Menopause

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MENOPAUSE

Today, as baby boomers move into midlife with a whole new mind-set, menopause doesn't have quite the alarming effect that it used to. Yet it remains a time of profound transformation in a woman's life as her ovaries start shutting down and production of the female hormone estrogen plummets, signaling an end to her childbearing years.

Attitude counts

Acknowledge sadness

If menopause feels like a loss, allow yourself to feel sad about it. Everybody experiences menopause very differently. Some women are happy to not have to worry about birth control and periods anymore.

Talk to your partner

Open communication with your intimate other is especially important. Shere your thoughts and concerns and get closer instead of creating distance.

Lubricate your love life

The once supple tissues of the vagina that produce lubrication become thin and dry in the absence of estrogen, which normally sends messages to the genitals to prepare for intercourse.

Seek emotional support

Connecting with other women, not isolating yourself, will help you feel better.

Get enough shut-eye

Hot flashes can jolt you from your sleep.

Exercise regularly

The depression that can come with menopause may be related to low levels of serotonin and endorphins, brain chemicals that influence mood. Exercise is a form of self-medication for depression, raising the level of endorphins in the brain?

Stay away from smoke

Smoking directly affects the production of estrogen and brings on menopause two to four years earlier.