Medically reviewed by Briana Walton, MD.
Menopause is unpredictable, with unique experiences for every woman. The journey begins with perimenopause, the transition from your reproductive years to menopause. This phase has no clear beginning and brings a variety of symptoms, from irregular periods to difficulty sleeping, which may also be linked to everyday stress. Additionally, the timing varies greatly; some women may enter menopause in their early 40s, while others experience it in their 50s. Beyond that, you can’t predict which signs and symptoms you’ll experience, how long they’ll last, or how they’ll affect your quality of life.
One thing certain about menopause is that an abundance of available treatments means no matter what the change throws at you, you don’t have to tough it out. You may be surprised to learn just how much you can do to feel better. From healthy steps you can take at home to hormone therapy and other medications, there’s never been more that you can do to ease the symptoms of menopause.
Menopause Treatment Starts at Home
Menopause symptoms occur on a spectrum. For some women, symptoms are mild and not bothersome. In other cases, though, they can disrupt sleep, intimacy, mental health and more.
If symptoms negatively impact your quality of life, let your OB/GYN or primary care provider know. They can recommend strategies for managing menopause symptoms, including lifestyle changes and treatments that don’t require a prescription. You may not be able to stop menopause symptoms, but you can control them.
Try these tricks to help manage symptoms of menopause:
- Engage your brain. Read, play an instrument, take a class or try another activity that works your brain to help improve memory.
- Get active. Regular physical activity can strengthen your memory, help manage mood swings and reduce excess weight, which may contribute to hot flashes. Exercise can also improve your sleep quality, but be sure to stop physical activity at least two hours before bedtime to avoid disrupting your rest.
- Keep cool. Reduce the risk of night sweats by running a fan and keeping your bedroom at a comfortable temperature.
- Lean into layers. Dressing in easy-to-remove layers can help you cool down quickly.
- Limit alcohol and caffeine. These beverages may aggravate bladder problems, such as frequent urination or urine leakage.
- Spruce up your sleep hygiene. To improve your sleep, get on a consistent sleep/wake schedule and avoid heavy meals, alcohol and electronic screens before bedtime.
- Steer clear of hot flash triggers. Keep track of the foods, beverages or situations that prompt hot flashes so you can avoid them.
- Use a vaginal moisturizer or lubricant. These over-the-counter products can soothe uncomfortable vaginal dryness.
Certain complementary therapies, such as tai chi, and some natural treatments, such as black cohosh and other herbal supplements, may help relieve menopause symptoms, although evidence of their effectiveness is mixed. Ask your medical provider before trying them.
Understanding Hormone Therapy
If you’ve researched menopause treatment, you’ve probably encountered hormone therapy, which is sometimes called hormone replacement therapy. This prescription treatment can relieve menopause symptoms by supplying various formulations and versions of the hormones estrogen and progesterone, which your body all but stops making after menstrual periods end.
Hormone therapy is different from hormonal birth control, which is another menopause treatment option. During perimenopause, low-dose hormonal birth control may help control several symptoms, including hot flashes, vaginal dryness and irregular periods.
After decades of concern about hormone therapy because of its links to increased risks of breast cancer and stroke, recent findings show the treatment is a safe option for many women. A 2024 review in the journal JAMA concluded hormone therapy is appropriate in women younger than 60 with troublesome menopause symptoms as long as they don’t have risk factors that would rule out using the treatment.
If considering hormone therapy, you can take it as estrogen-only or estrogen plus progesterone. The treatment comes in several forms, including a pill, a gel, an insert or skin patch. You can also apply it directly to the vagina in the form of a vaginal estrogen cream, gel, ring or insert.
Is Hormone Therapy Right for You?
That question may be on many women’s minds both before and after menopause, and the short answer is: Maybe. If other treatments, such as lifestyle changes, haven’t helped, talk to your medical provider about whether hormone therapy makes sense for you.
Hormone therapy isn’t safe for everyone. If, for example, you have or are at risk for heart disease, you shouldn’t take artificial hormones. This also applies if you’ve ever had a stroke, liver disease or breast cancer, or if you have a family history of gallbladder disease. Hormone therapy may increase the risk of these conditions.
In addition to your health history, you and your medical provider will consider other factors when deciding whether to use hormone therapy. These include your age—typically, you need to be younger than 60 and it should have been less than 10 years since menopause—personal preference and ability to tolerate potential side effects, such as headaches and an upset stomach.
If you and your medical provider decide hormone therapy makes sense for you, they’ll prescribe a conservative course to minimize the risk of health effects. You’ll take the lowest effective dose for the shortest time you need to find relief.
Avoid taking so-called bioidentical hormone therapy products without consulting your provider. Some of these products falsely claim to be identical to natural estrogen and progesterone, and no evidence points to their safety or effectiveness.
Menopause Treatment with Non-Hormonal Medications
Not all medications to treat menopause symptoms are hormonal. There is also:
- A class of antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, can reduce the frequency and intensity of hot flashes.
- Fezolinetant—one of a group of medications called neurokinin 3 receptor antagonists—can also make hot flashes less frequent and severe.
- One type of selective estrogen receptor modulator—a class of medications typically used to treat breast cancer—called ospemifene can improve vaginal dryness.
Finding the most effective therapy may be a process of trial and error in partnership with your medical provider. There’s no universal best treatment for menopause. The best treatment is the one that provides you with the most relief.
More to Read
- Hormone Therapy: Understanding the Benefits and Risks
- Change Is Coming: Recognizing the Signs of Menopause
- Are Perimenopause Supplements Safe or Effective?
- How Are Menopause and Mental Health Connected?
- How to Cope with Menopause Sleep Problems
- Frequent Urination: When Diabetes and Menopause Affect the Bladder
- 5 Things to Know About Weight Gain During Perimenopause