Menopause can have a positive impact on your life as not all physical changes caused by reduced female hormone levels are negative. For another, many of the emotional and social changes can actually be energising. Read on to find out what many women have already discovered: In many ways, menopause can be a welcome change.

1 No More Periods

Menopause marks the end of the menstrual cycle, which for many women is a cause for celebration in itself. It means no more fussing with tampons or pads, no more worry about leakage, and no more menstrual cramping. And after the perimenopausal years, when periods often become irregular and bleeding may be heavy, it puts an end to the guessing game of when your period is going to start or stop.  Some women are even limited to their homes on days when bleeding is heavy. For them, menopause can be incredibly liberating. So many women say ‘I can wear white again!’

2 Goodbye to PMS

Women in menopause can enjoy sex without having to think about a possible pregnancy. This makes a big difference, according to the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation, a multisite, longitudinal study of the physical and psychosocial changes women experience in midlife, including menopause. “Among American women of different ethnic groups, sex without thinking about pregnancy was frequently cited as one of the benefits of menopause,” says Nanette Santoro, MD, professor and director of Reproductive Endocrinology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. Some women even find that, because they no longer have to worry about the unanticipated outcome of sex, they can actually enjoy it more once they reach menopause.

3 Sex Without Pregnancy Worries

Women in menopause can enjoy sex without having to think about a possible pregnancy. This makes a big difference, according to the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation, a multisite, longitudinal study of the physical and psychosocial changes women experience in midlife, including menopause. “Among American women of different ethnic groups, sex without thinking about pregnancy was frequently cited as one of the benefits of menopause,” says Nanette Santoro, MD, professor and director of Reproductive Endocrinology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. Some women even find that, because they no longer have to worry about the unanticipated outcome of sex, they can actually enjoy it more once they reach menopause.

4 The End of Hormonal Headaches

Women are affected by migraines three times more often than men, according to the National Headache Foundation. About 70 percent of these women have menstrual migraines, headaches that coincide with ovulation and menstruation. Like other migraines, these headaches cause throbbing pain on one side of the head, sometimes accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and light- or sound-sensitivity. In a normal menstrual cycle, fluctuating levels of the hormones oestrogen and progesterone can trigger menstrual migraines. But after menopause, levels of oestrogen and progesterone fall, and often the number of hormonal headaches declines too.

5 Uterine Fibroids Shrink

Many women approaching their 50s develop fibroids, uterine tumours that are almost always benign. Fibroids grow when oestrogen levels in the body are high — during pregnancy, when levels of oestrogen and progesterone increase, and in perimenopause, when oestrogen levels can swing from low to high. If fibroid symptoms, including pain, heavy menstrual bleeding, and pressure on the bladder are severe, doctors may recommend surgery. Fortunately, fibroids often stop growing or shrink when women reach menopause and oestrogen levels decline.

6 A Chance to Take Stock

The rush of energy, both physical and psychological, that some women feel after menopause is incredible. This makes menopause a natural time for women to take stock of their lives. Many decide to take a fresh look at their relationships, their professions, the ways they’re caring for their own health, and the ways they want to expend their energy. “It’s important to take advantage of this wakeup call to say, ‘Let’s put our best foot forward as we move along,’ ” says Dr. Stuenkel. She advises menopausal women to ask themselves if they’re headed in the direction they want to go, both professionally and personally, and whether the way they’re spending their time is meaningful to them.

7 Greater Self-Assurance

It’s not uncommon for postmenopausal women to report feeling empowered, partly because of the biological changes that take place in menopause and partly because of the point in life at which menopause occurs. Women are often happy not to have monthly periods with the accompanying risk of pregnancy, mood swings, and other PMS symptoms. Children have fled the nest & you are free to pursue your professional and personal ambitions.  After 40+ years of life experience, including the ups and downs of relationships, child-rearing, and careers, women are more likely to go after what they want with a greater sense of confidence that they can handle whatever comes their way.

8 A Time to Take Risks

Most Drs say after menopause, you have a third of your life to live.  However the truth is you can have half of your life to live. Don’t hold back because the party has started. This is a message that women in menopause are primed to hear, because midlife is the time when women are inclined to take more chances. Some switch careers, perhaps turning a hobby into a business. Others try online dating or other adventurous pursuits like mountain climbing or figure skating. If there’s something you’ve been putting on hold, there’s no time like the present to taste what life has to offer.

9 Focus on Caring for Yourself

With children grown or on their way to independence and a career that’s well established, women in menopause have more time to take care of themselves. “There is no better time for a health makeover,” says Dr. Santoro. “Many women in menopause are receptive to making changes that will maintain or improve their health.” These changes can start with getting regular health checkups and routine health screenings.  You can start by eating a healthy diet that’s low in fat and high in fruits and vegetables and by getting regular physical activity — anything from walking and biking to gardening and housework counts. And finally, it’s important to take time out and reduce stress; techniques such as meditation, relaxation techniques, or tai chi can help.

10 Bonding With Other Menopausal Women

When hot flashes have you peeling off layers of clothing or when you can’t remember what that one thing was that you came to the supermarket for, you’re likely to feel a kinship with any woman as sweaty or forgetful as yourself. Talking and joking with other women about the menopausal symptoms you’re experiencing can be very helpful by reassuring you that you’re not alone. “Not only do women exchange coping strategies and sympathy and empathy but sharing their stories gives women courage to face the world, knowing that they’re in good company and that unwelcome symptoms will not last forever,” says Dr. Richardson.

Adapted from everydayhealth.com