Recognizing pre-menopause symptoms can help prepare you for dealing with this life change. Menopause is a natural time of life for a woman, but there are many issues that come up, even before the actual menopause. Knowing what to expect won’t necessarily make the process any easier, but it will at least help you be prepared for some of what’s going to happen.

What are the actual pre-menopausal signs?

The following list are the most common symptoms that women suffer through before going through menopause, but not every woman is going to experience every one of these symptoms. They will vary both in number, length, and severity. What might not be so bad for one person might be excruciating for another. But in one form or another, most women heading into menopause will begin to display at least some of these symptoms:

  • Hot flashes – These are among the most well known symptoms and are the name given to feelings of extreme heat inside the body, which can happen on any part of the body.
  • Loss of sexual desire – This is pretty self-explanatory.
  • Intense night sweats – It’s not unusual for the sweats to be heavy enough to even make sheets damp.
  • Irregular periods – Once monthly periods become unpredictable before stopping.
  • Mood swings – The extreme hormonal imbalances also equal sometimes quick and radically unpredictable mood swings.
  • Headaches – Headaches are one of the most common symptoms, and migraines are possible.
  • Memory Issues – It’s normal for a time to become very forgetful and start having some memory lapses.

These are some of the most common signs that a mature woman might be moving into her pre menopause stage.

Safely treating pre-menopause symptoms

There are several methods to treating the symptoms that show up before menopause. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can provide very effective relief for the symptoms of menopause, but there’s evidence that it can also increase the risk of breast cancer and cardiovascular issues. Non-medical treatments are probably safer; some of the most popular include herbal remedies designed to help treat the most common side effects, as well as multi-vitamins. Aside from some high quality alternative medicines and treatments which are available, it’s also important to make lifestyle changes. This can be the hardest part as changes in diet are going to play a major part in weathering through the biological changes. Some foods that used to be favorites might become triggers for headaches, hot flashes, or upset stomachs. Exercises designed to reduce stress such as meditation or yoga can be extremely helpful not only in treatment of issues stemming from pre-menopause but also lead to a smoother transition and higher quality of life in later age.