Menopause

Do you sometimes think about the effects of menopause on your relationships? How the rapid mood swings, irritability, and other emotional symptoms are affecting your loved ones? What toll the lack of motivation and crashing fatigue is having on your family obligations?

You maybe have a husband or partner and children who have not yet left home. You've always been there for them.

Now, you feel too tired, depressed or irritated to do what you normally do to maintain your family's well-being. Your loved ones feel confused. They don't understand what's going on.

You too feel miserable, because you feel helpless to control these emotions. Yet, it is obvious that your nearest and dearest are suffering with you.

For couples,the effects of menopause can have far-reaching consequences.

The emotional and physical changes taking place in your body can have a significant effect on your intimate relationship.

The physical symptoms of menopause such as hair loss, dry skin or developing acne; and weight gain, make many women self-conscious about their appearance, even if this wasn't the case before.

Women who already suffer from issues of self-esteem are greatly affected and this is reflected in the way they approach issues of intimacy. Menopause symptoms such as vaginal dryness and loss of libido, can significantly affect one's intimate relationship.

If these changes are not understood and dealt with, communication breaks down; and silence and confusion take over, leaving the relationship at risk for infidelity, separation or divorce.

And, as if that wasn't bad enough, menopause occurs at an age in a woman's life when family structures are changing.

Children are becoming young adults, while parents are aging. Most likely you will face bereavement from the death of a parent during this phase.

It is also a time when you may have to face the prospects of retirement. All these concerns can contribute to stress and added strain on your relationships.

How To Protect Your Relationships Through Menopause

There is a way that you can protect your relationships from the effects of menopause.

Small adjustments in your overall outlook and daily routine should help you make it through the change of life with your relationships intact.

Below are some suggestions to help you make these adjustments:

Stay connected with your family, and friends. When you're feeling fatigued, irritable or depressed, there is a great temptation to withdraw from those closest to you. Don't! Make an extra effort to ensure that you spend time together, even when you don't feel up to it.When the change of life is over, as it will be, and as you head further into your later years, friends and family will become more important. It is then, that you'll be glad to have them at your side.Maintain a healthy lifestyle. Menopause brings with it an increased risk for debilitating and life threatening diseases, such as osteoporosis and heart disease. Poor health can only strain your relationships further. A nutritious and balanced diet, combined with exercise will reduce the risk of diseases and the burden that comes with it.And, besides keeping fit and healthy, engaging in an exercise or other physical activity can be a great way to stay connected with your loved ones or build new relationships.Avoid alcohol or tranquilizers. Alcohol and tranquilizers are both depressants. If you are going through troubling mood swings or bouts of depression, alcohol and/or tranquilizers may simply make it worse or create other undesirable effects.Engage in a productive activity. Involving yourself in church or charity work, sports activity or hobby, provides a sense of self-esteem and achievement. This will make you feel better about yourself and will improve the way you interact with others including family and friends.Find your inner strength. Learn and practice calming techniques such yoga and meditation. Read a book. Find spiritual strength in prayer. Calming activities will help you maintain emotional balance and keep mood changes in check.Write it down. Keeping a journal or diary, will allow you to write down your thoughts, problems, plans or anything else going through your mind. This will help you gain a sense of perspective on your situation, and help to reduce your emotional stress.

Finally do keep in mind, that what you are going through is a phase. It will take some years, but it will pass.

This article is adapted from the website http://www.menopause-living-managing-and-coping.com/

Visit, to share your story on how you are coping (or not coping) with menopause and to learn more about:

Effective menopause treatments to help you manage menopause symptoms.
Simple lifestyle changes, such as your menopause diet and exercise, that you will need to make so that you can continue to live your life to the fullest.
The health risks, that women at this stage in their lives have to deal with.
The effects of menopause on your relationships and other social aspects of your life and how to manage them.
And so much more, including how to manage those physical changes we go through at this time such as thinning hair, dry skin and sudden weight gain!

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Many people do not like to speak about the effects of menopause and vaginal dryness, but the truth is, it will happen to nearly all women at some point and time in their lives and it is quite discomforting.

Every woman that experiences menopause has their own different problems with it. Some of them have night sweats, weight gain and yes even vaginal dryness. Other effects could include, a headache, insomnia, a change in the sex drive (wanting less) and even mood swings.

There are pills which are prescribed by doctors and they can help you out a little bit. If night sweats are bothering you, wear lighter clothing to prevent sweating. If night sweats are unavoidable it may help to sleep on a towel to prevent excessive moisture on your body and bed. Don't be afraid to talk to friends or your doctor regarding your daily symptoms. Doctors may be able to prescribe some medical treatments to help deal with many of the menopausal symptoms including night sweats and dryness in the vaginal area.

There is also help for the mood swings and weight gain. Mood swings might happen due to the fact that all the changes are happening and hormone levels are fluxuating throughout the day. As for weight gain, exercise is the key. Try increasing your daily amount of exercise by 20-minutes to help offset symptoms. It sounds like a lot of extra time but remember exercise doesn't have to take place in a gym. It can be done anywhere, in most cases simply walking farther and longer during your daily activities will meet the goal.

There are pills to help improve your sex drive too. Although, a lot of women do experience a lower sex drive because of their dry experience. There are various lubricating gels on the market (even for those with sensitive skin) that can be used. These are safe during sex and help the woman to have no discomfort or dryness during sex.

Many department stores carry these gels. But a lot of women prefer buying them on the internet because it can be an embarrassing experience for many. There are prescription gels you can ask your doctor about. These are specifically for menopausal women. If you find you can not afford the prescription, some places have help paying for them and sometimes you may be able to get them cheaper at different places so make sure to check around.

Whether you're a woman who's about to enter menopause or a young woman who's body's not responding during your intimate moments this site can help. It's constantly adding new information and links for vaginal dryness, tightness and symptoms that cause pain during sex.

http://www.naturalvaginalubricant.com/

Intimacy is what keeps us connected and nothing should take away from that time or pleasure.

Carson Shay

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