Many females have the tendency to slow down at the time of their menopausal years and merely depend on menopause remedies like natural progesterone, however it is significantly important to be fit and active as much as possible. There are numerous arguments why regular exercise is especially important during a woman’s menopause and below are some of the top reasons:

Heart disease. Menopause has been reported to exacerbate the probability of being afflicted with coronary heart disease; however if the cardiovascular system is strengthened with regular physical activity, then the risk is significantly decreased. Physical training also promotes the health of our blood vessels so that good circulation is sustained and symptoms during menopause, such as chronic exhaustion and enervation will cease.

Porous Bones or Osteoporosis.  Even though working out cannot fully block the advent of osteoporosis, it can diminish the rate in which bone density is lost, hence the condition advances at a much slower rate. It can also produce more hardy and tough ligaments, bones and tendons so that strains and breakages do not ensue quite so often. Natural hormone replacement therapy is also believed to protect against osteoporosis and is worthy of hashing out with your physician.

Depressive Disorder. This is a common sign of the onset of menopause. And exercise has been proven to clear depression in many women. This is because exercise galvanizes the brain to release endorphins, which are referred to as the ‘natural high’ producing hormones for they produce a feeling of liveliness. Minor depressive disorders generated by the uncertainties of this natural condition can often be assuaged by performing some kind of exercise.

Overall Feeling of Satisfaction.  Working out is great for making you feel fitter and healthier, even if you only exercise a few times each week. Plus if you are feeling more contented about yourself, then you will not be so caught up with symptoms of perimenopause.

What type of exercise regimen you should do is a personal choice. However, you should aim to include a variety of aerobic routines and muscle building workouts.

Cardio Training Program.
This category includes any form of physical exercise that makes the speed of your heartbeat and your breathing rate to rise. Some examples of these exercises are brisk walking or aero-walking, jogging, running, swimming, biking or vigorous dancing. It also includes activities such as doing chores in the house, gardening activities, chasing after your puppy or the children and even vigorous lovemaking. In fact, whatever activity you do which causes your heart to pump faster can be described as an aerobic activity and thus it is beneficial for you.

It is essential not to over-exercise however, because the potential benefits of exercise can be negated by overexertion and this will get you feeling weak and tired when you should be bright and feeling good.

Muscle building Exercises
This includes anything that makes your muscles work. These can be, climbing the stairs, lifting objects, stretching and muscle toning exercises and even carrying bags or heavy objects can be classified as body building even if these activities don’t technically cause your muscles to grow. Weight_lifting workouts are vital for keeping the tendons, bones, connective tissues and muscles stronger, and this in turn lessens the chance of getting bone fractures and sprains.

Based on this health arguments you can see that any workout exercise undertaken during the menopause years is more desirable than not having a fitness plan. You should try to find a few fitness activities you like and alternate between these physical activities so that there is minimal chance of you getting disinterested to performing them regulary. Lastly, a moderate amount of fitness routine during the pre-menopause years can make life a lot more comfortable menopause and ‘post-menopause’; and ultimately, is it not what we ladies want?

What is Menopause Night Sweats ?

We awake in the night dank and damp with our hearts racing and our pajamas and bedsheets drenched in perspiration. This isn’t just a matter of sleeping in an overheated environment or wearing pajamas too thick for the temperature; it is a matter of an irrationally abrupt and severe change in body temperature causing you to perspire profusely.

What Causes Menopause Night Sweats?

Night sweats and hot flashes are basically the same thing, we just happen to experience a rush of those hot flashes while are body goes through the temperature modulation which naturally occurs while human sleep.

With a menopause night sweat, rapidly vacillating estrogen levels affect a chemistry reaction in a portion of our brains which regulates our temperatures called the hypothalamus. The wildly changing estrogen levels affect a brain chemical called norepinephrine which in turn confuses the hypothalamus.

Think of the hypothalamus like the thermostat on your home’s heating system. If your thermostat is getting incorrect readings of the current temperature, it may inappropriately trigger the heating mechanism and overheat your home.

When the estrogen and norepinephrine team to confuse the hypothalamus, it triggers a set of changes to cool you when you don’t need to cool. These changes include dilating blood vessels (which you perceive as heat) and catalyzing your sweat glands (something you experience as the night sweat).

Treating this sleep hyperhidrosis can be frustrating as the first treatment often doesn’t work. Thus you end up spending days or even weeks experimenting with different ways to achieve greater comfort from your menopause night sweats.

