Many women shudder at the thought of menopause, especially when you don't know what to expect. Menopause isn't a big deal for some, but for others, it's years of uncomfortable issues such as night sweats and mood swings.
Learning about the changes menopause causes in the body before it hits is a good way to navigate the ups and downs of this transitional time. Dr. Inga Zilberstein is a perimenopause and menopause specialist in the Upper East Side of Manhattan, New York, who offers various women's wellness services, including bioidentical hormone replacement therapy and personalized medicine, to help you thrive.
Menopause is different for every woman, and there's no real way to tell when you're going to start perimenopause. During this time, the body's reproductive hormones decrease, preparing you for the end of your childbearing years. You reach menopause when you've gone a year without a menstrual cycle.
Most women enter menopause around age 45 to 55, but the symptoms often start much earlier. Night sweats, mood swings, and vaginal dryness are just a few of the uncomfortable signs that menopause is approaching.
The best way to prepare for the menopause transition is to speak with Dr. Zilberstein about your worries and your options for treating various symptoms. She helps you determine what treatments are best for your needs.
When you hit your 40s, you can start preparing yourself mentally and physically. Eat a nutritious diet, maintain a healthy weight, and get regular exercise to keep your body in shape. It's also good to practice meditation and other stress-relieving techniques to work on mental strength.
Navigating menopause can be tricky, which is why Dr. Zilberstein provides the following tips for getting through it successfully.
During menopause, it's easy to get caught up in the downside of symptoms. Prioritizing your well-being and needs is an essential aspect of getting through menopause successfully. Make time for what you love, find a support group, or learn how to de-stress through mindfulness practices.
Hot flashes can happen anytime, making going out of the house scary and draining. However, you can dress in layers to make dealing with a hot flash easier — being able to remove a layer may cool you down and prevent excessive sweating.
Sleep is increasingly tricky during menopause when you’re dealing with symptoms such as insomnia and night sweats — hot flashes that happen overnight. To get the rest you need, make your bedroom a place that’s only for sleep and sex. Avoid screen time before bed, and keep your room at a comfortable temperature.
Use light sheets and dress appropriately to deal with night sweats. Keep a bottle of water or a mister by the bed to help cool you down.
Menopause can be stressful, especially when you think it's almost over and it's not. However, stress doesn't help symptoms and may make them worse. Practice stress reduction techniques by exercising, practicing deep breathing, or finding something you love to do that's peaceful.
Menopause sometimes leads to osteoporosis in women because of the decrease in estrogen. Regular exercise, especially weight-bearing exercise, is essential to strengthen bones and stay in shape. It also keeps off excess weight because menopause often leads to weight gain.
One bothersome sign of menopause is vaginal dryness. It makes sex uncomfortable and can cause urinary issues. Vaginal estrogen helps to hydrate the tissues inside the vagina by providing them with the estrogen they're missing in menopause.
If your symptoms are too much to bear alone, Dr. Zilberstein offers hormone replacement therapy in the form of pills, creams, or patches. Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy provides hormones most similar to the body's natural ones, easing menopause symptoms.
To learn more about navigating menopause, contact Inga Zilberstein, MD, today by calling or texting 830-254-5941 or sending a message through our website.
