Everyone’s experience of the menopause is different. But there are lots of useful tips and advice on how to reduce the common symptoms of menopause.

• Dress in easily removable layers so you can adjust your temperature if you need to. Wear natural fibres as much as possible, or mixtures containing some natural fibres. Avoid tight-fitting Lycra clothes.

• Avoid synthetic bedding as this increases sweating. Use cotton sheets instead. Blankets are better than duvets. Try and sleep with the bedding loose.

• Take warm showers instead of hot baths.

• Women who are putting on weight are more likely to get hot flushes.

• Cut out, or cut down on, coffee, tea, cola drinks, spicy foods and foods containing monosodium glutamate (MSG) as these can trigger hot flushes or make them worse.

• Avoid hot soup, hot drinks and large meals in the evenings if they trigger night sweats or make them worse.

• Carry a mini battery-operated fan.

Practise relaxation and paced breathing to reduce stress, help brain fog, help you concentrate and think more clearly.

• Quit smoking. There’s evidence it speeds up the onset of the menopause by about two years. Menopausal women who smoke have worse hot flushes than non-smokers. 

• Avoid drinking too much alcohol, as this can increase hot flushes. 

• Be more active. Aim for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity (e.g. brisk walking) every week plus strengthening exercises on two or more days each week. If you’re new to exercise, have any medical conditions, are over 55 or haven’t exercised for three months, check with a doctor before trying a new routine. Be careful not to overdo it. 

• Practise relaxation and paced breathing to reduce stress, help brain fog, help you concentrate and think more clearly.

• Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can help hot flushes, night sweats, low mood and anxiety as well as sleep and stress. You can use various techniques to help you relax, get into a healthy sleep routine and feel more positive about your symptoms and life in general.

• With reference to anxiety, when you’re feeling overwhelmed, breathe in for a count of seven, then out for a count of 11 and repeat. After a few deep relaxing out-breaths, your body and mind slow down and your thoughts become clearer. 

• Mindfulness, meditation or prayer lowers your blood pressure and heart rate, reducing anxiety and stress. Focus on peaceful or positive images and develop calming sleep strategies, such as writing down anxious thoughts. Take time out and have plenty of ‘me-time’. 

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Despite the press and attention menopause is gaining, there is still so much work to be done.  

Country Manager for UK Women’s Health at Theramex, Tina Backhouse understands that everyone has a responsibility to improve the experience of menopausal women. From healthcare professionals and organisations to pharmaceutical companies, the Government and women themselves.

She says, “We’re finally starting to see momentum in the menopause conversation, thanks to this huge collaborative effort. The challenge now is to continue to invest in education, for both women and healthcare professionals, to drive genuine improvement in the experience of menopausal women.”

The challenge now is to continue to invest in education, for both women and healthcare professionals.

It’s why Backhouse and her team at Theramex have worked together with menopause experts to develop their own resources, both for GPs and members of the public to access and gain further information, while also working with leading specialists in women’s health to start a menopause mentorship programme for healthcare professionals later this year.

She says, “We are investing in educational resources and partnerships to improve understanding of menopause because the pharmaceutical industry has to be committed to education, in whatever form that looks like, that is accessible to all.”

Addressing disparities in access

Still, Backhouse is aware that there are huge disparities in menopause funding and services, often dependent on geographical location. She says, “It’s a huge issue that where you live can determine whether or not you have the access to newer types of treatment, including HRT. There’s a distinct difference in terms of prescribing across the UK, which more politicians need to be prioritising. Public Health England and the NHS are working hard to address these inequalities, but we all need to move quicker.”

THX_GB_PRESSR_005217 | Date of prep: Sep-21

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Watching your loved one going through the menopause is not easy, but your support and views on their experience can often encourage a woman to seek help.

Not only is Dr Katie Barber a practising GP with a special interest in women’s health and menopause, but she also runs her own private menopause company. Speaking to menopausal women on a daily basis, she often finds that the reason for a visit or phone call has been prompted by someone else. She says, “We forget that our loved ones love us and they want us to live the life we should. So when someone else notices a mood change, or an increase in forgetfulness, it’s often the trigger we need to seek help.” 

