Menopause is a phase in a woman’s life that represents the final stroke of fertility and cessation of menstruation. Edging closer to full menopause implies that you produce variable amounts of progesterone and estrogen hormones. Ideally, a woman is declared to be in full menopause once she stops menstruation completely for a period of 12 months. The transition leading up to this is referred to as perimenopause, which can last many years.

When transitioning to through perimenopause, women may experience several surprising changes both psychologically and physically. Let’s look at some of the topmost overlooked menopause symptoms:

1. Deepening voice
Hoarseness is a common symptom of menopause that is overlooked by most people. Women are able to have a regular menstrual cycle because they can balance the estrogen and progesterone hormones. Around and after menopause, these hormone levels tend to decrease, and consequently, the testosterone levels rise. The rise of testosterone hormone causes the deepening of the voice. Women also start to develop some masculine features during menopause, such as the growth of facial hair and central obesity, among others.

2. Insomnia
When facing the perimenopause phase, the key hormones drop drastically. Gradually, symptoms of menopause start to appear, and insomnia joins in the list. Insomnia is a sleeping disorder that deprives you of achieving quality and adequate sleep. The psychological aspect contributes to having a hard time falling or staying asleep.

3. Decreased libido
Another overlooked, or often not talked about, symptom is low sex drive that happens due to physical and emotional changes. Low estrogen levels cause reduced blood flow to the vagina, thus causing thinning of the vagina and labia tissues. The changes mean that the woman’s overall arousal is affected, including vaginal lubrication. They feel uncomfortable or even pain, and it may be hard for them to achieve an orgasm. Hormonal fluctuations affect their mental health, which in turn, causes a downward surge of their libido.

4. Incontinence
Menopause also triggers the weakening of your sphincter bladder muscles. The physical changes play a huge role in causing incontinence. The transition may also cause night sweats, hot flashes, and mood changes. Some of these physical changes can lead to bladder control issues mainly because the vagina tissue becomes less elastic as well as thinning of the urethra lining. Also, the muscles that support the urethra and bladder start to weaken.

5. Anxiety
The hormonal fluctuations and variations also lead to mixed emotions that trigger anxiety. During perimenopause, some women may feel troubled or sad as they adapt to the new bodily changes. Some may have a hard time coming into terms with the fact that they’re slowly losing their fertility. The psychological and physical changes cause stress and anxiety to women going through this phase.