On average, menopause causes about 10 symptoms in those who experience it. But 90% of us weren’t taught about the life stage in school, and less than half of us know how to manage its most common symptoms.

People who experience several menopause symptoms at the same time are more likely to develop poor cognitive function and mild behavior impairments, both of which can be signs of dementia.

What can your hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings and other symptoms of menopause indicate about your risk of developing dementia? A new study has the answer.

Women who exhibit more menopausal symptoms are more likely to later have poorer cognitive function and mild behavioral impairments—both markers of dementia. That is the conclusion of a study of 896 postmenopausal females published in PLOS One by Zahinoor Ismail of the University of Calgary,