Fed up dealing with hot flushes, brain fog, aching joints and lack of sleep? These and a host of more symptoms show up usually in our 40s and 50s if you are female. Often you may not realise they’re part of the peri-menopause and menopause journey.
For Menopause Awareness Month here’s my top tips for you. They are based on my own experience and learning whilst supporting others through this transitional phase of life.
1. Be aware. I know that sounds a bit mad. But despite knowing I was going through menopause due to the hot flushes, it didn’t occur to me that my changing hormones were contributing to the mental anguish that was impacting me hugely. It took my husband to ask the question before I joined the dots. I thought I was pretty aware about women’s health issues, but in fact I was really uninformed and ill-prepared.
2. Get support. If things aren’t right – whether that’s physically or mentally – please seek a helping hand. Don’t be afraid to go back and ask for more support if you are still suffering. It can take time to get yourself back on track. If you need someone to help you access professional support reach out to a family member or friend to assist. Sometimes it’s hard to advocate for yourself.
3. Break the taboo. Don’t be frightened to speak about the “M word”, i.e. MENOPAUSE, to friends, family and colleagues. The more we are open about how menopause is affecting us the more the topic is normalised. I’m so passionate about this and it’s why I do what I do to raise awareness now. I have no idea what my mum’s menopause was like because it wasn’t something ever discussed. It’s only looking back, after my own experience, that I realise some of the clashes we had when I was young could have been down to both of our hormones.
I hope these tips help empower you to look after your wellbeing during this phase of life. Having gone from surviving to thriving I’m keen to share what I’ve learned. If you need a speaker who can bring this subject to life do get in touch. I run workshops on and offline that are informative and engaging. Some if it will be eye opening and may help you or a colleague avoid some painful conditions. I provide sessions for those going through, or expecting to go through menopause, those who want to be a support and mixed sessions.
I also facilitate menopause cafes to help your staff feel supported and able to talk about this sensitive topic with peers. I can run these as a one-off or on a regular basis.
And if you’d like some personal support, I provide private coaching to help you work your way through this tricky stage to get to a happy place. I offer a confidential, free “menopause mapping” session to help you start getting on top of things. There’s no hard-sell to book more sessions so you’ve nothing to lose. Feel free to check out my client reviews on my website or my google business page.
I’d love to hear from you if you would like to find out more.
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