Causes of Weight Gain after Menopause

Weight Gain after Menopause

There are several causes of weight gain after menopause. However, changing hormone levels aren’t necessarily the cause of weight gain. Aging and lifestyle factors play a great role in the changes that occur in woman’s body. In addition, menopausal women tend to exercise less than other women.

The number of calories you need for energy decreases as you age because aging promotes the replacement of muscle with fat. Muscle burns more calories than fat does. When your body composition shifts to more fat and less muscle, your metabolism slows down.

Genetic factors may play a role in weight gain too.

No doubt that weight gain can cause serious implications for the health. Excess weight increases your risk of high cholesterol, high blood pressure and insulin resistance, which can lead to type 2 diabetes. These factors also put you at increased risk of heart disease and stroke.

Moreover, weight gain after menopause increases breast cancer risk. However, losing weight after menopause can reduce breast cancer risk.

How to Reserve Weight Gain

If you want to reverse weight gain after menopause, then you should change your lifestyle and eating habits. You should increase your physical activity. For example, aerobic exercise can boost your metabolism and help you burn fat. You can also do strength training exercises. They may increase muscle mass, boost your metabolism and strengthen your bones.

You can become more physically active even without starting a formal exercise program. The main rule is to be active for a total of 30 minutes or more a day on most days.

Menopausal women need fewer calories to maintain former body weight. It may be necessary to cut calorie intake by 10 to 15 percent while at the same time increasing level of activity or exercise. If women don’t reduce their calorie intake, they are over eating. Calories needs are the highest during the mid-20s. The daily calorie needs, as women age, then reduce at about 2% to 4% for every 10 years added.

Balanced Diet

It is very important for menopausal woman to eat a balanced diet. You should try to avoid refined sugars and indulge in fruits and vegetables.

Include foods low in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol in your diet. Remember that fat intake should be less than 30 percent of daily calorie intake. Besides you should consume 20 – 30 grams of fiber daily. You should start to control the portions of your food. Eat slowly and small quantities of food. It’s essential to maintain adequate intake of water during menopause. You should drink 8- 10 glasses daily. Avoid losing large amounts of weight. Being very thin can lead to an increased chance of developing osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis in Menopause

Osteoporosis is often called the “silent disease” because initially bone loss occurs without any symptoms. A woman may not know that she has osteoporosis until weakened bones cause painful fractures usually in the back or hips. Consequently, once a woman has a broken bone due to osteoporosis, she is at high risk of having another. These fractures can be debilitating. Fortunately, there are steps she can take to prevent osteoporosis from ever occurring. And treatments can slow the rate of bone loss if she already has osteoporosis.

Diagnosis of Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is best diagnosed using a specialised x-ray technique (DEXA). A DEXA measures the severity of bone mineral loss (loss of bone mineral density) and presents the result as a T-score. The T-score compares the bone density of the woman with that of a young woman (when peak bone mass is at its best).

The various T-scores used in diagnosis are:

• Normal bone density – the T-score measures between 0 and -1.
• Osteopaenia – the T-scores are between -1 and -2.5. This means there is some bone loss, but it’s not severe enough to be called osteoporosis.
• Osteoporosis – the T-score measures -2.5 or less.

Physical activity is very important

Exercise can’t stop bone loss, but the activity, especially walking, can slow down the pace of osteoporosis. In addition, exercise keeps muscles toned and strong, making falls less damaging. Just 30 minutes of brisk walking several days a week is all you need to increase strength and overall fitness.

Two types of physical activities that are most beneficial to bones are weight bearing and resistance training exercises.
In addition to reducing bone loss, physical activity will improve muscle strength, balance and fitness and also reduce the incidence of falls and fractures.

When you start an exercise program, you’d better consult with your doctor, physiotherapist or health care professional.

Weight Bearing Exercise

Weight bearing exercise refers to any exercises performed on feet. Examples include walking, running, tennis and dancing. Studies to evaluate the effects of exercises such as walking have not shown a drastic improvement in bone mass unless this activity is performed as a high intensity activity (walking at a fast pace, jogging and etc.).

