IS IT MENOPAUSE OR IS IT AGING? NAVIGATING LIFE AFTER 60
A few of you have asked me to talk more about MENOPAUSE, and I’m happy to do so, because it makes me crazy at times!! At 66, I’m still trying to figure out what is menopause, what’s normal aging, and what can I actually DO about it!!! So often I ask myself….. Is it menopause or is it just aging?
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WHEN DOES MENOPAUSE REALLY END?
Here’s what I’ve learned. Menopause technically happens when you’ve gone 12 months without a period. However, some symptoms can continue for YEARS afterward. And because no two women experience it the same way, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. What I found especially interesting is that while perimenopause eventually ends, POSTMENOPAUSE lasts for the rest of our lives! That doesn’t mean we’ll have symptoms forever, but the effects of lower estrogen levels can continue to influence our bodies long after menopause. So maybe the question isn’t always whether it’s menopause OR aging. Maybe sometimes it’s BOTH!
Honestly….. how are we supposed to know the difference? Weight gain, changes in our skin, brain fog, mood swings, and feeling like our bodies just aren’t responding the way they used to. Some of these changes can be connected to declining estrogen, while others are simply part of getting older. And sometimes they overlap! I think that’s what makes this stage of life so confusing. We don’t always know WHAT is causing WHAT!
THE EMOTIONAL SIDE OF GETTING OLDER
This morning I was talking with a dear friend who lost her husband recently. She’s struggling with loneliness and finding motivation to socialize. Her circumstances are very different from mine, but our conversation reminded me how much our emotional well-being matters as we age. Whether it’s hormones, grief, changing relationships, or simply adjusting to a new season, we NEED to take care of our minds as much as our bodies.
For me, the hardest part hasn’t necessarily been the physical changes. It’s been my HEADSPACE….. those occasional feelings of dread that seem to come out of nowhere. One minute I can feel perfectly happy, content, and grateful for my life. The next, there’s this heaviness I can’t quite explain. It’s not ever anything specific. It’s just an uneasy feeling that sometimes catches me off guard. It’s an awful place to be.
A year or so ago, I started wondering if these feelings were connected to menopause, or if they were just another part of getting older. What I’ve learned is that staying busy, moving my body, and staying connected to others really helps. And perhaps most importantly, I’m learning not to be so hard on myself when I don’t feel like ME!
WHAT CAN WE DO TO FEEL BETTER?
I’m learning that navigating this chapter means staying curious rather than simply accepting every change as inevitable. But what does that look like?
KEEP LEARNING. KEEP ASKING QUESTIONS. KEEP ADVOCATING FOR YOURSELF.
Talk to your doctor, especially if something feels off. Just because we’re getting older doesn’t mean we should ignore changes in how we feel! Stay connected with friends…. personally, they have helped me the most. Eat well, prioritize your sleep, and most definitely MOVE YOUR BODY! Give yourself permission to rest, too. And most importantly, make room for whatever brings you JOY!
I’m realizing more and more that this phase of life isn’t just about managing change. It’s about discovering more of who we are RIGHT NOW. We are meant to evolve, and if you’re anything like me…. there’s always part of me that wants to be and feel like I did twenty years ago. We don’t have to have everything figured out. But we absolutely deserve to FEEL GOOD along the way!
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I’d LOVE to hear from YOU! What’s been your biggest challenge with menopause or aging….. and what’s helping you through it?
