My peri plan so far

Plus, why we need more of the big O

Hello lovely reader,

Last year I wrote the Anxious Millennopause report, which was later covered in Women’s Health. It grew out of conversations with friends about the anticipation of midlife.

Once the report was live, I turned my attention to finding some answers. What can we do to ease our concerns about perimenopause?

I had bold plans to write a book. I imagined charting the path for Millennials entering menopause. I researched, I interviewed experts, and then I hit a wall.

Everyone had a different idea of what was needed. Consistent clinical evidence was lacking. It was impossible to know who to trust.

So I stepped back. The last thing I wanted was to add more noise or misinformation to the women’s health space.

Despite feeling deflated, it became a moment to take stock of what is and isn’t working in my own body.

Plenty of experts encourage midlife as a time for reflection.

For me, that has meant cutting caffeine and reducing alcohol. Both were fuelling my anxiety and heart palpitations.

Linked to that, I’ve tried my hardest to reduce stress. My son has a disability that brings an ongoing layer of worry. I cannot change that, but I can reduce the additional stressors on my body.

I’m doing a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) course through the NHS. For those in the UK, look up your local Talking Therapies service. You can often self-refer, and I’ve had a great experience so far.

Rather than spending hundreds on private testing, for now, I’ve had my iron and Vitamin D levels checked on the NHS. Everything I’d read pointed to these as crucial foundations, and often the missing piece in cases of exhaustion or brain fog.

I’ve also increased my strength training. My back loves Pilates but my bones love weights, and we should all be thinking about bone health as we get older.

And finally, after some itching and discomfort, I started vaginal oestrogen. I was prone to UTIs when I was younger, so I wasted no time getting this sorted before it escalated.

So that’s where I’m at. Simple steps that are already making a difference.

I turn 40 next June. Who knows what my perimenopause journey will look like in the years ahead. For now, I’m enjoying my biceps.

On the topic of things that may help in midlife, a new paper suggests adding ‘self-love’ to your perimenopause toolkit.

An online survey conducted at the Kinsey Institute at Indiana University, sponsored by the sexual wellness company Womanizer, found that nearly one in five perimenopausal and postmenopausal women noticed symptom relief through self-pleasure, particularly for mood changes and sleep.

Sponsorship and/or funding always matters when reading data (as I’ve written about before), but the findings are interesting.

So yes, don’t forget masturbation and orgasms as you move through midlife.

I enjoyed this comment under a post about the research on Instagram

One final thing on peri-symptom management, Institute FLE is running a free Rewire and Restore Calm Menopause workshop on 22 November. I’ve worked with the founders, Emily and Nathalie, and can vouch that they are doing excellent work around leadership through perimenopause.

Thanks for reading.

Hannah