Resistance Training Exercises

Resistance training exercises are also known as strength training exercises. Strength training uses weights of some kind (machines, dumbbells, ankle or wrist weights) to create resistance. This helps build muscle mass and places a load (force) on the involved limb bones. In addition, it includes exercises that use one’s own body weight as the load, such as push-ups where the load is placed through the arms and shoulders.

It’s good to note that you should only perform these exercises under the supervision of an accredited trainer, exercise physiologist or physiotherapist to avoid unnecessary injury.

Medical Prevention and Treatments

There are a number of medical treatments available for management of osteoporosis including bisphosphonates, selective oestrogen receptor modulators (SERMs), hormone replacement therapy (HRT), vitamin D derivatives and calcium supplements and strontium ranelate. Potential therapies include tibolone and parathyroid hormone.

Hormone Replacement Therapy

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) relieves menopausal symptoms such as vaginal dryness, hot flushes and night sweats. When taken at the beginning of menopause, HRT can also prevent bone loss and should be started soon after menopause for maximum benefit. This treatment is sometimes called hormone therapy (HT).

HRT should be considered ‘first line’ treatment for osteoporosis in young women and those in their 50s for up to 5 years. Some studies conduct that HRT can increase bone density by around 5 % in 2 years. HRT reduces the risk of spinal fractures by 40 per cent. Bone loss will resume once HRT is stopped.

Safe Alternative to Hormone Therapy

For those women who cannot take hormone therapy for health reasons or choose not to because of personal reasons, there are some other alternatives.

Calcimar, Miacalcin

These drugs are made up of a naturally occurring hormone, called calcitonin, involved in calcium regulation and bone metabolism. Calcitonin helps slow bone loss and increase spinal bone density. These drugs are used to treat osteoporosis. This drugs may ease pain associated with bone fractures.

Evista

This drug is a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) that has many estrogen-like properties. It is approved for prevention and treatment of osteoporosis and can prevent bone loss at the spine, hip, and other areas of the body. Studies have shown that it can decrease the rate of vertebral fractures by 30%-50%. It may increase the risk of blood clots like estrogen.

Forteo

This is a type of hormone used to treat osteoporosis. It helps rebuild bone and increases bone mineral density. It is given by injection and is used as a treatment for osteoporosis.

Prolia

This is a so-called monoclonal antibody — a fully human, lab-produced antibody that inactivates the body’s bone-breakdown mechanism. This drug is used to treat women at high risk of fracture when other osteoporosis medicines have not worked.

Bisphosphonates

This group of medications includes the drugs Actonel, Fosamax, Reclast, and Boniva. Bisphosphonates are used to prevent and/or treat osteoporosis. They have been shown to slow bone loss, increase bone density and reduce the risk of spine fractures. Actonel and Fosamax have also been shown to reduce risk of non-spine fractures. Possible side effects of treatment with bisphosphonates include gastrointestinal upsets.

Selective oestrogen receptor modulators

The female body contains oestrogen receptors, which are located on many body tissues including bone. These receptors respond to the hormone oestrogen. Selective oestrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) are medications that work by blocking the oestrogen effect at some receptor sites, while prompting an oestrogen effect at others. In bone they work like oestrogen and lead to an increase in bone mass (density), mainly in the spine (less in the hips).

You should keep in mind that potential side effects of SERMs include hot flushes and a slightly increased risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

Vitamin D and Calcium Supplements

A woman experiencing menopause may be prescribed a vitamin D derivative by a doctor and calcium supplements. These supplements may reduce the incidence of bone fractures by 30 %. Five to 15 minutes of sunlight exposure every day can also boost vitamin D production and contribute to bone health. Vitamin D is activated by the liver and kidneys to boost calcium absorption.

Women age 51-70 require 400 units of vitamin D per day, and women over the age of 70 need 600 units. Vitamin D-fortified milk is one of the best food sources for this nutrient – one 8 oz. glass provides 100 units, or 25% of the daily requirement.

