MENOPAUSE & YOUR MIND
When you’re menopausal, you might find that your physical and mental health is challenged like never before. We investigate what’s going on, and how running can help us through this life stage
Words Tina Chantrey
Staying active and getting fresh air during menopause can mitigate your symptoms
Knowledge is power; spotting symptoms early on is key in lessening their impact on your life
Ihad just hit 40 and I suddenly felt like I was living inside someone else’s body. I was sleeping badly, I had zero energy, and was suffering from both brain fog and paranoia. And this all came at a time when my youngest child was still in infant school. I knew the signs of menopause, but surely I was too young?
The truth was, when I hit 40, my body had already been changing for years, but for a long time I was completely oblivious about what was happening. At some points, the raging heart palpitations had had me thinking I was developing a heart condition.
The menopause is a fundamental life stage for women, but a subject that, until recently, barely anyone spoke about. And even now, few girls and young women receive any education about it. This all means that many of us – especially if we go into perimenopause early, like I did – can find ourselves ill-equipped to deal with the changes.
No matter what age, when perimenopause starts it can have an impact on your physical and mental health – much more so than just a few hot sweats. I discovered that some of the issues I was facing while going through the menopause affected my sense of self, my everyday life and even my running. So what can we do about it? I spoke to doctor and menopause guru Louise Newson to find out more.