The symptoms can last for 10 years or more -- why put up
with them? These tactics can give you relief from hot flashes, mood swings,
headaches, and more.
Hot
Flash Cooldown
Keep a diary to track what sets off
your hot flashes. Caffeine? Alcohol? A hot room? Stress? All are common
causes. When a flash starts, take slow, deep breaths, in the nose and out the
mouth. For tough cases, talk to your doctor.
Freeze
Out Night Sweats
At night, hot flashes can go on for
3 minutes or more, leaving you drenched in sweat and unable to sleep. But there
are ways to keep your cool. Trade the heavy flannels for light PJs. Put a bag
of frozen peas under your pillow. Flip the pillow through the night and put
your face on the cool side. Choose layers of light blankets over one thick
quilt. Use a bedside fan to keep air moving.
Boost
the Odds of Sleep
Yoga, tai chi, and learning to
meditate have all been shown to help you sleep. Any exercise can make a
difference; just quit 3 hours before bedtime. Skip a nightcap, as alcohol will
waken you later. Instead, try sipping warm milk. It contains a substance that
can help you relax. Still up? Get out of bed and read until sleepy. If the
trouble persists, talk to your doctor about short-term sleep aids.
Give
Your Body Help
Hormone changes leave the vagina
thinner and dryer, which can make sex painful. Lucky for you, lots of products
exist today that can help. Try nonprescription, water-based vaginal lubricants
or vaginal moisturizer. You can also ask your doctor about prescription vaginal
creams or rings, or prescription pills for vaginal dryness and painful sex. The
more sex you're able to have, the better for blood flow, which helps vaginal
health.
Nurture
That Lost Desire
Make more time for sex. Try massage
and other acts short of intercourse. Use erotica and new-for-you sex routines
as ways to build desire, too. Other causes besides hormone changes can strike
at the same time. Ask a doctor about poor sleep, bladder trouble, or feeling
depressed or stressed.
Mood
Highs and Oh-So Lows
It's like PMS, only amped up --
crying jags, happy happies, cranky crankies. These are common in women around
the time of menopause. And if you had bad PMS, the hormonal changes that happen
during this time may cause even bigger mood swings. Yoga and tai chi can help
here, too. So can doing things with others that you enjoy. A low-dose birth
control pill, antidepressants, and even alternative treatments are sometimes
recommended for mood changes.
Head
Off Headaches
Migraines can worsen at or around
the time of menopause, or show up for the first time. Keep a diary to see what
triggers them and if they show up along with hot flashes so you can take steps
to lessen them. Eating small meals through the day can help if hunger is a
headache trigger. Lack of sleep is another one, so nap if your nights are
messed up. Treatments vary and can help prevent migraine frequency or severity.
Talk with your doctor.
When
Hair Goes Down the Drain
Hair can thin or shed faster. At the
same time, it may show up where you don't want it -- on your chin and cheeks.
To save what you have, switch to coloring products that don't have harsh
chemicals. Avoid the sun, which is drying. Got unwanted facial hair? Ask a skin
doctor for to help wax, bleach, pluck, or zap it away.
Zits?
Now? Really?
You expect to have acne in your
teens but not in your 50s. Surprise: It's common around menopause, too. Make
sure your moisturizer, sunscreen, cleanser, and other face products are gentle.
Look for the words "oil free," "won't clog pores,"
"noncomedogenic," and "non-acnegenic." Even tough
cases can clear with time and a doctor's help.
Blast
Through Mental Fog
"Use it or lose it." That
simple phrase can help you fight fuzzy thinking and stay focused during
menopause. Challenge your brain in new ways. Learn something new, like a hobby
or language. Lowering your stress level can help, too. Women with more hot
flashes have more memory complaint
Source: Web MD
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