When you're in postmenopause, your menstrual period has been gone for longer than 12 consecutive months. At this stage in life, your reproductive years are behind you and you're no longer ovulating (releasing eggs). The menopausal symptoms you've experienced in the past may become milder or go away completely.
Commons Indicators for the End of Menopause
Women may find that they are sleeping better and feeling healthier overall as their hormone levels even out. This can also lead to improvements in mood, energy levels, and cognitive function.
Most women will have their last period around the age of 50. After 12 months without a period, menopause is complete and post-menopause begins. As menopause gets closer, your estrogen and progesterone levels start to decline more rapidly. As a result, your symptoms will likely become more intense.
Periods will usually start to become less frequent over a few months or years before they stop altogether. They might be more irregular and become heavier or lighter. For some women, they can stop suddenly. Postmenopause is the time after a woman experiences her last period.
"If post-menopausal women cut back on calories and up the intensity of their exercise, they lose weight and tone up, just like younger women. It may be a bit slower, but it happens. It requires long-term adherence as well." Pinkerton suggests aiming for a 400- to 600-calorie daily deficit.
The menopause connection to speed of aging
“We discovered that menopause speeds up cellular aging by an average of 6 percent,” said Horvath, who is also a professor in the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. “That doesn't sound like much but it adds up over a woman's lifespan.”
The timing of menopause is different for all women. If you've reached your late 50s or early 60s and are still having a period, you may feel concerned. If this is the case, talk with your healthcare provider. Together, you can discuss the possible reasons for the delay and your provider can order tests if needed.
Menopause is divided into three basic stages: perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause. During this time, the ovaries begin to atrophy which causes a decline in the production of the hormones that stimulate the menstrual cycle; estrogen and progesterone.
After menopause, the tissues of the labia minora (which surround the opening of the vagina and urethra), clitoris, vagina, and urethra become thin (atrophy). This thinning can result in chronic irritation and dryness of the vagina. Vaginal discharge and urinary tract infections are more likely to develop.
And, at that point, your body just can't cope with everything, and your symptoms can get worse. Included in fatigue is sleep. And yes, you know, if you're getting night sweats, these are going to wake you up. Low oestrogen itself will affect the quality of your sleep.
The determining factor was the number of reproductive years. “Later age at menopause is associated with better health, longer life and less cardiovascular disease,” said Ellen B. Gold, a professor emeritus in public health at the University of California, Davis, School of Medicine in this article.
It's common for those entering this natural stage of life to gain weight and belly fat (sometimes called “menopause belly”) and experience other bothersome symptoms — sleep-interrupting night sweats, hot flashes, vaginal dryness that causes pain during sex, urinary tract infections, irregular periods, depression, ...
Many women notice an increase in belly fat as they get older even if they don't gain weight. This is likely due to a lower level of estrogen because estrogen seems to have an effect on where fat is located in the body.
Generally speaking, though, experts know perimenopause as being the most symptomatic phase of menopause. This may mean a person's symptoms improve after menopause. Certain symptoms, such as vaginal dryness and hot flashes, may continue into postmenopause for some people.
Quick Read Do you gain weight during menopause? Most people gain 5-8% of their baseline body weight in the first two years of menopause. This is due to slower metabolism and lifestyle choices such as diet and exercise.
The range for women is usually between 45 and 58. One way to tell when you might go through menopause is the age your mother went through it. Menopause may happen earlier if you: Never had children.
Postmenopausal bleeding is vaginal bleeding that occurs a year or more after your last menstrual period. It can be a symptom of vaginal dryness, polyps (noncancerous growths) or other changes in your reproductive system. In about 10% of women, bleeding after menopause is a sign of uterine cancer.
There is no set age when menopause should start, but according to the Australasian Menopause Society the average age is 51. If a woman is 55 or older and still hasn't begun menopause, it is considered late-onset menopause.
And the consensus was that the majority of women feel better once they're through the menopause. They have a much better life and lots of other aspects tend to be more positive as well.
Estrogen insufficiency decreases defense against oxidative stress; skin becomes thinner with less collagen, decreased elasticity, increased wrinkling, increased dryness and reduced vascularity.
HRT is also known to help women maintain softer, smoother skin, resulting in a younger look. In addition to—and, often, as a result of—these physical changes, HRT often changes how you see yourself. In very real ways, using HRT to address symptoms of hormonal change can help you feel younger.
Now to exercise - the best way to tackle that menopause belly muffin top is through a whole body workout along with some targeted ab exercises. Aim for three to four days of cardio each week, and two to three days of strength training.
Start with a mix of moderate and vigorous exercise to burn off menopausal weight gain. Your routine should include aerobic exercises like swimming, walking, bicycling, and running, as well as resistance or strength training. “What you want to employ now is high-intensity interval training (HIIT),” Dr. Peeke says.