Let's talk menopause

In today’s fast-paced world, recent trends have seen women juggle multiple roles and challenge various gender rules. However, women’s health remains a ‘hush-hush’ topic.

- Naomi Boby Jacob Undergraduate Sai Kanchika Undergraduate Dr. Soumya RR Asst. Professor Department of Psychology, Christ (Deemed to be University), Bengaluru

Womanhood is a range of hormonal chaos, societal labels, and the bittersweet happiness of motherhood. From navigating the transformative journey of pregnancy to the varying changes of menstruation, a woman's body deals with it all. Yet, the silent struggles that women endure day after day are often overlooked, especially when it has to do with their health following the reproductive years.

Women's health shouldn’t just be about fertility or given priority when carrying a child. It’s a lifelong interaction between the body, the mind, the environment, and various other factors that shape and mould them in unique ways across each life stage - from puberty to post-menopause.

Menopause marks the end of these phases of transformation and is most often not discussed. For many women, going from their blissful 20s to their tiring 40s can bring tremendous changes, especially with hormones, a transition that’s often misunderstood, rarely discussed, and under-supported.

So, what really happens during menopause?

As the estrogen and progesterone levels in women’s bodies decrease and increase, they may tend to experience hot flashes, described as a feeling of “intense heat with sweating and rapid heartbeat”, fatigue (exhaustion), disturbed sleep, and even a forgetful memory. These symptoms affect not just our physical health, but our work productivity, self-esteem, and overall life satisfaction.

Now, why does this matter?

These aren’t just “signs of aging”. In fact, research shows that cardiovascular risk (related to the heart and blood vessels), loss of bone density, and depression tend to rise during this period of a woman's life.

There is a massive need for gender-specific care to improve the quality of life for women who are aged 40+.