The signs of menopause - here are the 34 symptoms to keep an eye on!

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Menopause is a phase all menstruators will go through in life, but still, a topic many know surprisingly little about. In the years leading up to menopause, things are starting to change in women's bodies, but it often takes a while before one understands these could be signs of menopause.

Hot flashes are the most talked-about sign of menopause, but it might not be what you experience.

The first signs of menopause might start many years before what is clinically called menopause. That’s the point in life when you haven’t had your period for 12 consecutive months. The phase leading up to this point is called perimenopause and that’s when the hormones can go crazy causing all kinds of symptoms.

Menopause is tricky, even though some symptoms seem to be more common, that doesn’t mean what you are experiencing is not normal. Because what’s so unique about menopause is actually you. Every woman will experience the transition into menopause differently, and that is also what makes it complicated.

But, with that said, the 5 menopause symptoms that seem to be more common than others are:

• Menstrual changes

• Hot flashes

• Night sweats

• Mood swings

• Insomnia

Symptoms of menopause can be both mental and physical, but many of the mental symptoms are harder to perceive and understand

Hot flashes are almost impossible to not notice, both for yourself and sometimes the people surrounding you. But many of the symptoms affecting the mind can be harder to detect.

Here are 7 other mental symptoms that are common during the years leading up to menopause:

• Fatigue

• Anxiety

• Depression

• Panic attacks

• Memory lapses

• Difficulty concentrating/brain fog

• Irritability

The physical menopause symptoms are easier to detect but it can still be hard to understand that they can be signs of menopause

Many of the symptoms linked to menopause are physical, and you might have experienced them before in your life, or they might come as a total surprise to you. If they suddenly appear again, or you have never had them before, they might be linked to menopause. Here are 17 physical signs that can occur during your transition into menopause:

• Vaginal dryness

• Decreased libido

• Headache and migraine

• Breast soreness

• Joint pain

• Digestive problems

• Bloating

• Muscle tension

• Itchy skin

• Hair loss

• Weight gain

• Vertigo

• Incontinence

• Brittle nails

• Irregular heartbeat

• Body odor

• Osteoporosis

Allergies popping up all of a sudden can be one of the more surprising signs of menopause

Now down to the final 5 symptoms, and they might be surprising to you:

• Burning mouth

• Gum problems

• Tingling extremities

• Electric shocks

• Allergies

You don’t need a list of 34 symptoms of menopause, but it might help you understand more about yourself and menopause

Why do you need to see a list of 34 symptoms linked to menopause? Well, you don’t, but it can help you understand a bit more about things you are experiencing at this point in life. It might feel comforting knowing you are not going crazy, there is an explanation to what’s happening, and by knowing that it can be easier to accept, but also to seek help if you need to.

Menopause is not a disease that you need to cure, it’s a natural phase in every woman’s life, but it can still be very challenging when experiencing it. With age, hormone levels naturally decline, and the balance between estrogen and progesterone can be unsettled. Both the hormone drop and the imbalance between the hormones are the villains in this context.

If you feel your symptoms are interfering with your daily life, turn to your gynecologist or healthcare provider for counseling. You are not alone in this.