Let’s talk about the menopause

Sunderland Care and Support wants to increase awareness of the menopause.

Menopause is a natural stage in every woman’s life usually occurring between 45 and 55 years of age, as a woman’s estrogen levels decline. In the UK, the average age for a woman to reach the menopause is 51, but around 1 in 100 women experience the menopause before the age of 40.

Symptoms can include but are not limited to fatigue, disturbed sleep/insomnia, hot flushes, difficulty concentrating, problems with memory recall, anxiety, and joint pain. Many people don’t appreciate these can be as a result of menopause, and knowing they are is often a huge relief for women experiencing them.

As 78.5% of our SCAS workforce are female and of those 50% are over the age of 40 we recognise our responsibility to support employees at work by increasing awareness and sharing and signposting to useful information.

“Good quality information can help inform women about menopausal symptoms and treatments available and empower them to take control during this time of transition.”

What are the symptoms?

Each woman is different and will respond in her own way to both the physical and emotional changes the menopause brings.

Before the full onset of menopause there is a stage known as perimenopause. This can last for 4 to 5 years or longer. Not all women have symptoms at this stage, but some women may experience some of the following:

– Change in menstrual cycle

– Hot flushes and night sweats

– Headaches, migraine or dizziness

– Vaginal dryness

– Difficulty sleeping

– Loss of interest in sex

– Weight gain

– Mood swings

– Memory problems

– Urinary problems

Menopause awareness and support works for everyone

Women’s Health Concern (WHC) is the patient arm of the British Menopause Society (BMS).

Check out their website for information about a range of women’s health concerns including a series of short videos relating to the menopause at https://www.womens-health-concern.org/.

You can also find information on the NHS website https://www.nhs.uk/.