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There are several terms that doctors and researchers use to describe the years leading up to and following menopause. A woman is considered to be pre-menopausal if her periods are still regular; peri-menopausal if some periods have been missed or are becoming irregular; and post-menopausal when she has not had a period for more than one full year. There is no way to predict beforehand when the onset of menopause will begin. The average age for menopause or the year when 12 sequential periods are missed, is 51. Women who smoke typically experience menopause two years earlier than the average. Certain medical conditions and treatments may lead to an even earlier menopause.

There are a variety of different symptoms that may be caused by changing hormonal levels. One such symptom is menopause night sweats. At the onset of menopause, or when women begin to notice lighter or missing periods, is when most women report menopause night sweats and research following women going through “natural menopause” indicates that about 50% continue to have them for two to three years following menopause. Natural menopause means to researchers that the women participating in the surveys are not using hormone replacement therapy.

Most women who experience menopause night sweats also experience hot flashes during the day. Both of these are called “vasomotor symptoms”, because blood vessels and circulation are involved. No one knows why these symptoms occur. Low levels of estrogen or other hormones may cause them. Increases in follicle stimulating hormones or other compounds may cause them. It is known that in women who must have their ovaries removed due to illness or injury, which is referred to as surgical menopause, night sweats and hot flashes are experienced. Men taking medication to suppress hormone production also experience them. So, they are either directly or indirectly related to hormones levels.

In women who experience them, the severity of menopause night sweats varies. Some women awaken to find the bed linens wet with sweat. Others say that they feel too hot and kick the blankets off, only to become chilled in a short time, waking up again to search for them. They sometimes lead to difficulty sleeping and insomnia, which can lead to fatigue, irritability and moodiness.

There are many effective treatment options. Hormone replacement therapy was often prescribed at the onset of menopause to relieve menopause night sweats and other symptoms. But, recent research indicates that the health risks outweigh the benefits. To learn about safe and natural treatment options, please visit the Menopause and PMS Guide.

Patsy Hamilton was a health care professional for over twenty years before becoming a freelance writer. Currently she writes informational articles for the Menopause and PMS Guide. Visit us at http://www.menopause-and-pms-guide.com.

Concerns have been raised over Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) safety when used long-term. This and other factors have some women experiencing symptoms moving to alternative therapies in the fight against symptoms of menopause. These women prefer to fight “naturally,” rather than suffer through it.

While there has been limited research on Complimentary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) related to menopause treatment, and results have been inconclusive for a number of reasons, some women swear by one or more of these (taken from a MayoClinic.com page on Menopause and Alternative medicine, and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine’s web page on Menopausal Symptoms and CAM):

Phytoestrogens – Estrogens that occur naturally in certain foods. Types are isoflavones, and lignans. Isoflavones are found in soybeans, chickpeas and other legumes. Ligans occur in flaxseed, whole grains, and some fruits and vegetables. RISK=possible estrogen-like effects, so caution should be used related to breast cancer, etc.

Also Red clover has been tied to harmful effects to hormone-sensitive tissue, such as the breasts or uterus.

Vitamin E – May provide relief from mild hot flashes for some women. RISK=taking more than 400 IU per day of vitamin E supplements may not be safe.

Black Cohosh – Used widely in Europe for treating hot flashes, and popular in the US as well, its safety record has been good. RISK=has not been proven effective in treating hot flashes, and may cause liver damage.

Dong quai root – Taken to reduce hot flashes. RISK=if taking blood thinners (ex., warfarin), could increase the effects of the drug causing possible bleeding complications.

Ginseng – May help with mood symptoms, sleep disturbances, and overall sense of well-being. RISK=may not help with hot flashes.

Kava – May decrease anxiety. RISK=associated with liver disease, and may not help decrease hot flashes.

Soy – Could provide relief from hot flashes. RISK=long term use has been associated with the thickening of the uteral lining.

Regardless of which therapy you decide to try, or have heard is a Godsend, it is important to remember that every woman is different, and what may work for one person may not work for you.

Considering the risks weighed against possible benefits is a personal decision. Also, discuss it all with your doctor to ensure no conflicts either with other drugs or therapies they may have prescribed, or ones you are trying yourself.

Resources:
“Menopause: Alternative Medicine,” www.MayoClinic.com
“Menopausal Symptoms and CAM,” www.nccam.nih.gov

Christine Jeffries is a writer/editor for work and at heart, and lives in a home of testosterone with her husband and two sons. She started a women’s group, The Wo-Hoo! Society, in the interests of friendship, networking, and philanthropy. The group meets separately on a monthly basis in the Phoenix and Kansas City areas. Christine is interested in women’s health and promoting strong women.