Rethinking the menopause and midlife

We talk to Rachel Lankester the founder of Magnificent Midlife about Menopause and ageism in the workplace.

Menopause seems to be constantly in the headlines thanks to celebs like Davina McCall and Meg Matthews. Finally, women’s voices are being heard on a topic that, let's face it, will affect all women (and their families) in some way.

The conversations that are now happening about perimenopause and menopause in mainstream media are filtering down and affecting workplace policies and decisions.

But is this a good thing?

Menopause has been getting a bad rap. Headlines focus on the HRT shortage and wellknown figures like Davina talk about their struggle, like debilitating brain fog, which made it difficult to do her job.

In recent media stories menopause has been linked to an increase in suicide, job loss and the number of women in prison in midlife not to mention causing women to be at greater risk of a range of diseases, from Alzheimer's to heart disease. It is still seen largely as a negative event that prevents productivity. It has to be medicated and is something that needs fixing.

Rachel shares a different perspective. She was given an early menopause diagnosis at 41.

Rachel believes that menopause is a natural transition that does not necessarily need ‘fixing’ but that workplaces do need to acknowledge and accommodate the different needs of women during this time.

“As a post-menopausal woman long advocating for greater menopause awareness, I applaud the honesty and influx of information. Women need to be aware of what menopause is, which is the end of their fertile life and periods. Plus the changes that come with it, which can range from anxiety to loss of libido, to hot flushes and mood changes.”

Your brain gets a midlife upgrade

"While many focus on the negative changes during menopause, I also learnt about positive changes in the brain, which is something rarely highlighted in the media but that is backed up by science.

In the book, The Upgrade: How the Female Brain Gets Stronger and Better in Midlife and Beyond, neuroscientist Dr Louann Brizendine writes how, during our fertile years, women are on a “hamster wheel” of hormones, all of which create a rollercoaster of “urges, obsessions, and delusions around relationships and intimacy”, women are hormonally wired to find a fertile mate, whether we are aware of it or not."

Women may lose the ability to multitask, but instead gain a “laser-like focus”, which reduces anxiety. Gone too is the desire to people-please. Instead, compassion and joy increase, curiosity takes centre stage, and “a new ease takes over, even in difficult moments”.

Eradicate shame and feel empowered

Women can and should feel empowered during this transition, but many feel ashamed. This shame needs to end once and for all. Studies have shown women from other cultures often have fewer menopause symptoms. This has led to researchers concluding that the status of older women in the community is also important to understanding menopause. All too often we hear older women in the UK say they feel “invisible”. Could gendered ageism be equally to blame for feeling overlooked, midlife job losses and a difficult menopause?

Could gendered ageism be equally to blame for feeling overlooked, midlife job losses and a difficult menopause?

A third of women will potentially spend half their lives post-menopause. It’s unavoidable but the suffering isn’t. Steps can be taken to reduce symptoms and protect our health. Only telling negative stories leaves younger women scared and disempowered, feeling like they need fixing and rushing to medicate during this time, before they have explored other options.

"I hope women get to a point where they embrace and celebrate this transition and workplaces can certainly do more to support them during this time. I believe the insidious combination of sexism and ageism has a big impact on women’s sense of well-being and ease at work.

Stressful jobs and hormonal changes are not a happy combo. I think menopause gets a lot of negative attention and it’s not always to blame. There are potentially lots of other issues to consider. The middle of life can often get a bit messy!"

The good news is that we are now talking about this more openly and hopefully the narrative will change with more conversations and education about how magnificent midlife can be.