Health Tip: Symptoms of Menopause

(HealthDay News) -- Menopause is the normal time in a woman's life when the monthly menstrual cycle stops, usually between ages 45 and 55.

Here are common symptoms of menopause, courtesy of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:

• No menstrual period for the last 12 months, without surgical or other biological cause.

• Differences in the pattern of your period -- shorter or longer, lighter or heavier, more or less frequent.

• Hot flashes or night sweats.

• Vaginal dryness.

• Moodiness, irritability or crying frequently.

• Difficulty concentrating or focusing, or confusion.

• Thinning hair, or the appearance of more facial hair.