How Can I Manage Menopause?

Bearing children in old age is risky, so flicking the fertility switch to “off” is for your and society’s benefit. The key might be not to manage menopause but to celebrate it.

Female humans are among the very few animals whose biological fertility clock expires long before they do. Around the age of 50, a woman’s periods become irregular and gradually stop. This is menopause, and as our hormones effect this change, so can some uncomfortable symptoms start.

Hot flashes are the most well-known symptom. When the supply of female sex hormones drops after the last good egg has been released, the body’s thermostat suddenly becomes very temperamental. Normal temperatures can feel uncomfortably warm, and a slight increase in ambient temperature can set off a bout of feverish sweating. Other symptoms include headaches, anxiety, sadness, dry skin and hair, and a loss of sexual desire.

Interestingly, studies show that women who welcome menopause as a new phase in their life are significantly less likely to report severe symptoms. Symptoms also vary in different societies: in cultures where a woman’s youthful looks and fertility are prized, physical side effects seem to be multiplied. In Japan, most women don’t report hot flashes but instead a “chilliness.” And in cultures where older females are respected, symptoms seem to cause much less mental anguish.

It’s far too simplistic to conclude that menopause symptoms are down to the prevailing attitudes of society—your body is undergoing its greatest upheaval since puberty. But resisting shame and positively embracing the change can boost your chances of a flash-free menopause.