Understand Menopause because it is... inevitable

Menopause is loosely defined as the period in your life when you stop having periods - which further means that you can no longer get pregnant. At least, that is true for most women, but there are exceptions to every rule. Succinctly, menopause is the act of your ovaries making less estrogen and progesterone, which are essential hormones important to menstruation and pregnancy.

There is no set age or time frame when menopause automatically starts; it is different for every woman. On average, women start going through menopause around in the age of 50. However it can began as early as 51 and as late as age 59 - if not earlier or later. In fact, women can start experiencing the physical and hormonal effects - such as aging skin - as early as their 20s and 30s. No matter what age you are, if you notice that your periods are becoming erratic and/or gradually stopping, simply go see your doctor. He or she can do some tests that will indicate if you are starting menopause. Keep in mind that the entire menopausal process generally takes years from start to finish. Normally, the rule goes that if you have not had a period for an entire year, you are likely beginning menopause.

In addition to changes in your monthly menstruation cycle, there are some other signs and symptoms of menopause which can indication its beginning. Sometimes you start bleeding more heavily, more often, or for longer periods of time than you normally would. Hot flashes are a universally recognized sign of menopause as well. There are changes in appearance as well - for instance, the skin around your vulva can grow thinner, and sometimes urinary tract infections and other problems occur. It is not uncommon to experience frequent headaches during the onset of menopause either. As well, you may notice that you have insomnia or simply do not sleep as well as you once did. Conversely, you may also be tired and fatigued. These contrasting symptoms are generally due to night sweats and hot flashes.

Of course, there are also physical symptoms which go along with menopause as well. If you have ever seen the popular Resurgence Infomercial, menopause and hormonal aging can have a serious effect on your skin. This is one of the things that makes women dread menopause so much. The prospect of not being able to have children can be devastating; the emotion associated with that is only exacerbated by suddenly seeing fine lines and wrinkles where once there were none. It may seem slightly superficial to think that a few wrinkles and age spots could bring on depression, but it is so much more than that. Everything changes with menopause. It is not uncommon to feel that the ways in which you defined yourself as a woman have broken down completely. This can cause intense feelings of isolation and displacement, which are only emphasized when your skin's elasticity and the radiance once in your eyes begin to fail you too.