Symptoms

The most common—and best-known—symptoms linked to menopause are the vasomotor symptoms (when the blood vessels near the surface of the skin enlarge), specifically hot flashes and night sweats. Approximately two-thirds of women have hot flashes. Because both hot flashes and night sweats can disrupt your ability to get a good night’s sleep, it’s also not uncommon to feel tired, fatigued, or irritable the next day. ⁱⁱⁱ

Common complaints reported around menopause include: changes in skin (dryness), joint pain, weight gain and thinning hair. Many women also experience pain during sex (likely due to vaginal dryness) or loss of interest in sex. ⁱⁱⁱ

Other symptoms may be reported around menopause but not directly linked to it. These include feeling moody, depressed or anxious, finding it hard to concentrate and being forgetful. ⁱⁱⁱ