From Anxiety to Zoning out – welcome to menopause
In the Netherlands, about 1.5 million women are going through menopause, and up to 80% experience symptoms caused by hormonal fluctuations. Menopause doesn’t just affect fertility – it also impacts your mood, memory, sleep, heart, and bones. Well-known symptoms include hot flashes, but depression, panic attacks, concentration problems, and mood swings are also very common. Self-care and lifestyle changes – such as exercise, healthy eating, and relaxation – can make symptoms easier to manage.
What is (peri)menopause
In the Netherlands, about 1.5 million women are going through menopause right now. In other words: you are not alone. This phase around your last period – the actual menopause – is often referred to as perimenopause. Estrogen and progesterone levels, which previously followed a steady rhythm, start to fluctuate and drop. These hormones play a part in keeping your heart and blood vessels healthy, maintain bone density and muscle strength, but also affect your brain. Falling estrogen can – as almost every woman going through menopause knows – impact your mood, body temperature, sleep, concentration and memory. Menopause itself usually occurs around age fifty, but perimenopause can start in your early forties and continues up to a year after your last period. After that, you enter post-menopause, with hormones stabilizing at a lower level.
“Women can realize that they can be strong, attractive, energetic, and happy during and after menopause.”
80% of women experience menopause symptoms
Gynecologist Dorenda van Dijken has over thirty years of experience, recently focusing on menopause and everything surrounding it. Because menopause affects so many aspects of health, she works together with cardiologists, occupational physicians, neurologists, sexologists and internists. ‘It’s important to keep learning and developing, because many healthcare professionals still don’t pay enough attention to women’s hormones,’ she explains. And it’s not a small issue either: up to 80% of women experience symptoms during menopause.
Hot flashes: just one of many symptoms
And these symptoms aren’t just minor annoyances. International research from University College London shows that perimenopausal women have a 40% higher risk of depression. Mood swings, panic attacks, insecurity and memory or concentration problems are also common. Dorenda van Dijken notes: ‘There’s very little recognition for mood and concentration changes during menopause. The impact on women’s daily functioning – especially at work – is almost like a new problem.’ Most people think of hot flashes when they hear the word menopause, but that’s only one of many symptoms. ‘Awareness is still lacking and that needs to change. Even a little understanding can make a huge difference.’
Famous women and menopause
Talking about menopause has become much more common in recent years, as several celebrities have shared their experiences. Tv-hosts Caroline Tensen, Wendy van Dijk and Tanja Jess opened up in interviews or on social media. Actresses Isa Hoes and Medina Schuurman wrote books and even created a podcast on the subject. Belgian tv-presenter Evi Hanssen spoke candidly about her perimenopause struggles in her book Bloedheet & Tranen and later in a podcast series with the same name. American-German gynecologist Sheila de Liz offers a positive perspective in the book Woman on Fire. She emphasizes that women today stay fitter, healthy and vibrant longer than ever. Like de Liz, we want to challenge the idea of menopause as a gloomy life stage, so women realize they can be just as strong, attractive, energetic and happy during and after menopause. Our specialized menopause products won’t eliminate symptoms completely, but they can help you feel better.
Self-care and the (peri)menopause
Managing menopause symptoms requires a personal approach. Hormone therapy can help, but it is a medical treatment with associated risks. The first step toward feeling good is self-care and an adapted lifestyle, as research supports. Dorenda van Dijken advises: ‘If you’re fit, your body handles hormonal fluctuations a lot better. Quitting smoking, reducing alcohol and losing weight can help.’ She suggests to start learning about menopause around age forty so you can spot symptoms early and discover what works for you.
Essential, not optional
Hormonal changes can demand a lot from your body, making self-care essential rather than optional. Regular exercise keeps stress levels low whilst strengthening muscles and bones at the same time. Breathing exercises or meditation can help you relax and sleep better. Our menopause line offers products (coming soon) to support you in this phase.
You are not the only one
Be kind to yourself and give yourself a little extra support when you need it. Our products are natural and free from chemicals or hormone-disrupting ingredients. They were especially designed for use during (peri)menopause – bringing some welcome relief. And remember, you are definitely not alone in how you feel.
