All posts tagged: Menopause

Regular sex is linked to fewer daily menopause symptoms, survey finds

Regular sex is linked to fewer daily menopause symptoms, survey finds

Published by José Betancourt

Women who engage in routine sexual activity may experience fewer daily physical discomforts associated with hormonal changes and aging. A recent survey of Japanese women found that engaging in sex within the past three months was linked to lower odds of experiencing dryness, irritation, and pain in the genital area during everyday life. The findings were published in the journal Menopause. As individuals transition into their final menstrual periods, their bodies begin to produce less estrogen. Estrogen is a primary hormone that helps regulate the female reproductive system and maintains the elasticity and moisture of vaginal tissues. When these hormone levels drop, the tissues in the pelvic region can become thinner, drier, and more easily irritated. Medical professionals refer to this collection of bodily changes as the genitourinary syndrome of menopause. The condition encompasses a wide range of signs and symptoms that affect the genitals, sexual function, and the urinary tract. People experiencing this syndrome often report itching, burning, and pain during everyday activities, as well as distinct discomfort during physical intimacy. These physical changes …

Estrogen Patch Shortages Likely Driven By Empowered Women Seeking Relief, Expert Says

Estrogen Patch Shortages Likely Driven By Empowered Women Seeking Relief, Expert Says

Published by Sam Flores

By Dennis Thompson HealthDay ReporterMONDAY, April 27, 2026 (HealthDay News) — A new generation of empowered women could be driving the estrogen patch shortages now bedeviling the United States, the medical director of The Menopause Society told HealthDay TV. “I think it’s that women and clinicians and people in general are talking about menopause much more so now than in the past, which is a good thing,” said Dr. Stephanie Faubion, who is also director of the Mayo Clinic Center for Women’s Health. “This is a different generation than the baby boomers who really didn’t talk about things like menopause in public,” she said. “The Gen Xers and the first of the millennials are now in the age range where they would start to experience symptoms, and hearing that there’s nothing that can be done for their symptoms is not acceptable to this generation and you got to love it. “So, they’re not only asking for answers, they’re crowdsourcing answers and using social media to do so,” Faubion said. “They’re educated. A lot of them …

A nurse reveals why women are ‘burnt out’ – and why it’s not just in your head

A nurse reveals why women are ‘burnt out’ – and why it’s not just in your head

Published by Daniella Wilson

Are you a woman who feels shattered almost every day? Perhaps you’ve run out of steam, your mood is all over the place, and you’re finding it harder and harder to get a decent night’s sleep. If any of this rings a bell, you’ve likely been told: “It’s probably just your hormones.” And, more often than not, it is. There’s no denying that hormones are the driving force behind our overall wellbeing, and it’s certainly nothing to be embarrassed about. In fact, it’s quite the opposite – we need to embrace and understand our hormone health.  That is the firm belief of nurse, nutritionist and author Lara Marín López, who has made it her mission to help us navigate and conquer the daily hormonal hurdles we all face. “Knowledge is power, and understanding how your hormones influence every part of your life is the first step towards a more balanced, healthier you,” Lara tells us as she answers all of our questions about hormonal harmony. What is the one thing every woman should know about …

Why perimenopause makes you wake up between 2am and 4am – and practical ways to stop it

Why perimenopause makes you wake up between 2am and 4am – and practical ways to stop it

Published by Daniella Wilson

When did ‘stress’ become such a permanent fixture in our vocabulary? And what if I told you a single hormone could be sabotaging your well-being… or acting as your greatest ally? Only a few decades ago, many women navigated the menopause on their own with ‘less of a fuss’. Today, while we’re certainly more open about this stage of life, we also seem to be suffering more because of the fast pace of our modern times. Our generation has arrived at the threshold of the menopause – that is, perimenopause – ostensibly better equipped. We have more information, more resources, and more of a voice. But we’re also under a lot more pressure.  The mental load is relentless. Working days that feel like they’re 48 hours long, never-ending to-do lists, the kids, career goals, family commitments… It’s a constant race against the clock. During perimenopause, a drop in oestrogen makes your nervous system more sensitive. This can trigger a cortisol spike in the middle of the night, jolting you awake in a ‘fight or flight’ …

Do supplements like collagen, magnesium and lion’s mane actually help with menopause symptoms? Here’s what the science says

Do supplements like collagen, magnesium and lion’s mane actually help with menopause symptoms? Here’s what the science says

Published by Daniella Wilson

Get the Well Enough newsletter with Harry Bullmore for tips on living a healthier, happier and longer life Get the Well Enough email with Harry Bullmore Get the Well Enough email with Harry Bullmore Social media is saturated with menopause solutions: powders for brain fog, gummies for sleep or capsules promising hormonal balance. Supplements such as magnesium, lion’s mane, creatine and collagen are being marketed as must-haves for perimenopause and menopause. But how much of this is actually grounded in science? During perimenopause and menopause, fluctuating and declining oestrogen levels can trigger symptoms such as hot flushes, night sweats, sleep disruption, anxiety, brain fog, joint pain and changes in muscle mass and body composition. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) remains the most effective treatment for many symptoms, but not everyone can or wants to use it. This is why alternative remedies attract so much attention. Magnesium Magnesium plays a role in more than 300 metabolic processes, including muscle relaxation, nerve signalling and blood pressure regulation. Several menopause-related symptoms overlap with areas where magnesium has effects. For …

