Age-related changes in women: how to "survive" menopause with minimal losses?
Age-related changes in women begin after about 40-45 years of age. It is a natural process of hormonal restructuring of the body, but for many it is not easy. Deterioration of mood and well-being, the first wrinkles and brittle bones, overweight and insomnia... What to expect from menopause and can you avoid all these symptoms of menopause?
Article Content:
When does menopause come?
How to extend your youth and stay healthy after age 40
Sources of information
What changes occur in a woman's body after 40
After 40 years old women's body gradually begins hormonal restructuring and prepares for the gradual extinction of reproductive function. It is worth stating at once that the age of 40 is a very relative threshold. Features of each woman's body are individual, and some women experience this process earlier, sometimes even at 38-40, and some later, closer to 50 years of age. However, on average the work of the ovaries begins to slow down at the age of 40-45. It takes five to six years for the system to stop completely.
How does a woman feel at 40? The changes in the body begin with a gradual decline in the function of the ovaries and a decrease in the level of estrogen, the female sex hormone. This hormone is so important that all other manifestations of age are associated with a decrease in its quantity.
When does menopause occur and how do the hormonal changes in a woman's body manifest themselves?
To understand when menopause occurs and how it affects a woman's health and well-being, you need to know that it is a staged process. Menopause can be divided into three stages.
Stages of menopause
Premenopause is a period when the ovaries are still functioning, but the nature of menstruation changes: they become irregular, too abundant or scarce. Age-related changes in women at this time manifest themselves as increased irritability and fatigue, bad moods, anxiety, insomnia at night and as a consequence, sleepiness during the day, decreased libido and the so-called hot flashes. At the same time, most women begin to notice changes in their appearance. Oestrogen, among other things, is responsible for the rate of regeneration of skin cells, and a drop in oestrogen levels slows this process down. Growth of new cells is now slower, and the fat-producing glands are less efficient. The skin becomes dry and dull, wrinkles appear because of the lack of moisture. Premenopause begins at age 40 or 50, but most often it begins at age 45.
Menopause is a period when the ovaries stop functioning completely, menstruation disappears (however, it can still occur, but at very long intervals), and the effect of decreasing estrogen becomes particularly noticeable. Besides cognitive disorders - problems with memory and concentration, mood swings - there are also such phenomena as a decrease in bone strength, since estrogen, among other things, is involved in calcium metabolism. The risk of cardiovascular diseases increases. The metabolism slows down - even if you stick to your usual diet, you can gain excess weight. Menopause has a significant impact on intimate life - libido decreases, mucous membranes become thinner, drier than in youth, and fragile, which can make intimacy painful.
Postmenopause is the period from your last menstrual period until the end of your life. Your body finally completely switches to a new regime, and most of the unpleasant symptoms that haunted women during the premenopause and menopause disappear by themselves: hot flashes, attacks of anxiety and bad moods, insomnia no longer bother you. The problems of brittle bones, slowed metabolism and a weakened cardiovascular system remain, however.
Age-related changes
Specialized vitamin complexes for women in particular can help slow the aging process and increase tolerance to physical activity.
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grooming
There are contraindications. It is necessary to get a consultation with a specialist.
Figures and facts
Postmenopausal bone loss reaches 3-5% per year. The most extensive bone resorption occurs during the first five years of postmenopause[1], and the prevalence of osteoporosis in Russia among women over 50 years old is about 30%[2].
How to stay young and stay healthy after 40
Does all this mean that after 40-45 years one can forget about active life? Of course not. There are a lot of methods that allow you to soften or even in general remove all the unpleasant symptoms of menopause and extend youthfulness. Let's talk about the most common of them.
How you can eliminate the symptoms of menopause
OST medications
Hormone replacement therapy is not yet particularly popular in our country, but in Europe and the United States it is resorted to by very many.
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