Many of us have been trained to believe that menopause signifies the end of our lives as we know it. We're all very aware of the unappealing symptoms that precede it. Hot flashes, thinning hair, brittle bones...
But it's not all bad. Women actually have some great experiences to look forward to during this time. Here are 8 surprising things to look forward to during your menopause.
1. No more periods
This is, undoubtedly, the most popular advantage of menopause. During perimenopause, women's periods get heavier or lighter before stopping altogether.
This means no more period cramps, no more mood swings, no more period acne and definitely no chances of stains in unfortunate places. Imagine living your life free of the impending "x" on your menstrual calendar. If you've ever wanted to wear white pants all year round, now is the perfect time!
2. Hormonal Headaches are a thing of the past
During ovulation and menstruation, many women experience what is known as a hormonal headache, which is an intense migraine coinciding with her cycle. Some women's hormonal headaches can be so intense, they may cause nausea, vomiting or even fainting.
If you've experienced hormonal headaches in the past, menopause should be a period to look forward to. While the headaches may worsen during the short period of perimenopause, they decline once a women's estrogen and progesterone levels fall.
3. A natural way to do away with Uterine Fibroids
Women develop fibroids when their estrogen levels are abnormally high. They are extremely common, with some women even developing them in their late teens or early twenties.
Fibroids cause painful symptoms like physical pain and heavy periods, and may even affect a woman's ability to conceive. In serious cases, doctors recommend surgery to prevent lasting pain and damage to a woman's body.
One advantage of menopause is that the lack of estrogen causes fibroids to shrink or become benign. Women who opt out of hormone replacement therapy find they rarely need to have surgery to remove fibroids that have plagued them for years.
4. More money in the bank
Research suggests women spend well over $25,000 on their periods in their lifetimes. Most of this amount goes towards sanitary items and painkillers, but women also spend more on new underwear and food like chocolate to help deal with periods and hormonal cravings.
While many of us may not realize how the money adds up, menopausal women often notice they may have a little extra change at the end of the year which they would otherwise have spent on menstrual products.
5. Symptoms may protect you from illnesses
Menopausal symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats are notorious for their intensity and the discomfort they bring to women. But a new study has discovered a surprising benefit of going through these symptoms.
Researchers found that women who go through hot flashes and night sweats have a significantly lower chance of developing heart-related health problems compared to women who have no menopausal symptoms.
This may be because women who experience hot flashes may have blood vessels that are responding well to the change in hormone levels which also helps them to ward off hardening arteries and other factors associated with heart disease.
6. Increased sex drive
Many women report a higher sex drive and a better than ever sex life after menopause. This is due to several factors, like the fact that women at this stage often have grown children who have moved out of the family home.
Another reason is the lack of stress which comes from successfully achieving their goals in their younger goals. Worries which may affect a woman's bedroom experiences wane as they grow older, encouraging them to embrace sex once more.
7. Less body hair
If you've always struggled with large amounts of body hair, then menopause may be a freeing period for you. Due to declining hormone levels, many menopausal women may report sparser and thinner underarm and pubic hair.
Some of them may even see a change in the hair on their arms and legs as well. You know what this means? Less time going through the painful experience of waxing and more time just enjoying getting older and wiser.
8. Weight loss
Menopausal women are almost always told to expect weight gain during this time. Women may indeed have a harder time losing the pounds, leading many to think this period signifies thicker waists for all older women.
But recent research suggests that menopause may be the perfect time for women to get into shape. Danish scientists claim that the declining estrogen levels can promote oxygen intake, making it easier for women to work out without tiring easily.
As we know, a good workout has never hurt anyone, so if you're a woman in your 40s or 50s, now may be the perfect time to realize your bodybuilding dreams.
