Menopause, the time that marks the end of a woman’s menstrual cycles, can impact daily life massively. Hot flushes and mood swings are commonly associated with this time in a woman’s life, and there are treatments that focus on relieving signs and symptoms.

Like all aspects of health, spotting signs and symptoms early can ensure you get the appropriate treatment sooner. So menopause coach Kate Usher shared the signs of menopause that can occur before they are properly identified.

Kate listed the following:

• Anxiety – this often creeps in slowly but can have a considerable impact on the way women live.
• Sleep issues – where some may have slept like a baby all of their lives suddenly they struggle to get to sleep.
• Repeated UTIs – women can have several rounds of antibiotics trying to manage this however localised oestrogen is what’s needed.
• Vaginal dryness – this can be devastating to relationships. Women no longer want sex due to pain and men feel rejected or inadequate. Again internal oestrogen and lube are in most cases the solution.

More obvious symptoms of menopause are:

• Hot flushes – the superstar symptom that we all know about.
• Night sweats – the nocturnal partner to hot flushes
• Variable periods – while this is an obvious sign it is often obscured by contraception.
• Mood swings – this is the symptom that causes many of the jokes. It shouldn’t it’s traumatic for women and those around them.

Do you need to see your doctor if you think you’re experiencing menopause?

If you are experiencing variable periods it’s a good idea to speak to your doctor to ensure there is nothing untoward going on, said Kate.

She added: “If you are younger than 45 they should give you a hormone test to confirm things.”

Menopause and sleep issues

Sleep issues are extremely common for anyone experiencing menopause, according to Kate. She explained: “This comes in two forms; insomnia and night sweats, you can have one or both.

“Sleep deprivation has a considerable impact and often makes all other symptoms worse.”

Sleep issues can be some of the first signs of menopause and are commonly unidentified as menopausal symptoms, added Kate.

What you can do to help menopause-related sleep issues

You should start by removing all the stimulants in your diet, said Kate, for example, sugar, coffee, alcohol, smoking and processed foods.

She continued: “Exercise is fantastic, however try not to do high impact exercise for at least two hours before bed. A walk around the park is fantastic.

“No blue light for two hours before bed, it affects our circadian rhythms.

“Magnesium definitely helps; however it’s important to speak to a qualified herbalist and your GP before taking any supplements.

“Lastly both mindfulness and meditation have been proven to help with sleep.

“If nothing helps, it’s time to speak to your GP about HRT. While it’s not everyone’s solution it will help to balance out your hormones and assist you to drift off to sleep.”