Dr Barber explains that while the media and TV programmes have helped raise awareness among the general population of common menopausal symptoms, it often takes someone else for a patient to realise the severity of their condition.  

Seeking help  

She says “It’s never too late to ask for help, I see women from teenagers to 90-year olds with menopausal issues. Typically, there’s a false understanding that once periods have stopped you’re through the worst and don’t need help anymore. But for many women, symptoms continue to be intrusive for many years afterwards.”

It’s never too late to ask for help, I see women from teenagers to 90-year olds with menopausal issues. 

There is good news in that many treatments are available for common menopausal symptoms such as hot sweats, brain fog, fatigue and lack of sex drive. Dr Barber adds, “If your condition is having a negative impact on your life, for whatever reason, then talk about the options you have with your GP or menopause specialist, especially if complex factors are involved.”  

While a thorough medical assessment is always recommended, Dr Barber points to good resources such as Menopause Matters, Rock My Menopause and Women’s Health Concern as good sources of information online. 

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All women will experience menopausal symptoms in one way or another. Primary care is trying to ensure all get the help and support they need.

Dr Anne Connolly from Bradford is a GPSI Gynaecology and Chair of the Primary Care Women’s Health Forum. She believes that supporting women through menopause is simply part of the holistic life-course approach.

Not only is it about supporting women to keep fit and well during the menopause, but to enable that they can continue working and prevent the onset of future health conditions such as osteoporosis and cardiovascular issues.

Dr Connolly explains, “Women are now spending nearly half of their lives post-menopausally, so staying healthy really is a benefit to all. Tailored treatment and support is available for many illnesses such as cardiovascular disease – health professionals now need to apply the same reasoning to menopause care.”

Tailoring treatment and care plans

Dr Connolly explains that GPs support and empower patients to make personalised care plans, looking at the holistic needs including cultural, social and personal barriers created by the menopause which will point towards a more tailored treatment plan.

She explains, “Concerns about women’s health and menopause have been constantly undervalued, but a one size fits all approach doesn’t fit with the wellbeing of a woman. Not only is better access to education needed, but also regular treatment reviews as lifestyle changes and other factors become apparent.”

Empowering women to make the call to their GP is the most important thing we can do.

For Dr Connolly, it’s all about that initial consultation in primary care, she says, “Empowering women to make the call to their GP is the most important thing we can do. Often women feel that they are not important enough and they should simply tolerate their conditions but I know from experience that earlier interventions and chats about other aspects of mid-life are all great points to also discuss the menopause and potential treatments.”

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Specialist nurse practitioners can often help women through menopause and alleviate all their menopausal queries.

For nurse practitioner Teresa Davison, a British Menopause Society registered specialist and founder of Somerset Menopause Clinic, nurses provide the perfect gateway for menopause care. In general practice, a nurse can see women for a variety of reasons, such as contraception, sexual health worries and cervical screening. All of these are touch points for discussion about the menopause.  

Normalising the menopause  

She says, “Lately, we’ve seen that discussion around menopause in the media has been much more active and this has opened the conversation, allowing women to talk about their experiences more.”  

“While normalisation has been a long time coming, issues can often stem from patients not understanding what is happening to them. We often hear that 10-minute slots at a GP surgery aren’t always long enough to talk about personal issues, but in the appointments mentioned above, nurses may have more time and the perfect opportunity to signpost women to more information.”

Talking about menopause is sometimes one of the biggest ways we can support and help patients.

Training is the big issue that Davison feels nurses should embrace. Due to funding cuts, there is not always the possibility of specialist menopause clinics but having a member of staff trained in menopause – especially a nurse, would be an added benefit for any primary care facility. She says: “Nurses should seek training, and perhaps run group education sessions where women can come together.

“As women, we have two or three hormonal journeys through life – the onset of periods, some will have pregnancy and all women will go through the menopause. We offer empathy and congratulations for the first two, but the last one is almost brushed under the carpet.” 

Menopause in the workplace 

Davison believes that another uphill battle for women is fighting menopause in the workplace, where not only is it embarrassing but support measures are not always routinely available. “Women make up a great percentage of the workforce and at this stage of life, possibly with symptoms such as brain fog, a lack of concentration and trouble sleeping, it’s no surprise more women are seeking help for anxiety and low mood,” she says. 