Excellent sources of calcium are milk and dairy products, canned fish with bones like salmon and sardines, dark green leafy vegetables, such as kale, collards and broccoli, calcium-fortified orange juice, and breads made with calcium-fortified flour.

Strontium Ranelate

Strontium is a trace element that is naturally found within soft tissues, blood, teeth and bone. Although it is unclear how it works, it seems to reduce bone loss and may enhance bone formation. Studies with this medication in postmenopausal women have shown a reduction in both vertebral (spinal), hip and other fractures.

Like other osteoporosis therapies, you may also require additional vitamin D and calcium supplements if your vitamin D levels are low or dietary calcium intake is insufficient.

Potential Therapies – Tibolone

There is evidence that tibolone has beneficial effects on bone and leads to an increase in bone mineral density and reduction in fracture and risk.

Tibolone may not have the same stimulatory effects on the breast as standard forms of hormone therapy; studies have shown no increase in breast cancer for up to five years of use. Note: tibolone should not be used in women with breast cancer.

Potential Therapies – Parathyroid Hormone

This hormone is administered daily through an injection just below the skin (subcutaneous injection). It increases bone formation and absorption of calcium from the gut and kidney. It’s good to note, Calcium and vitamin D supplements may be necessary with this medication and must be monitored under the care of a specialist physician or endocrinologist.

There are some other recommendations for women who have osteoporosis:
Avoid certain medications. Steroids, some breast cancer treatments (such as aromatase inhibitors), drugs used to treat seizures (anticonvulsants), blood thinners (anticoagulants), and thyroid medications increase the rate of bone loss if not used as directed. If you are taking any of these medications, you should talk to your doctor about how to reduce your risk of bone loss through diet, lifestyle changes and, possibly, additional medication.

Other preventive steps. You’d better limit alcohol consumption and do not smoke. Smoking causes your body to make less estrogen, which protects the bones. Too much alcohol can damage your bones and increase your risk of falling and breaking a bone.

Symptoms of Menopause and Rheumatoid Arthritis

Despite this conflicting evidence, it is clear that symptoms of menopause might increase rheumatoid arthritis pain, if only because they make a woman feel that much worse, says Zashin.

Interacting symptoms also can create specific health challenges for menopausal women with rheumatoid arthritis. These include:

• Osteoporosis. Rheumatoid arthritis already leads to worsening bone density loss, with the inflammation around the joints causing the bones to deteriorate. Inactivity due to arthritis pain and long-term use of corticosteroids for arthritis treatment might also lead to loss of bone density in patients with RA. Menopause may hasten this process, creating even more joint pain and increasing the potential for bone fractures.
• Loss of muscle mass. Menopause can cause a woman to lose some of her muscle mass. Muscles are crucial for supporting joints that are aching and inflamed as a result of rheumatoid arthritis.
• Fatigue. The inflammation of rheumatoid arthritis can create severe fatigue in some people. Feeling tired is also a common symptom of menopause, usually due to a lack of good sleep. Sleeplessness can compound the fatigue caused by rheumatoid arthritis symptoms.

For women who want a treatment that doesn’t involve taking medication, the answer is exercise. Exercise is an excellent therapy that can help you deal with symptoms of menopause as well as rheumatoid arthritis symptoms, particularly since they intersect. Exercise helps battle bone density loss, increase muscle mass, and improve sleep.

As researchers continue to delve into the connections between these two medical conditions, keep in mind that you have the ability to take action and combat these symptoms.

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Can Menopause Cause Arthritis?

The term “menopause arthritis” has been coined because so many women develop arthritis and its accompanying aches and stiffness when they are in menopause.

Where Has All the Estrogen Gone?

Menopause causes significantly lower levels of estrogen. This loss of estrogen may be why menopausal women often complain of muscle and joint pains. Estrogen has a positive impact on the health of cartilage cells and, in addition, decreases pain perception in the brain. When estrogen diminishes, cartilage cells aren’t as healthy and we feel more pain.

