Neurological Symptoms Caused by Menopause

Menopause causes women to not only go through physical changes, but neurological changes as well. Emotional and mental symptoms are frequent when this mid-life change occurs, and they can make life difficult if not understood.

Identification

• The hormones that regulate a woman's menstrual cycle are progesterone and estrogen. As menopause approaches, the ovaries make less of these hormones, which trigger changes in the body, including changes to the nervous system.

Features

• Neurological symptoms associated with menopause are fatigue, weight gain, insomnia, headache, memory loss and personality changes.

Effects

• Changes in hormones can alter a woman's mood and memory. Therefore, when estrogen levels change during menopause, neurological changes are typical. Memory lapses are common for menopausal women, as are mood swings.

Other triggers

• Neurological symptoms like fatigue and insomnia may be due to other physical symptoms of menopause. Night sweats can cause a woman to wake up and have difficulty falling back asleep, keeping her up all night and making her tired the next day.

Prevention/solution

• A healthy diet and plenty of exercise are primary ways of dealing with neurological symptoms of menopause. They help control weight and keep a woman's immune system strong to prevent symptoms like fatigue and irritability.