10 Common Pre Menopause Symptoms

Pre menopause symptoms are those signs that manifest themselves when a woman's menstrual cycle ends and her body begins to prepare itself for menopause. Knowing what these pre menopause symptoms are helps the woman to get ready for the change in life that she's about to go through.

Not every woman experiences the same set of pre menopause symptoms. In fact, some women don't go through any pre menopause symptoms. For those that do, however, here are some of the most common pre menopause symptoms:

1) Hormone production begins to slow down

2) Gaining weight - related to #1. In many women, as their hormone production slows down, so may theri metabolism. In this case she may begin to experience what to her is an unexplained weight gain.

3) Sudden headaches - are you suddenly starting to experience headaches where you had few or none previously? This is one of the typical pre menopause symptoms.

4) Irregular menstrual cycles - ovulation may be inconsistent and your menstrual cycles may vary widely.

5) Increase in mood swings - again related to #1. Changes in hormonal levels have been proven to have effects on a woman's moods.

6) Mood swings - you may go from euphoria to depression and back again for seemingly no reason.

7) Hot flashes - thousands of women probably start experiencing hot flashes well before they reach menopause. This is just about a sure sign that you're in the pre menopause stage.

8) Menstrual periods gradually lightening - the transition from fully menstrual to menopause is not like a light switch. It happens over time. Women going through this period will often notice that the menstrual flow getting lighter and lighter - sometimes seemingly disappearing altogether.

9) Vaginal dryness - especially if you haven't previously had this problem. This is another symptom related directly to hormonal changes in the body.

10) Insomnia - if you are used to sleeping soundly and suddenly began to have sleep disruptions or trouble falling asleep, this is a classic sign of pre menopause.

Pre menopause symptoms can last as long as 3 to 4 years which means that a woman can begin experiencing the first signs of pre menopause as much as 4 years or more before she actually reaches menopause.

Some women dread the approach of menopause while others welcome it. Whichever camp you fall into, it's good to be aware of what the pre menopause symptoms are.

Male Menopause Symptoms
A husband acting out his mid life crisis by having an affair, may be experiencing male menopause symptoms.

Natural Remedies For Menopause
Many women, once they reach their forties, begin to think about finding natural remedies for menopause in anticipation of experiencing many of the menopausal side effects, such as hot flashes, that they've heard about so much.