Every woman gets them. But at what age do they actually start? And more importantly, how long does menopause last? Here you can find out everything you need to know about the duration of menopause.
Every woman probably has a little jitters before menopause.
During hormonal changes, there can be numerous physical as well as psychological changes.
And on top of that, the typical symptoms: sleep disturbances, hot flashes, bad mood and not to forget a possible weight gain.
That's why we're all wondering: when do they start, and more importantly, how long does menopause last?
Everyone experiences the times of upheaval differently. The changes of menopause do not necessarily have to be negative either.
Rather, you should focus on yourself during this time. Use the time to live healthier and to come into harmony with yourself.
How long does menopause actually last?
One thing is clear: menopause is coming for sure. But don't panic! The hormonal change is less frightening if you know when it's coming and how long it will last.
Most women experience the transition between the ages of 45 and 55. The starting point is always the so-called menopause.
This refers to the last spontaneous menstrual period.
The question of when it begins can therefore be answered easily. It becomes more difficult when it comes to this question: How long does menopause last?
The duration of menopause varies from woman to woman. Daughters, however, can roughly orient themselves to their mothers.
It can take up to 10 years for the hormone change to be complete.
For more specifics, researchers at Wake Forest School of Medicine in North Carolina conducted a study.
For this purpose, more than 3,000 women were observed over several years. The duration of menopause was specifically investigated. In addition, various factors that influence the length of the hormonal change were investigated.
The researchers concluded that menopausal symptoms last an average of 7.4 years.
However, the duration of the menopausal symptoms varied greatly. Nevertheless, some regularities could be identified.
If the symptoms started before menopause, they remained for an average of 11.8 years. If the symptoms only started after menopause, they remained for only 3.4 years.
How long does menopause last? Well now you know that it can be between 3 and almost 12 years. During this time you go through it in 3 different phases.
Menopause duration in 3 phases
When it comes to the duration of menopause, it is helpful to understand why menopause and menopause are not one and the same.
From menopause onwards, the ovaries no longer produce female sex hormones. Menopause, on the other hand, is a longer period of time.
During this period, your organism has to come to terms with lower and lower estrogen levels. Menopause is divided into three phases.
1st phase: Premenopause - When does it start and what happens there?
The first phase is premenopause. Literally translated, this is the phase before the onset of menopause.
Premenopause can begin as early as around the age of 45. On average, it lasts between 5 and 7 years.
During this phase, the production of female sex hormones slowly decreases. Premenopause occurs gradually. Therefore, the exact beginning cannot be determined.
At the beginning of this phase, progesterone, also known as the corpus luteum hormone, decreases. This hormone stimulates the growth of the uterine lining.
It also prepares the uterus for embedding the fertilized egg. If an egg is fertilized, the corpus luteum hormone prevents further follicle maturation.
Due to the progesterone deficiency, the first symptoms of menopause usually also set in. In addition to an irregular menstrual cycle, weight problems, water retention, sleep disturbances, mood swings, painfully swollen breasts and concentration problems may occur.
If these symptoms are very stressful for you, then your gynecologist can prescribe you a natural progesterone. This can alleviate these symptoms.
2nd phase: Perimenopause - How long does this phase last and what happens in the body?
The second phase of menopause duration is perimenopause. It refers to the period before and after the last menstrual period.
This phase can last between 2 and 4 years. The ovaries then no longer produce estrogens.
This female sex hormone promotes the maturation of the egg. It also ensures that the uterine lining is well supplied with blood, the cervix opens and the cervical secretion becomes permeable to sperm.
With the lack of estrogen also come the classic complaints of menopause. Hot flashes, joint pain, higher blood pressure, high cholesterol, dry mucous membranes, muscle pain and sweating can accompany you during this phase.
These different physical disturbances the so-called pituitary gland wants to stop. The pituitary gland is the controller of hormones in your body. It tries to increase the release of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). FSH is supposed to stimulate the ovaries to produce estrogen, but it does not.
This plan fails because, at the age of 50 on average, there are no longer any follicles in the ovaries that are capable of ovulation. The perimenophase is over when no new period occurs one year after the last menstrual period.
3rd phase: Postmenopause - How long does this phase last and what happens in the body?
Postmenopause is about the period after menopause. Only very small amounts of estrogen are still produced by the subcutaneous fatty tissue. However, this is far from the end of the transition.
The lack of estrogen leads to further menopausal symptoms. Years of decreased levels of the female sex hormone can lead to decreased bone density. The bones become more susceptible to fractures and more porous. Even osteoporosis can develop.
An estrogen deficiency also leads to an excess of androgens. This can increase hereditary hair loss.
Other symptoms may include recurrent urinary tract infections, pain during sex, and vaginal dryness.
To alleviate these symptoms and improve hormonal balance, gynecologists may prescribe a natural hormone gel.
Over time, however, your organism adjusts to the low hormone levels. Then the last symptoms like hot flashes disappear and menopause is over.
How long do menopause symptoms last?
The most well-known complaints during menopause include sweating, sleep disturbances and a reduced sense of desire.
In addition, however, there are many other symptoms that can occur. Among the lesser-known complaints are muscle and joint pain.
Nevertheless, many women are plagued by muscle pain and stiff joints after getting up in the morning. These symptoms are due to fluctuating estrogen levels.
Especially in the last phase of menopause, the risk of osteoporosis can also increase. Increased blood pressure and cholesterol levels can also accompany the hormonal upheaval, as can weight gain.
Some women also complain of reduced performance, palpitations, rapid irritability, as well as dizziness.
With all the complaints, however, it should be said that they vary greatly from woman to woman. Many women go through menopause without any symptoms at all. Others, however, suffer terribly.
The following is an overview of all possible symptoms:
- Sweating and hot flashes
- elevated blood pressure and cholesterol level
- Muscle and joint pain
- Depression
- Concentration disorders
- Mild irritability and mood swings
- Hair loss
- Heart trouble
- Dizziness
- Fatigue and sleep disorders
- Weight gain
- Dryness of the mucous membranes
- decreased libido
- increased hair growth on the face
- increased risk of osteoporosis
Our conclusion
Menopause is a natural phase in every woman's life. For some, they may cause little to no discomfort and for others, severe discomfort. How long does menopause last? Based on the symptoms, this is a valid question. However, this question cannot be answered exactly. Menopause duration varies from woman to woman.
During menopause, the needs of the organism often change. A healthy, enjoyable and varied diet makes sense. Sporting activities and a mindful approach to yourself should also not be neglected. If you manage to use these changes positively for your health, you will also get through menopause more easily.
All the best!
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