Drugs that Deplete Estrogen

When a woman has breast cancer, she is given medicine that blocks the enzyme that changes hormones into estrogen. These drugs are called estrogen-depleting substances. Because these women develop joint pain, there seems to be a connection between lower levels of estrogen and joint pain.

HRT May or May Not Help

Some women report reduced arthritic pain. and body pain in general, when they undergo hormone replacement therapy (HRT), which consists of giving a woman artificial estrogen and progesterone, although there have been conflicting results.

Arthralgias

Estrogen deprivation may cause arthralgias, which is joint pain, but estrogen replacement may not be the answer because the synthetic hormone can be delivered in a dosage that is more potent or larger than would normally occur.

Osteoarthritis

Many middle-aged people, not just menopausal women, suffer from osteoarthritis, which is the breakdown of joint cartilage caused by over-use.

During menopause, a woman’s body begins to make less of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. This leads to the common symptoms of menopause. A woman is said to have reached menopause when she has not had a period for 12 months in a row and there are no other causes for this change.

The menopause usually happens between the ages of 45 and 55, although it can be earlier or later. The average age for the menopause to occur is 51 years old. There can sometimes be a family pattern so it may be worth asking your mother, sister or grandmother when it happened to them.

Reasons of Early Menopause

Sometimes women may attain menopause as early as in their 30’s. This is called as early menopause and may occur due to many reasons. Some women may experience menopause after hysterectomy (in which both ovaries are removed). If the ovaries are destroyed by chemotherapy or radiotherapy for cancer of the cervix, this can also bring on an immediate menopause. The symptoms of the menopause can be more severe when the menopause takes place prematurely or abruptly. Artificial radiation, chemotheapeutic drugs, trauma, etc. may lead to premature menopause symptoms.

Cigarette smokers often reach the menopause earlier than non-smokers.

As it was already said above, the average age of menopause for women is about 51 years. However, a few decades back the average age of menopause for women was about 60 years. Women generally entered primenopausal age in their 50’s and attained menopause at 60. But with the change in lifestyle, more caffeine and alcohol intake has decreased the average age of menopause for women.

Decreased blood supply to the vagina can lead to vaginal dryness and thinning of the vaginal wall lining (atrophy). This can make sexual intercourse uncomfortable and even painful, hardly a recipe for sexual arousal. In addition, a body of a woman is producing less of the male sex hormone androgen, which is thought to be associated with desire.

Unfortunately there are no drugs that can specifically treat sexual libido problems associated with menopause. However, the following options may help:

• Water-based vaginal moisturizers can help relieve dryness during sexual intercourse.
• Tibolone is a synthetic steroid that is also a weak mimic of progestogen, estrogen, and androgen. It has effectively treated the symptoms of vaginal atrophy in some women.

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Estrogen Replacement

Estrogen replacement may also work. However, research has yielded conflicting results regarding its effectiveness. But estrogen can make intercourse less painful by treating vaginal dryness.

Doctors are also studying whether a combination of estrogen and the male hormones, called androgens, may be helpful in increasing sex drive in women.

Discussion Sexual Problems with Doctor

No doubt sexual problems can be difficult to discuss. However, you should talk to your doctor. Your doctor may refer you and your partner to a health professional who specializes in sexual dysfunction. The therapist may advise sexual counseling on an individual basis, with your partner or in a support group. This type of counseling can be very successful, even when it is done on a short-term basis.

During menopause, even if your sex drive isn’t what it once was, you should still take time for intimacy with your partner. Being intimate does not require having intercourse. Love and affection can be expressed in many ways. Enjoy your time together.

