Before you even go through menopause, your body will begin to lower the level of hormones that are secreted. It’s the ovaries that are responsible for giving a woman these hormones and during menopause, the ovaries slow this production until the level is minimal.
One of the most important hormones affected during menopause is estrogen. This hormone has a variety of duties that it performs for the body. First, it helps a woman in that it allows your body to have the ability to reproduce.
Even before menopause, the body begins to slow down the secretion of hormones. The ovaries are responsible for a woman producing these hormones, and during menopause the ovaries slow down this production until the level is minimal.
One of the most important hormones during menopause is estrogen. This hormone has several functions in the body. First of all, it helps a woman by giving her body the ability to reproduce.
It is also important during sexual intercourse because it maintains lubrication. A decrease in this hormone can cause dryness and pain during intimacy. In addition to decreased estrogen levels, progesterone and testosterone levels can also decrease.
These reduced hormone levels in the body bring with them a number of unpleasant symptoms. Some women experience hot flashes worse than others, depending on the level of estrogen in the body.
Night sweats so intense that you have to get up and change clothes before going to bed are also common.
You may have less desire for sex and be more tired than usual. Hormone levels can fluctuate and cause many different symptoms that you may not even know are related to menopause.
When estrogen levels drop, headaches, insomnia and even palpitations can occur. But it’s not just these physical symptoms, the hormonal changes of menopause also impact how you feel.
Studies have shown that estrogen and other hormones that decline with menopause can cause depression and anxiety. One of the main reasons for the mood swings that can occur with menopause is that estrogen is actually a hormonal mood stabilizer.
It can keep emotions in balance – or not – depending on how much estrogen you have in your body. Estrogen helps increase the production of endorphins, which make you feel happy.
This production starts in the brain, and the hormone also stimulates the growth of serotonin. When estrogen levels drop, so do endorphin levels, which in turn affects mood.
There is a known link between menopausal anxiety and decreased progesterone production. For this reason, some doctors recommend hormone replacement therapy, as it helps to restore emotional balance.
Decreased testosterone levels due to menopause can lead to cognitive impairment, lack of energy and depression. Individually, low levels of these hormones can be difficult to control. However, when all three hormones are too low, it can become an emotional struggle.
It’s also instrumental during intercourse because it keeps the lubrication levels elevated. A decrease in this hormone can lead to dry and painful intimacy. You can have lower levels of progesterone as well as testosterone along with lower estrogen.
These lowered levels of hormones in the body bring a host of unpleasant symptoms. Some women experience hot flashes that are worse than other women have, depending on the level of estrogen in the body.
Having night sweats, to the point that you have to get up and change what you wear to bed is also common.
You may experience a decrease in the desire to have sex and you may also experience more tiredness than you normally would. The hormone levels can fluctuate and cause a lot of different symptoms that you might not realize are related to menopause.
When your estrogen levels drop, you can start to have headaches, trouble sleeping and even a racing heart. But more than these physical manifestations, the hormonal changes that you go through during menopause do impact your emotions.
Studies have shown that estrogen and other hormones that are lowered due to menopause can cause depression and anxiety. One of the biggest reasons for the swing in moods that can accompany menopause is that estrogen is actually a hormonal mood stabilizer.
It can keep emotions level – or not – depending on how much or little of it that you have in your body. Estrogen helps boost the production of endorphins, which make you feel happy.
This production begins in the brain and the hormone stimulates the growth of serotonin as well. So when your estrogen levels are lowered, the amount of endorphins is also lowered, which in turn affects your mood.
There is a known link between anxiety levels during menopause and lowered production of progesterone. This is why some doctors will recommend hormonal replacement therapy, since it helps restore the emotional balance.
Lowered levels of testosterone due to menopause can cause cognitive impairment, low energy and depression. Taken individually, low levels of these hormones can be difficult to deal with. But when you have low levels of all three, it can be an emotional struggle.