13.05.2025.
What no one tells you is that menopause doesn’t begin with a dramatic moment—it sneaks in quietly, often years before your last period. One day you’re powering through your routine, the next you’re wondering why you’re wide awake at 3 a.m. or suddenly drenched in sweat during a meeting.
For many women, this hormonal shift stretches across nearly a decade, subtly rewriting how their body feels and functions. Understanding what’s happening and why can make all the difference.
What makes menopause symptoms worse?
It depends on your symptoms. For example, if hot flashes and sweating are your main symptoms, you may want to avoid warm environments or stop eating spicy foods.
If you have symptoms like anxiety or insomnia, you may find that relaxing activities like yoga or reading before bed help calm your mind and lead to a more peaceful sleep.
Some women find keeping a journal of symptoms helps them identify what causes their symptoms to worsen. Then, you can take steps to avoid certain activities that make your menopause symptoms worse.
How do I know if I’m in menopause?
You’ll know you’ve reached menopause when you’ve gone 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period.
Contact your healthcare provider if you have any type of vaginal bleeding after menopause.
Vaginal bleeding after menopause could be a sign of a more serious health issue.
Why does menopause happen?
When menopause happens on its own (natural menopause), it’s a normal part of aging.
Menopause is defined as a complete year without menstrual bleeding, in the absence of any surgery or medical condition that may cause bleeding to stop, like hormonal birth control, chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
Surgical removal of your ovaries will result in menopause if your surgeon removes both ovaries.
As you age, your reproductive cycle begins to slow down and prepares to stop. This cycle has been continuously functioning since puberty. As menopause nears, your ovaries make less estrogen.
When this decrease occurs, your menstrual cycle (period) starts to change. It can become irregular and then stop.
Physical changes can also happen as your body adapts to different hormone levels. The symptoms you experience during each stage of menopause are all part of your body’s adjustment to these changes.
What hormonal changes happen during menopause?
The traditional changes we think of as “menopause” happen when your ovaries no longer produce high levels of hormones. Your ovaries produce the hormones estrogen and progesterone.
Together, estrogen and progesterone control menstruation. Estrogen also influences how your body uses calcium and maintains cholesterol levels in your blood.
As menopause nears, your ovaries no longer release eggs, and you’ll have your last menstrual cycle.
