MidLife
Emotions and menopause
In the past, just about every emotional blip or bout of the blues felt by women in their 40s or 50s was attributed to menopause. Women can become irritable when hot flashes rob them of a good night’s sleep. But researchers have found no connection between menopause and serious depression.
Because depression affects one woman in four at some point in life, however, persistent low moods should never be ignored. Other symptoms of depression include insomnia (or sleeping too much), loss of appetite (or eating too much), and feeling helpless, hopeless or worthless. If you experience these symptoms, be sure to talk to your health care provider immediately.
