Menopause is the phase in a woman’s life when she no longer menstruates. Every woman will approach this stage in life at some point but how do you know when it is approaching? Below are some of the most common signs and symptoms of menopause.

Hot and Cold Flushes or Night Sweats – A very good sign that you are going through menopause is experiencing hot or cold flashes and night sweats. This is usually a result of hormonal changes but is most often a result of menopause although both can be linked together.

Irregular Periods – Having irregular periods is a sign that you are approaching menopause. Just about all women will have irregular period’s years prior to menopause. This is due to hormonal imbalance that occurs as a woman ages. Since the menstrual cycle is dependent on hormones, it is affected if there is an imbalance. Thus leading to irregular periods which give you a good sign that menopause is approaching.

Vaginal Dryness – Although women can experience vaginal dryness at any point in their lifetime, it is very common among those experiencing menopause. The hormone changes that are associated with menopause along with decreasing estrogen in the body can cause vaginal dryness.

Mood Swings – There are not only physical symptoms of menopause but also emotional ones too. More than half of the women going through menopause have mood swings. Mood swings that are associated with menopause are often due the emotional reaction to hormonal changes a woman experiences during menopause.

Sleep Pattern Changes – Some woman may also have trouble sleeping or have different sleep patterns while going through menopause. Once again, this is due to hormonal changes.

Low Sex Drive – The more accurate phrase for this common symptom of menopause is loss of libido – less of a desire for sexual activity. This is usually due to hormonal imbalance but can also be a result of other physical problems.

Anxiety – Hormonal changes can cause anxiety in woman that go through menopause. Even though anxiety is a common problem that a lot of people face, it can be more common in women and those in the menopausal stage.

Headaches – It is not uncommon for women to experience migraine headaches once they reach perimenopause. These headaches usually start out slow and then build up to a throbbing pain. Many women experience this pain prior to and during menopause.

Weight Gain – Did you know that 9 out of 10 women who experience menopause gain a certain amount of weight? Weight gain is another very common symptom of menopause. This weight gain usually occurs in the abdomen area and causes women to lose their shape.

Hair Loss – Hormonal changes can cause women to lose their hair. This is quite a depressing symptom of menopause that quite a few women start to notice in the early stages.

The signs of menopause mentioned above are only some of the changes that women experience as a result of menopause.