.While menopause is a stage in every woman’s life, there is still so much we don’t know about the transitional period and the impacts it has on the body beyond the stereotypical symptoms such as hot flashes and mood swings. In fact, there are 62 possible symptoms of menopause, which range from histamine sensitivities to hair loss and currently, 1 in 7 menopausal women are on Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) to mitigate these often debilitating symptoms, according to the pharmacy experts at Chemist 4 U. Now, Barbara Jacquelyn Sahakian, a Professor of Clinical Neuropsychology, and Christelle Langley, a Postdoctoral Research Associate, Cognitive Neuroscience, both from the University of Cambridge have delved into just how cognitively impactful menopause can be for women and produced an eye-opening study.The cognitive impacts of menopauseThe researchers analysed data from nearly 125,000 women from the UK Biobank (a large database containing genetic and health data from about 500,000 people).They placed participants into three groups: pre-menopausal, post-menopausal and post-menopausal with HRT. The average age of menopause was around 49 years old. Women who used HRT typically began treatment around the same age.They found that menopause was associated with poorer sleep, increased mental health problems and even changes within the brain itself.Writing for The Conversation, the researchers said: “Post-menopausal women were more likely than pre-menopausal women to report symptoms of anxiety and depression. They were also more likely to seek help from a GP or psychiatrist and to be prescribed antidepressants.“Sleep disturbances were more common after menopause, as well. Post-menopausal women reported higher rates of insomnia, shorter sleep duration and increased fatigue.”While HRT is the treatment prescribed for more difficult symptoms of menopause, the researchers believe that lifestyle changes could play a crucial role in improving symptoms.“Our work and that of other research groups shows that a number of lifestyle habits can improve brain health, cognition and wellbeing, thereby reducing the risk of cognitive decline associated with ageing and dementia.“This includes regular exercise, engaging in cognitively challenging activities (such as learning a new language or playing chess), having a nutritious and balanced diet, getting the right amount of good-quality sleep and having strong social connections.”If you are struggling with menopause symptoms, speak to your GP.Related…This Diet Change Can Reduce Hot Flushes During Menopause by 95%4 Sleep Changes A Sleep Scientist Would Never, Ever IgnoreThese Simple Exercises Can Reduce Your Risk Of Depression By Up To 23% HuffPost UK – Athena2 – All Entries (Public) Read More