgets, Supplements And Apps To Help You Sleep Better
Don't Miss Out Ever Again!
Tips & tricks to stay sane + win invites to our events!

By signing up, you indicate that you have read and agreed with our Privacy Statement
Footer Menu
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Conditions of Access
  • PDPA
  • Privacy Policy
?>">
SPH Magazine

Copyright © 2023 SPH Media Limited. Co. Regn. No. 202120748H. All rights reserved.