Get to know the symptoms you can expect from the menopause – as well as some great tips for dealing with them…
It used to be that the menopause was rarely mentioned, and many women were just left to get on with it. Which might have been manageable if you weren’t suffering too much from the symptoms, but could be horrendous if not – confusing, upsetting, painful and exhausting all at once.
Luckily, as more and more women are opening up about their experience of the menopause, it can help us prepare for and deal with it. There are plenty of online resources and support groups, women can be much better prepared for what to expect from the menopause.
The menopause means the last period, but we can’t tell you have been through it until you haven’t had a period for 12 months and occurs when you have run out of eggs. The period of time before the menopause, where you may have hormonal changes and symptoms is called the perimenopause and can last up to about a decade before that last period. Whether you’re experiencing your first perimenopausal symptoms, right in the middle of it or it’s a long way off, read our tips to deal with it. And if you’re really struggling with the symptoms too, pay a visit to your doctor. There’s medication to help with everything from hot flushes to mental health struggles, so don’t be afraid to seek the help you need.
1. Prioritise your sleep
The perimenopause and menopause can disturb sleep patterns – from insomnia to waking up in a hot-flush-induced pool of sweat. To help with getting off to sleep, introduce a bedtime routine – a bath, a cup of warm milk and reading a few chapters of your book, for example. This will help tell your body that it’s time to wind down and prepare for sleep and try to have a consistent bed and wake time. For more great tips, try our 11 steps to the best night’s sleep ever.
Ensure the bedroom is cool and well-ventilated via an open window or fan. Wear light cotton pyjamas and don’t forget the ear plugs and eye mask if you need them!
2. Move your body
Exercise makes you feel good in both body and mind, has heart and bone health benefits and can even decrease hot flushes. Do what you enjoy but try to include some impact and resistance activities to maintain your bone and muscle strength.
3. Look at your food
When we are tired and fed up it is easy to make less healthy choices but aim for a diet rich in fruit, veg, whole grains, seeds and pulses. Don’t forget sources of calcium for your bone health. Stuck for ideas? Start your day with one of our five healthy breakfast ideas, keep going through the day with our quick and healthy snacks and for dinner try one of our seven tasty (and healthy!) comfort foods the whole family will love.
4. Eliminate toxic habits from your life
If you smoke, the best time to quit is right now! There is help out there and this is probably THE most beneficial thing you can do for your health.
5. Check yourself
Don’t forget to be breast aware and check yourself, attend any screening appointments such as breast and cervical screening, they may literally save your life.
6. A little pampering…
Some women notice that their skin changes through the menopause, becoming more sensitive and prone to dryness. You may want to moisturize more but most importantly don’t forget the DAILY SPF!
7. Talk it out
For many women, the menopause is a right rollercoaster ride of moods and emotions, and these can impact not just us but our relationships with our nearest and dearest too. Keep talking about how you are feeling and how it is impacting you. If you feel you need more support, then your GP may be able to refer you to local talking therapies as well as offer other treatments.
8. Keep track
Check out a menopause symptom tracker to track your symptoms and make note of what triggers and helps them, and don’t forget to take this along to any doctor’s appointments.
9. It isn’t the end!
For too long, women have been told that the menopause is the end, of their fertility, their beauty and their youth. But for many women, finally free of painful or heavy periods, of PMS and other symptoms, it is actually the beginning of a new, freer phase! If you need help with menopause symptoms, please see your GP.
Are you going through the menopause? Let us know how you’re coping and do share any tips you think may help others in the comments section below.
*If you are going through menopause or experiencing bladder leaks, always make sure to consult your doctor or a health specialist for these medical conditions.
This is generalised advice and isn't personalised nor to replace the advice of your doctor and other health care professionals.