To improve your physical intimacy, you may want to try the following approaches:

• Educate yourself about your anatomy, sexual function, and the normal changes associated with aging, as well as sexual behaviors and responses. This may help you overcome your anxieties about sexual function and performance.
• Enhance stimulation through the use of erotic materials (videos or books), masturbation, and changes to sexual routines.
• Practice non-coital behaviors (physically stimulating activity that does not include intercourse), such as sensual massage. These activities can be used to promote comfort and increase communication between you and your partner.
• Use distraction techniques to increase relaxation and eliminate anxiety. These may include erotic or non-erotic fantasies, exercises with intercourse, music, videos, or television.
• You should minimize any pain you may be experiencing by using sexual positions that allow you to control the depth of penetration. You may also want to take a warm bath before intercourse to help you relax. Use vaginal lubricants to help reduce pain caused by friction.

Health Tips

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Treatments for joint pain should begin with exploration of the least invasive or obtrusive (the most natural), so that the likelihood of side effects may be decreased. Lifestyle changes should take place. This may include gentle exercise routines, especially yoga and pilates. Some muscle strengthening exercises can also reduce joint pain, but these should be exercised with caution.

Phytoestrogens are also helpful. These substances can be found in soy products like tempeh, miso, soybean milk and meat substitutes, linseed or flaxseed products, as well as in fruits, veggies, cereals and a variety of seeds.

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Alternative Medicine Therapies

Several alternative medicine therapies (certain herbal remedies, acupuncture and massage) have proven very successful. Natural supplements not only reduce joint pain but also re-balance hormonal levels will be ideal.

Menopausal herbs like chasteberry, blue and black cohosh, and raspberry, herbs like boswellia, ginger, juniper and turmeric have been shown to be effective in treating arthritis. So they should relive the painful symptoms of menopause joint pain.

Here are some other herbs and herbal remedies which could help with menopause joint pain.

• Boswellia (an Ayurvedic Indian herb) – extract from the frankinscense tree has no undesirable side effects and acts quickly on joint pain. The boswellic acids, a key active ingredient, interrupt the inflammatory reaction and prevent the formation of biochemicals which trigger the pain reaction.
• Turmeric relieves chronic pain and inflammation with a powerful acting agent called curcumin.
• Ginger not only acts on arthritis-like symptoms, but will soothe the stomach, unlike so many joint pain relievers on the market.
• Cayenne – A hot pepper cream will work to soothe painful joints with the natural painkiller stimulating ingredient capsaicin. This compound actually triggers the body to release its own stores of pain-relieving agents.
• Juniper – use the diluted essential oil in sore joints three or four times a day.

The condition of menopause can produce uncomfortable and problematic symptoms in women. These symptoms can include hot flashes, vaginal dryness, bone thinning and burning and irritation of the vaginal areas. That is why women seek out medication for help in controlling the symptoms of menopause.

Depro Provera (medroxyprogersterone) is a female hormone more commonly recognized as progersterone. This medication is used in conjunction with a mixture of estrogen hormones (known as conjugated estrogens) to treat menopause symptoms in women.

Women taking Depro Provera may avoid such frustrating symptoms of menopause as hot flashes and vaginal dryness hope to avoid.

Therapeutic Dosages

Depro Provera is administered in pill form (a 28-day supply containing 14 each of two different colored pills). You should keep in mind that Depro Provera should be taken at the same time each day in order to maintain a steady supply in the body. It can be taken with or without food.
The correct colored pills need to be taken during the first 14 days, as well as the correct colored pill from day 15 through 28. Remember that one color is for the beginning portion of the month, the other for the latter part of the month. It is important that colors not be mixed throughout the month.

Side effects

Potential side effects from Depro Provera use can range from mild to severe. Mild side effects include acne, bloating and increased hair growth. Severe side effects include difficulty breathing, chest pain, confusion and numbness on one side of the body. If a Depro Provera medication user also smokes, she can increase risk of blood clots, heart attack and stroke. In addition, those who smoke may increase hot flashes during menopause and even bring on menopause, if not already experiencing it.

Precautions

Depro Provera should not be taken by individuals with uterine, breast or hormone-dependent cancers. It should not be taken if a prior history of stroke, blood clots or heart attack exists by the potential medication user or if there is liver disease present.

