What Age Does Menopause Start?

The question of at what age does menopause start is a never-ending question that every woman wants an immediate answer to. This can be tricky because the start and end date of menopause can range based on many factors. Unfortunately, there is no way to stop menopause, every woman must experience it, but the time frame can definitely vary.  It’s important to understand what menopause actually is so you can be more prepared when the time comes around. Menopause is when your period does not return for a period of 12 months. This is due to the woman’s ovaries no longer producing the hormones of estrogen and progesterone. There are several stages of menopause that your body will go through from the beginning, middle and end and each woman’s menopausal experiences will be different. Just as the signs and symptoms of menopause vary from woman to woman. 

When do women start menopause?

Typically menopause will begin once a woman stops having her monthly periods. you’ll notice that your period becomes irregular. One month 15 days the next 45 days in between period. In most cases, menopause will begin around 51 years old and can start as early as your 30’s. The latest a woman will generally start menopause could be in her 60’s. If you’re wondering “what age does early menopause start” this would be considered any time before 45 years of age. Since this is such a large range of predicting when menopause will begin, a more accurate time frame is usually whenever your mother began menopause.  When your body hits perimenopause, you will begin receiving clues that you are entering into menopause. During perimenopause, your body is entering the “transition period” where your hormone production is starting to fall off. During this phase, you might begin experiencing some of the symptoms of beginning menopause. Once you have no longer received your period for 12 consecutive months, you are  in menopause. Although these symptoms of beginning menopause can vary from woman to woman, below are a few common symptoms of menopause. 

What are the signs and symptoms of menopause?

The symptoms of menopause are far from few making it difficult to distinguish whether it is actually menopause that you are experiencing since the symptoms can be similar to your cycle.  Here are the common signs of menopause: 

• Acne
• Changes in Skin
• Fatigue 
• Hot Flashes 
• Irritability 
• Memory Problems 
• Mood Changes 
• Night Sweats 
• Insomnia
• Excessive Stress 
• Sweating
• Vaginal Itching 
• Weight Gain 

The most common symptom(s) of menopause is hot flashes, over 75 percent of women suffer from this as a part of menopause. Symptoms of menopause and period can be very similar so some of them should not be a shock to a woman starting menopause. Although these menopausal effects are common when menopause occurs, it does not necessarily mean that every woman is subject to these side effects of menopause.  The good news is, you can treat the symptoms of menopause by simply taking care of your body. Your lifestyle choices play a large role in how smooth or difficult menopause may be for you. The side effects of menopause can be put at ease by following a healthy diet and exercise plan as well as cutting out or limiting alcohol and smoking. Spicy food, caffeine, and alcohol can provoke menopausal effects causing them to become worse over time. Since there is no way to completely stop menopause, you will want to follow the right path on easing the side effects that come with it. 

How long does menopause last and when does menopause end?

Menopause comes in three phases: perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause. During these phases, you will start to begin symptoms before actually beginning menopause. There are many factors that determine how long menopause will last, but on average the side effects of menopause can last anywhere from four to ten years. On average most women experience the symptoms of menopause for about four years, perimenopause being the worst part of it. Depending on your hormones, genetics and mother’s experiences with menopause, worst case scenario it can last up to 10 years. The transition of perimenopause to menopause can take about 1 to 3 years, which is why you may notice signs of menopause before actually reaching menopause. The beginning stages of menopause symptoms may not be fully transparent, but over time they may become more severe. Once menopause is complete, you will then experience post menopause where you can still continue experiencing symptoms. 

When is menopause over and how will you know?

Just like anything else that comes to an end, so does menopause. But, how do you know when menopause is over? You must listen to your body and the changes you will begin experiencing. Suddenly,  you will start to notice a difference in your body. The symptoms will begin to subside and you will start to feel more at ease. So if you’re wondering “when is menopause officially over”, listen to your body and pay attention to the point where you are no longer experiencing symptoms. 

What happens after menopause?

After menopause, you will go back to your normal routine and in fact, you will feel better than before. Now that your cycle is over you will have more energy and your focus ability will increase. Although your body will have to put in a lot of work to get your hormones back on track after a large amount of stress your body has been under, it is not impossible. Just as mentioned before, having a healthy lifestyle will make the process smoother and less stressful for your body’s recovery. So if you’re wondering “how long do post menopause symptoms last” this can be very dependant on the way your lifestyle is. This is a very important time to throw out bad habits in order to avoid delaying your symptoms. 

Are there any remedies to ease menopausal effects?

Menopause can be a very difficult time in any woman’s life, dealing with these unsettling changes and symptoms can be draining. The good news is that over time, the symptoms you are experiencing will begin to decrease, getting easier over time. There are also many options on the market to help ease and alleviate the symptoms you are experiencing. There are many different signs of menopause that you may start to notice, but be sure that you have stopped receiving your period to be positive that this is menopause you are experiencing. Postmenopause is part of the many stages of menopause that your body will begin to adapt to. You may wonder “why do females go through menopause” and among the many questions we have, this is simply based on no longer being able to reproduce. This is a shock to your body as it has been made to reproduce for most of your life and now it is shutting off which is where the symptoms start to come in. Knowing at what age does menopause start can be hard to pinpoint, but for the most part, be prepared after your mid-thirties that it can pop up at any point and time. Understanding your body and being patient is vital for this process, but don’t worry, there are plenty of remedies to help get you through this transition period.