World Menopause Day is held every year on the 18th of October. The day was designated by the International Menopause Society (IMS) to raise awareness of menopause and to support options to improve health and well-being for women in mid-life and beyond. The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the International Menopause Society designated October as World Menopause Month. The first World Menopause Month was observed in October 2014. 

The theme for World Menopause Day 2022 is Cognition and Mood.

Menopause is a condition wherein women stop menstruating due to decreased estrogen levels in the body. It is not a medical condition but a natural biological process. Menopause is also marked as the end of reproductive years. Perimenopause is the temporary period that comes just before menopause and lasts for approx. 10 years. The median age of menopause is 50 years. During menopause, several physical and mental changes take place in the body.

Menopause symptoms

Emotional changes include

• Irritation
• Sexual dysfunction and urinary issues
• Mood swings
• Sleeping problems
• Anxiety
• Night sweats
• Concentration and learning troubles
• Physical changes include genital dryness, hot flashes, build-up of fat around mid-region, weight gain, change in hair color, tender, and reduced breast size, and urinary incontinence

Tips to deal with menopausal symptoms

Hormonal treatment – This treatment helps balance the body’s hormone levels by supplementing them externally. The treatment helps in minimizing the menopausal symptoms however it increases the dangers of other medical health conditions. Women with certain medical issues like heart disease, blood clots, liver disease, breast cancer, and stroke, shouldn’t go for this treatment. It is best to consult your Specialist before initiating such treatment.

Other treatments – OTC drugs for vaginal dryness, and hormonal contraception pills for treating some of the menopausal symptoms.

Lifestyle modifications – 

• Doing regular exercise (including breathing exercises also)
• Healthy eating
• Refraining from smoking and drinking
• Following a healthy sleep cycle
• Treatments for mental health issues
• Reading and talking about all positive things

Maintaining an active sexual life – Menopause tends to reduce the sexual drive in women and cause vaginal dryness. You can improvise your sexual life by staying active, strengthening your pelvic floor by doing exercises, avoiding smoking and drinking, and using certain creams or gels to keep the area moist.