The Olympic athlete, 53, said that she’s been feeling lethargic and experiencing brain fog, night sweats, and body aches.
She said: “Perimenopause is killing me at the moment. As much as I’m in denial, it definitely has had an effect on my body.
“It’s not a nice feeling, especially as someone who has been in tune with their body.”
Find out below what menopause and perimenopause are, and how they impacts women’s health.
What is menopause?
Menopause is a stage in a woman’s life when her hormone levels fall and her periods stop, which can also bring on symptoms for many.
It is often misunderstood and many women who go through it will often get dismissed or misdiagnosed, leaving them to cope on their own.
Among men, 15 per cent who have a female partner recently revealed in a survey they are not interested in menopause – which raises the need for the topic to be shared.
According to the NHS, menopause indicates the end of the menstrual cycle in women. The female body reaches menopause when it hasn’t had a period for 12 months, and this usually happens between the ages of 45 and 55.
It can sometimes happen earlier naturally – for reasons such as surgery to remove the ovaries or the uterus, cancer treatments like chemotherapy, or a genetic reason.
What are the common signs of menopause?
Symptoms can start years before your periods stop and continue afterward.
A few common symptoms include anxiety, mood swings, brain fog, hot flashes, weight gain, and irregular periods.
Vaginal dryness and trouble sleeping are also common problems menopausal women face.
Dr Nicole Jaff, a co-author of the IMS White Paper, said: “Research studies find that a woman’s memory does change at menopause and ‘brain fog’ is common. While this can temporarily affect a woman’s quality of life, the good news is that symptoms are generally mild and resolve post-menopause.
“Women are often concerned that these memory issues are an early symptom of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, but these conditions are very rare in midlife. Women should be reassured that most memory problems before and during menopause will typically get better over time.”
What is perimenopause?
As stated above, symptoms can start years before periods stop and this time is known as perimenopause.
This is a transition time when hormone levels start to change and can produce symptoms of its own as well as those associated with menopause.
According to Bupa, symptoms can include: Changes in your menstrual cycle, hot flushes and night sweats, headaches, dizziness, vaginal dryness, incontinence and bladder problems, weight gain, joint and muscle pain, and difficulty sleeping. This can bring with it an assortment of mental-health problems, including depression and a lack of interest in sex.”
One of the main differences between perimenopause and menopause is that, with the former, it is still possible to become pregnant. However, it’s much less likely, Bupa says, because you’re not ovulating as frequently. If you do not want to get pregnant, it is safer to continue using contraception.
How to ease symptoms
These symptoms can affect your daily life, including relationships and work.
There are things you can do to help with symptoms. There are also medicines that can replace the missing hormones and help relieve your symptoms.
The main treatment for menopause is Hormone-Replacement Therapy (HRT), which replaces the hormones that are at low levels.
Eating well, exercising, and looking after your mental wellbeing can also help with symptoms during menopause.
It’s important that your body is getting enough nutrients and vitamins, and has calcium-rich food like milk, yogurt, and kale to keep bones healthy.
In order to battle hot flashes and night sweats, the NHS website suggests reducing your stress levels, wearing light clothing, exercising regularly, and keeping your bedroom cool at night.
Professor Pauline Maki, a co-author of the IMS White Paper, added: “We encourage any women experiencing memory problems, or any other bothersome symptoms during menopause, to contact their healthcare practitioner for support so they can discuss treatments available to help them. Treating the symptoms of menopause can often benefit cognition as well as overall wellbeing.”
The IMS also advises women to protect their brain health by taking regular physical exercise and following a healthy diet by cutting down on starchy, fatty, sugary foods, and eating plenty of fruits and vegetables. Stopping smoking, only drinking alcohol in moderation, getting enough sleep, and minimising stress will also reduce the effects of ‘brain fog’.