While recent press on the menopause has helped, it doesn’t always mean that women feel educated and empowered, which is why Davison is keen that nurses signpost women to correct and authoritative information.  

She adds, “Nurses are dedicated to helping people with all sorts of health journeys. Talking about menopause is sometimes one of the biggest ways we can support and help patients. By letting them know that help is available, patients learn that they shouldn’t be scared and that there is someone to talk to with lots of options available.” 

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Menopause symptoms don’t stop when you go to work. So, it’s great to see more and more UK employers putting the right support in place. 

If we rewound five years, we’d be very unlikely to find many employers who readily encouraged discussion about menopause at work and even less likely to find any with policies, guidance and support in place. 

Thankfully, a lot has happened over recent years. Now, thousands of forward-thinking organisations realise their responsibilities in supporting menopause at work. They also understand much more about the benefits for their colleagues and the organisation. In fact, we’ve reached a point, a fantastic point, where organisations are actually achieving Menopause Friendly Accreditation. 

While menopause support at work isn’t yet law, thousands of employers are not prepared to wait until it is.

What does this mean? 

We’ve already seen the first cohort of accredited employers — HSBC UK, first direct, M&S Bank, ATOS and Aster Group. There are many others who have committed to being menopause friendly, working towards the standards set out for accreditation from an independent panel of the UK’s leading experts. 

Becoming menopause friendly

These standards embrace all the key elements which, together, create a menopause friendly organisation. 

They include creating an environment where it’s easy to talk about menopause, putting policies and guidance documents in place, offering training to help everyone understand what can help at work and making reasonable adjustments available. Some employers are going even further, providing direct access to menopause experts, such as Peppy, through their employee rewards. 

Why wait to take action? 

We know that we’re an ageing population, living and working for longer. While menopause support at work isn’t yet law, thousands of employers are not prepared to wait until it is. It’s important for equality, diversity and inclusion. It’s also important for colleagues to know they’re supported. Employers are now taking action and they’re reaping the benefits. 

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There is no one size fits all when it comes to menopause, it is important to dispel the common myths and misunderstandings around the condition.

Myths about the menopause commonly arise from a misunderstanding that every menopause is the same. In fact, every woman will experience it differently. 

There is no ‘right’ age to start the menopause. Generally, the menopause happens later in a woman’s life, the average age in the UK is 51. However, whilst 51 is the average age, some women can experience menopause much earlier. Women should never feel embarrassed about going through the menopause, regardless of age, and should seek advice and information if they think they may be experiencing menopausal symptoms.

The menopause means more than hot flushes. Yes, hot flushes are common, but this is not the only symptom. Some women experience various symptoms, including mood changes, joint stiffness, a reduced sex drive and difficulty sleeping. Others may experience very few, or mild symptoms. 

The menopause does not have a time frame. There is no specific amount of time in which a woman may experience symptoms, it varies from person to person. Some women can experience symptoms before the end of their periods. Symptoms may also continue for years after a woman’s last period.

How to manage the menopause is a personal choice, and the many different types of treatments available enable women to access what works for them. 

HRT and misinformation

Misinformation about hormone replacement therapy (HRT), one of the most effective treatments in relieving many menopausal symptoms, can lead to women not accessing advice and treatments. 

Research shows that the risks of HRT are small and the benefits usually outweigh these risks. 

There is no evidence to suggest HRT will cause weight gain. You may gain some weight during the menopause, regardless of whether or not you take HRT.

You do not need to stop taking HRT at 60. Treatment is tailored to the individual’s needs. Women should always have regular check-ups with their doctor or nurse, who will advise based on each woman’s personal circumstances. Even if you have had breast cancer or other serious illnesses, there are often ways your symptoms can be treated.

Lifestyle changes can often help to manage symptoms. Exercise, a healthy diet and reduced alcohol intake can all help some women to manage the menopause.

How to manage the menopause is a personal choice, and the many different types of treatments available enable women to access what works for them. The important thing is to discuss symptoms, treatments and concerns with healthcare professionals so that every choice is an evidence-backed, informed decision and is tailored to that individual.

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