Menopause may be most notable for causing symptoms like hot flashes, mood swings and brain fog, but even more than those pesky symptoms, it’s a time in a woman’s life when you also have a higher risk of developing serious health issues. The biggest culprit is low levels of estrogen, but other age-related changes also occur in the years during and after menopause that can lead to increased health risks.

Here are some of the most common health issues women need to be more aware of after menopause:

• Heart Disease – Estrogen helps the body maintain a good balance of good and bad cholesterol in the blood and also keeps blood vessels more open and relaxed. That’s why women have a lower risk of heart disease than men before menopause. However, once menopause hits and estrogen levels plummet, cholesterol and fat may build up in arteries, narrowing them and increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. A woman’s risk of developing heart disease is equal to a man’s by age 70. Her risk of stroke doubles every decade after age 55. But since many women ignore or don’t recognize signs of heart disease and doctors are less likely to identify potential heart-related problems in women than men, women are more than twice as likely to die from heart attacks than men and also are more likely to die from strokes.
• Osteoporosis – This condition causes your bones to become brittle and weak, increasing the risk of fractures. All people lose bone mass as they age, but when estrogen drops during and after menopause, it causes you to lose bone mass much more quickly. You can lose approximately 1% to 2% of your bone density each year, which can lead to osteoporosis. This increases your risk of serious fractures.
• Urinary Incontinence – Lower estrogen levels may weaken your urethra, leading to issues that make it harder to hold urine. This can lead to problems that range from small urinary leaks when you laugh or sneeze to larger accidents that occur when you can’t get to the bathroom in time. Almost half of all postmenopausal women have trouble with urinary incontinence.
• Mental Health Issues – Changing hormone levels may affect your mood, as can other stressors associated with menopause and general aging. This can increase your risk of anxiety or depression.

In addition to the increased health risks listed above, women are more likely to experience the following issues after menopause:

• Weight gain
• Insomnia
• Dry skin
• Hair loss
• Low libido (decreased sex drive)
• Vaginal dryness/painful sex
• Hot flashes/night sweats

Menopause is a natural part of life and you can’t completely prevent the increased health risks that accompany it. You can take steps to lower your risk of disease, however. The best way to do that is to eat healthy foods, engage in physical activity every day, maintain a healthy weight, get recommended screenings and embrace healthy lifestyle habits such as not smoking, limiting alcohol, sleeping enough and reducing stress.

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