#menopause

#menopause

Almost two in three women over 50 in the UK struggle with their mental health as they deal with menopause, relationship breakdowns and changes to their appearance, a survey has found. Brain fog, parents dying, children leaving home and financial pressures can also trigger difficulties such as sleeping problems, feeling anxious or overwhelmed, and a loss of zest for life.

Yet despite that, research into what happens during this natural cessation of menstruation and why is limited. Scientists know that menopause can cause a myriad of neurological symptoms, from hot flashes to poor sleep to depression. But what is going on in people's brain during this period is still murky. Now new research offers clues to a link between menopause and changes in the brain's gray matter, as well as anxiety and depression.

Menopause symptoms are common among female endurance athletes and often interfere with training and performance. A survey of women aged 40-60 who train regularly found high rates of sleep problems, exhaustion, anxiety, weight gain, and joint pain. Many athletes said these symptoms made it harder to train effectively or perform at their best. The results highlight a need for greater attention to menopause in active women.Share:

U.S. health officials have expanded approval of a much-debated drug aimed at boosting female libido, saying the once-a-day pill can now be taken by postmenopausal women up to 65 years old. The announcement Monday from the Food and Drug Administration broadens the drug's use to older women who have gone through menopause. The pill, Addyi, was first approved 10 years ago for premenopausal women who report emotional stress due to low sex drive.

Menopause often coincides with a critical phase in a woman's career, when experience, insight, and leadership potential are at their highest. But symptoms like brain fog, fatigue, hot flashes, and mood swings can disrupt work and energy levels. The issue isn't the symptoms, it's the silence surrounding them. Women are expected to "power through." Some do, but for many it turns into what is known as the midcareer cliff.

I define feminine energy as the urge to connect and nurture, which everybody exhibits. If we disconnect from feminine energy, we lose the ability to connect deeply to ourselves in a meaningful way. We lose the ability to really nurture ourselves in a healthy way. We lose community because we lose the ability to connect to one another and nurture one another.

No one warns you about erotic grief. We hear about and live menopause, testosterone changes, cancer treatment, chronic illness, and the slow, steady realities of aging-but almost no one prepares us for this part: One day, desire may not be as effortless as it once was. It may not rise on command. It may go quiet, or slow down, or disappear for stretches. And that shift can break your heart a little.

Menopause screening is to be officially incorporated into NHS health checks in England for the first time. Women getting the checks - offered to adults aged 40 to 74 every five years - will be asked about the menopause and possible symptoms from next year. The aim is to identify women who may benefit from advice and support, including treatment, such as hormone replacement therapy (HRT), drugs to combat hot-flushes, and counselling.

Did you rush off to the gym to lift weights then to a pilates class to keep you healthy for ever? Did you remember your MHT (menopause hormone therapy the now widely accepted term for HRT) pill, patch, gel, pessary, suppository or cream, trusting your GP or private clinic to be prescribing for you and only you, grateful that finally medication has made a difference for you?

You don't have to be a professional singer to notice an increase in hoarseness and lower register when you are speaking. The muscles we use when speaking tend to shrink, and cartilage may thicken and harden. A deepening voice and lower pitch may be less noticeable for men, or even a change they appreciate. For women, on the other hand, voice changes can be more obvious and more likely to make us feel uncomfortable.

At some point, nearly every woman has wished they had an older woman in their life whom they could ask their most burning questions. And while many of us have older sisters, mothers, or friends we could ask, it can often be awkward to ask them deeply personal questions... That's why I decided to open up the platform for women who are 25 and younger to ask women over 50 anything they want to know!

It hit me hard, out of nowhere. I'm never going to have children. I'm 55 years old; that ship has sailed. It disappeared from my biological horizon years ago a once fertile landscape that held so much hope, promise and seemingly endless possibility. A horizon that, sadly, I took for granted. Did I forget to wind my biological clock? I admit to hearing it ticking, but at some point the throes of everyday life and loss drowned out the alarm until it eventually perished

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

Sometimes I think of my sobriety in terms of a relationship. My sober self and I have been going along now for over 10 years. We are besties. We trust each other. We vibe. But recently, after a long bout of illness, I wondered how loyal sobriety would stay through sickness. Through turbulence. Through the valleys of life. Research says that divorces happen most commonly around the eighth year of marriage.

A menopausal assassin is a compelling character, combining a woman losing oestrogen with the lethal intrigue of a gunslinger, reflecting on empowerment amidst societal constraints.

Researchers are increasingly focused on the disparity of Alzheimer's disease prevalence between women and men, recognizing that this cannot solely be attributed to women living longer.

Our sexual relationship is intertwined with our love for each other. It's our love language.

"So many women suffer in silence with issues that impact their quality of life. This event is about breaking those barriers, offering expert insights and ensuring every woman knows that support is available."

Menopause can trigger or reignite disordered eating patterns, as body image issues worsen due to societal ideals around youth and thinness.

"I looked at the pictures and went, 'Oh gosh, I need to do something different,'" she said.

Karen Adams from the Stanford Program in Menopause & Healthy Aging emphasizes that aging brings new opportunities and perspectives, encouraging women to look forward positively to this stage of life.