Remember, that the use of Provera to treat menopause can be a safe and reliable method under a physician’s care. Anyway, any patient who is prescribed Provera should be aware of the possible side effects and things to look for that could be signs of a more serious issue.

The first effects of the woman concerned are hot flashes and night sweats. There can be present such symptoms as insomnia, headache, palpitations, depressive mood, anxiety, fatigue and etc. Vaginal dryness, pain during sexual intercourse, decreased libido, more frequent urination and sometimes incontinence can cause various problems in menopausal woman. For most women, weight gains with alteration in body image are of great concern, in addition to changes in the skin and coat. No doubt that all of these symptoms, if present, could severely diminish the quality of life of a woman.

If your menopausal symptoms are severe enough to interfere with your daily life, there are treatments that can help.

The treatment options are:

• hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
• tibolone (similar to HRT)
• vaginal lubricants
• clonidine
• antidepressants

You should keep in mind that the kind of treatment you can take depends on your symptoms, medical history and your own preferences.

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT)

It’s very important to underline that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is effective in treating several of the most common menopausal symptoms, including hot flushes and night sweats, vaginal symptoms and cystitis.

HRT works by replacing oestrogen. This hormone naturally begins to fall in the approach to menopause, causing menopausal symptoms. There are 3 main types of HRT:

• oestrogen-only HRT (for women who have had their womb and ovaries removed)
• cyclical HRT (for women who are experiencing menopausal symptoms but are still having periods (it is possible to take both oestrogen and progestogen))
• continuous HRT (for women who are post-menopausal)

HRT can be taken as a cream or gel, a tablet, a skin patch or an implant.

If you are taking HRT, you will need to return to your GP for a follow-up review 3 months after starting HRT, and once a year after that. At your three-month review, your GP will make sure your symptoms are under control; ask you about any side effects and bleeding patterns; check your blood pressure and weight.

At your annual review your GP will review the type of HRT you are taking and make any necessary changes. He/she will perform a breast examination and show you how to do it yourself. Your GP will also remind you of the risks and benefits of HRT.

Tibolone

Tibolone is a synthetic hormone that acts in the similar way as HRT. It may be used as an alternative to combined HRT (which contains both oestrogen and progestogen) for post-menopausal women who want to end their periods.

Tibolone is useful in treating menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes and night sweats. It can help prevent fractures of the spine.

In addition, it may improve sexual problems, such as a decreased sex drive.

However, you should keep in mind that tibolone carries some small risks, including a small increased risk of breast cancer, cancer of the womb and stroke. Remember, that it is not suitable for women over the age of 60.

Vaginal lubricants

If you experience vaginal dryness, your GP can prescribe a vaginal lubricant or moisturiser, such as Replens. Each of them can be used for as long as you like.

Clonidine

Clonidine was originally designed to treat high blood pressure, but it may also reduce hot flushes and night sweats in some women.
You should keep in mind that clonidine can sometimes cause unpleasant side effects including dry mouth, drowsiness, depression, constipation and fluid retention. If your GP prescribes clonidine, you will need to take it for a trial period of 2-4 weeks to see if it will be effective. If your symptoms do not improve during this time or if you experience side effects, the treatment should be stopped and you should return to your GP.

Antidepressants
There are several antidepressant medications that may be effective for treatment of hot flashes. These are:

• venlafaxine
• fluoxetine
• paroxetine
• citalopram

It’s very important to underline that side effects of these antidepressants may include nausea, dizziness, dry mouth, anxiety, problems sleeping.

If you are on a non-HRT treatment, you will need to return to your GP for a review of your treatment at least once a year. If your symptoms have stopped after one to two years of treatment, your GP may suggest a trial withdrawal of treatment.

It’s very important to underline that your symptoms may recur for a short while after you stop your treatment, but as long as this does not continue in the long term, you may be able to stop taking it permanently.

• Hot flashes and night sweats
• Joint pain
• Insomnia
• Mood swings
• Headaches
• Weight gain
• Concentration difficulty,
• Irritation, and etc.

