What About Irregular Periods And Menopause

The connection between an irregular period and menopause can be rather confusing. This is because a woman's body does not always send a completely clear signal; it just isn't black and white. One thing for sure: you just want your periods to be regular and .
Irregular periods are often accompanied by some unpleasant symptoms of menopause such as irritability, sleeplessness, hot flashes, night sweats, and weight gain or loss. Certainly life is better without all that!
What is irregular?
Having an irregular menstrual period is quite common, and often increases during perimenopause. Some women have periods like clockwork for years and suddenly miss a month . Others have irregular menstrual periods and suddenly have periods like clockwork
During this time of transition you can expect the unexpected. Some periods might be heavy, some very light, and other a combination of both. For many women it often resembles their adolescent periods. An irregular period means that it is a change from the norm for you. The menstrual cycle varies from woman to woman, but your own cycle is what is regular for you.
It is recommended for younger women to see their doctor if they experience more than two irregular periods a year.
What is the cause for irregularity?
There are several reasons for this irregularity. In menopause, an irregular period is to be expected. Your body is not going to just suddenly change. Gradually, as the cycle changes and the hormones find a new balance, the periods stop. Generally, when a woman has not had a period for one year, she is in menopause.
Often poor diet, poor sleeping habits, and stress can contribute to an irregular period. In our fast paced, modern world it can be a challenge to ear whole grains, fresh vegetables and fresh fruit. But it is always advisable to eat well in any case, and especially when your body is trying to establish a new state of balance.
This time of life also can present new stressful circumstances. Children are growing up and leaving home, your sexual desires might be decreasing, or increasing, parents are aging and might need care, and so on. This stress affects the hormones as well and can cause irregular periods.
What can be done?
It is recommended that you support your health with a high quality with a quality multi-vitamin and mineral program. Many women been helped by using supplements and find that their transition into menopause is much easier than before
Eat well. Make sure you get fresh, whole foods into your diet. Many people are so accustomed to fast food, processed food and hastily prepared meals that they just don't realize how important fresh, whole foods are.
Your body naturally wants to maintain a hormonal balance and it needs nutrients to do this. Without the necessary nutrients, it just cannot produce the hormones required to balance itself. Whether this lack comes from a poor diet, stress, or poor sleeping habits, the result is the same: irregular periods in menopause.
Find a way to ensure that you get enough unbroken sleep. As much as we might like to keep going, our bodies and minds need this time to recover and rebuild. There are numerous safe, herbal remedies on the market to help you, if needed. It is recommended that you avoid strong, pharmaceutical drugs, as these also can disrupt the hormonal balance and cause irregular periods in menopause.

Randy Hough and Laura Simon,MSW,MEd, are professionals living in the Upper Valley of Vermont. Together they have sites dedicated to helping families /stress-familyhealth.net/blog/>dealing with stress and women seeking safe menopause relief.