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How do menopause and hormonal shifts affect health? · Wellbeing Solutions - Ask A Counsellor

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  SPEAKER_00: How do menopause and hormonal shifts affect health?
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  SPEAKER_00: Our emotional and physical health are affected by hormonal shifts, especially during major body changes such as menopause.
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  SPEAKER_00: Our bodies produce certain hormones and this production can reduce or stop altogether.
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  SPEAKER_00: So estrogen, progesterone and testosterone are the main hormones that we're talking about here.
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  SPEAKER_00: So estrogen levels decline significantly and we can experience hot flashes, mood swings and vaginal dryness.
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  SPEAKER_00: Progesterone that regulates our menstrual cycle.
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  SPEAKER_00: So one of the early symptoms can indicate we're entering perimenopause will be the irregular cycles as the progesterone drops.
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  SPEAKER_00: Progesterone also has a sedative effect, so decreased levels can disrupt our sleep, and that's just apart from the night sweats.
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  SPEAKER_00: So that can look like trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or managing to enter that restorative sleep state.
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  SPEAKER_00: Testosterone is present in women, although mainly associated with the male, the male hormone, but we just have it at lower levels than men.
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  SPEAKER_00: So testosterone influences libido, bone density, muscle mass and mood.
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  SPEAKER_00: Lower levels can look like decreased energy and vitality, loss of muscle mass, and a low sex drive or libido.
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  SPEAKER_00: So just to highlight, there are three stages of menopause.
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  SPEAKER_00: The perimenopause describes a period of four to eight years where we begin to experience fluctuations, and this usually starts with the lowered progesterone causing irregular periods.
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  SPEAKER_00: So menopause.
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  SPEAKER_00: This is defined as that point in time where there has not been menstruation for 12 months.
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  SPEAKER_00: Perimenopause symptoms continue and stabilize, and some symptoms can intensify.
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  SPEAKER_00: Supposed menopause defines the rest of the female lifespan from the point of menopause.
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  SPEAKER_00: If you have any concerns about how your body is changing or unusual symptoms, then I encourage you to speak to a GP who can refer you for further investigation.
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  SPEAKER_00: There is much more awareness now around the menopause, and you only have to look online to see the number of products available claiming to help with the symptoms.
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  SPEAKER_00: So I would encourage you to do your research carefully and but speak to your GP as a first step.
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  SPEAKER_00: You can navigate changes much better once you understand them and make the transition much easier for yourself.
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  SPEAKER_00: It's really important to maintain quality of life, and the symptoms do not stop you from doing these things, and you continue to persist in doing things that bring you joy where possible.
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  SPEAKER_00: So I hope this has been useful and thank you for listening.