However, there is one side effect that can be alarming. This is the heart palpitations.

Heart Palpitations in Menopause

Nowadays heart disease is a top killer for women. That is why the great fear is instilled when the palpitations are felt. The main problem is that a woman is simply not aware of what is occurring. Some women will pass the symptom off as nothing while other women become very worried.

Anyway, heart arrhythmia and palpitations and menopause is a common aspect of the change of life. With heart palpitations and menopause, there is a sensation of the heart pounding uncontrollably. These palpitations when associated with menopause are transient.  They usually occur on occasion over about a month or two.

How to Reduce the Heart Palpitations

However, you can do a few things to help reduce or eliminate the palpitations. First of all, you should avoid any type of stimulant such as caffeine found in coffee, tea, and soda. Stop smoking because nicotine is also a stimulant. You should keep in mind that taking diet pills, thyroid hormone replacement medication, antidepressants, and other drugs can also trigger heart palpitations during menopause. If you take medication, then talk to your doctor to see if this medication can be the culprit.
There are some other medical conditions that can be the cause of heart palpitations.

• Anxiety,
• Anemia,
• Low blood sugar,
• Certain thyroid problems,
• and mitral valve prolapse, which is a mild deformity in one of the heart’s valves are among them.

If you are premenopausal, the palpitations are likely not associated with anything of concern. But if you continue to have this pounding of the heart of at any time, become overly sweaty, have numbness in one of your arms, pain in the shoulder blades, chest pain, or shortness of breath, then you should immediately call 911.

If you notice that heart arrhythmia or palpitations start or become worse while physically active, then stop what you are doing and rest until the pounding in the chest ceases. Try to do what you can to reduce any stress. You can take a walk, sip a cup of caffeine free tea, inhal and exhal several slow breaths, or lay down to rest.

• Hot flashes,
• Night sweats,
• Mood swings,
• Weight gain,
• Problems with concentration,
• Joint pain,
• and the insomnia.

Insomnia during menopause is quite common. It is considered among the most annoying of symptoms. You can feel menopause insomnia in a number of ways from having trouble getting to sleep to waking several times throughout the night. As the result, a woman feels tired and drained.

For menopausal women an insomnia is made worse by night sweats. Anothe side of menopause insomnia is the problem of falling asleep and then waking 2-4 times during the night. What makes that even worse is that the woman lays awake for half an hour each time, desperately trying to get back to sleep.

The reason for insomnia is due to the body’s inability to maintain a consistent temperature, which is cased by the change and fluctuation in estrogen and progesterone levels.

You should do several things to improve the issue with insomnia. First of all, you should get the night sweats and hot flashes under control. For this, you may try natural remedies for menopause. You can check with your local health food store to see what natural potions are available.

In addition, there are certain teas that have ingredients that promote healthy sleep. These teas usually include chamomile and peppermint. You should find a tea that is soothing, tastes great, and contains no caffeine.

Natural remedies that include melatonin have shown to helpful in fighting with menopause insomnia. As a person ages, the level of melatonin naturally found in the body begins to decrease. And by increasing the levels, sleep is improved.

If you suffer from menopause insomnia, then you may consider any of the following to help sleep:

• Kava Kava,
• Calcium Carbonate,
• Passion Flower,
• Skullcap,
• Valerian Root,
• Hops,
• Inositol,
• L-Taurine,
• Magnesium Oxide and etc.

Recommendations for Menopausal Woman to Aviod Insomnia

There are some important recommendations that you should follow.

1. If you are struggling with menopause insomnia, you should certainly cut back on caffeine and completely eliminate it after 12:00 noon.
2. You should avoid drinking alcohol prior to going to bed (even wine).
3. Try to develop a set time for going to bed.
4. Never watch television in bed.
5. A great idea is to keep the temperature in the bedroom 5 degrees cooler than normal.
6. Don’t exercise less than 5 hours prior to bedtime.

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