Menopause. So What Is It?
What is menopause? What does it mean for me and how will it affect me? These are questions I never considered until menopause came into my life. Foolishly, perhaps, or more naively I guess, I just thought it meant your periods stopping, plain and simple. I wasn’t prepared for the onslaught of symptoms. Here’s what I found during my research. I had my own ideas of what is – a right pain and it’s not going away!
Menopause is a natural and transformative phase that every woman experiences, typically between the ages of 45 and 55 (although it can happen sooner). In fact, the advice is, if you are under the age of 40 and you think you may have the symptoms, seek professional advice as soon as possible.
So, it marks the end of a woman’s reproductive years, due to the ovaries gradually reducing the production of key hormones – Estrogen, Progesterone, and Testosterone (that one came as a surprise for me).
These changes can bring a mix of physical and emotional symptoms such as hot flushes, disrupted sleep, low energy, and shifts in mood or confidence. But menopause is so much more than a biological change, it’s a powerful transition, an opportunity to pause, reflect, and reconnect with yourself. It’s a stage that invites growth, balance, and a deeper understanding of who you are and what truly matters. We can thrive, not just survive this menopausal journey we’re on.