Getting Night Sweats At 3am? This May Be Why

Getting Night Sweats At 3am? This May Be Why

Published by Sam Flores

Try as I might (and believe me, I’ve tried), I constantly manage to wake up hot and sweaty at 3am. I’ve always attributed that to my insomnia. But hormone and sleep specialists have shared my issues might be partly down to my biology. We know it’s crucial to keep bedrooms cool (experts recommend 16-18°C) to be able to sleep well – and this is perhaps even more important for women. When a study found rising temperatures are impacting sleep globally, it also revealed women were impacted more than men. The Guardian noted “women’s bodies cool earlier in the evening than men’s when going to sleep, meaning higher night time temperatures may have a bigger impact on women”. Women’s slightly higher core body temperatures can also make us “feel” external cold and warmth more intensely, Dr Karan Rajan previously shared. Women appear to wake up overheated more often than men – but why? Dr Renee Young, an endocrinologist and founder of the Young Naturopathic Centre For Wellness, told Pretty You London that “hormones like oestrogen and …

It’s not a dental issue: An oral medicine specialist says what a painful mouth might actually mean if you’re a woman over 50

It’s not a dental issue: An oral medicine specialist says what a painful mouth might actually mean if you’re a woman over 50

Published by Daniella Wilson

You might notice a scalding, intense stinging sensation in your mouth – a deeply unpleasant feeling that, understandably, can start to take a toll on your daily life. If this discomfort persists, you may be experiencing what is medically known as Burning Mouth Syndrome (BMS). To help us understand the condition better, we spoke with Dr Dídac Sotorra Figuerola, a leading specialist in Oral Medicine and Pathology, shared his expertise on how to identify and manage this persistent condition.  He also specifies who might be more at risk of BMS. “As a general rule, the condition most commonly affects women around the time of the menopause, typically between the ages of 50 and 60,” he reveals.  “That being said, it can occur at almost any age, usually from 30 onwards, and can affect men as well. We’re also seeing a growing trend of younger patients being diagnosed.” What exactly is Burning Mouth Syndrome? BMS is a chronic condition characterised by a painful stinging or scalding sensation throughout the mouth. While the disorder isn’t physically dangerous, …

Sex After Menopause: Women Over 50 Share How It Feels And How To Feel Better

Sex After Menopause: Women Over 50 Share How It Feels And How To Feel Better

Published by Sam Flores

Menopause can bring about a number of mental, physical and emotional changes — including some shifts in your sex life. Clinically speaking, menopause is reached when you’ve gone 12 straight months without a period, marking the end of one’s reproductive years. The average age of the last menstrual period is 51, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. But the transitional phase leading up to menopause, known as perimenopause, typically lasts about four years — though it can be as short as a few months or as long as 10 years. Colloquially, however, many use the word “menopause” as an umbrella term to encompass the whole process. During perimenopause, which often begins in your mid 40s, levels of hormones like estrogen and progesterone fluctuate. This can lead to irregular periods, hot flashes, insomnia, brain fog, mood swings, vaginal dryness and low libido — all of which can impact one’s sex life directly or indirectly. It’s worth noting that, for some individuals, symptoms may be intense and last a while, and for others they …

Prunes: The Dried Fruit That Can Boost Your Health In Older Life

Prunes: The Dried Fruit That Can Boost Your Health In Older Life

Published by Sam Flores

You probably already know that strength training and calcium can help to keep your bones healthy and strong as you age. But some factors – like getting enough vitamin D, which helps to absorb calcium, and avoiding smoking, which raises your risk of osteoporosis and is linked to a 30-40% higher risk of broken hips – are less obvious. And in one study, prunes, which are high in anti-inflammatory polyphenols and calcium-balancing vitamin K, appeared to preserve bone density and strength at weight-bearing parts of the hip for post-menopausal women. What did the research show? The researchers followed a group of 235 postmenopausal women, who are at greater risk of bone loss, over a year. They told one group to eat 50g (about five to six prunes) a day during the trial, and another group to eat 100g a day. A third group didn’t eat any prunes at all. Though both prune levels were beneficial, the first group (50g) were more likely to stick to the habit, which meant they tended to get better results. …

What Menopausal Women Bring Up Most In Sex Therapy

What Menopausal Women Bring Up Most In Sex Therapy

Published by Sam Flores

Therapist comment provided by licensed sexologist, relationship therapist, and author at Passionerad, Sofie Roos. Here at HuffPost UK, we’ve written about the topics straight men and women, as well as virgins over the age of 30, bring up in sex therapy. And this week, sexologist and therapist Sofie Roos has shared the concerns menopausal women most often bring to her. 1) Reduced sexual desire “Almost all menopausal women I meet during sex therapy bring up their changed lust and/or decreased interest in sex,” Roos told us. That’s partly because of the hormonal changes that happen during the life stage, including decreases in oestrogen and testosterone. Then, there are factors like “stress, tiredness, worse sleep quality, and a changed life situation, such as children moving out,” which Roos says are common in menopause. For some women, that makes “lust less intense, and it can feel difficult to get as turned on as before”. And for others, it can create a general loss of desire. 2) Vaginal dryness and discomfort Vaginal dryness is a common symptom of …