The Impact of Menopause
It’s Inevitable
If we live long enough, we will all eventually go through the menopause. It’s a natural stage in every woman’s life We all know that we can’t make babies forever.
But even though we know it’s coming, how prepared are we? Think about the other major female milestones we go through. Periods, Pregnancies, Childbirth – how much did we prepare for all those?
But it’s not the same with menopause.
It’s affecting more of us than ever
100 years ago, women in New Zealand lived until they were about 58.
Now, the average life expectancy is 83.
But the average age of menopause hasn’t changed – it’s still around 51.
So while our ancestors spent just 7 years battling hot flushes, mood swings and other symptoms, we can potentially have a good 30 years of them.
Women can spend one third of their lifetime being postmenopausal
The symptoms can be devastating
Just because something is natural, does not make it the same for everyone.
Around 1 in 4 women will have severe symptoms
They can feel like they have lost themselves.
Lost their energy. Lost their focus. Lost their confidence.
Some women feel like they have lost their mind.
We have oestrogen receptors in almost every part of our body – so when the levels start to fluctuate then fall, it’s not surprising that we can suffer so many different and debilitating symptoms.
And this all hits us at a time when our lives are busier and more complicated than ever.
We have jobs, kids, marriages, elderly parents – it’s not like the last hormone rollercoaster we went through at puberty. We can’t just curl up in bed while our mum brings us a hot water bottle.
We are the so-called ‘sandwich generation’ - caught between looking after kids and looking after older parents.