Wellbeing

Reframe midlife, fall asleep faster, and shop for green cleaning products.

- Tasneem Larney

What comes to mind when you hear the term 'midlife crisis'? Menopause, depression, divorce, loneliness? For many, it carries a cloud of negativity – but Kate Muir wants to flip that script.

Infused with honesty, humour and hope, her book How to Have a Magnificent Midlife Crisis offers an unfiltered look at the physical, emotional and psychological roller-coaster that is midlife for women. Her message? This isn't the end; it's the beginning of something extraordinary.

RELATIONSHIP RENOVATION Midlife can be a make-or-break time for relationships. As one woman said, 'I love my husband very much, but sometimes I look at him through the prongs of my dinner fork and imagine him in jail.' Muir explores how this life stage demands honesty, reinvention and, sometimes, therapy. The goal is to revive – not just survive – the relationship.

RETHINKING CAREERS With ageism and AI disrupting the workforce, career changes in your 40s and 50s can feel daunting. Menopause symptoms push 10% of women to leave their jobs, while many others cut back their hours or retire early. Muir challenges women to rewrite the script: Go back to university, reskill, start something new – or even take that long-dreamt-of road trip.

BRAIN REWIRING Forgetfulness and brain fog? It's not just in your head – it's in your hormones. As oestrogen drops, the brain shifts how it fuels itself, leading to real cognitive changes. Muir urges women to support their brains with nutrition, strength training and (if desired) hormone replacement therapy. Midlife is a metabolic and mental health event that demands better care, not just coping.