It’s January. It’s cold, damp and dark. I feel tired all the time. All I want to do is hibernate – sleep, read, potter around the kitchen drinking endless cups of tea, listen to the radio and watch films. Is this normal? Are other people feeling the same way? Most people I talk to say they do. Those who routinely exercise, like Si, are the ones that look happy and buoyant. They strongly recommend exercise. I promise I am thinking about it.

Could it be an under-active thyroid? Am I anaemic or is this natural for this time of year? 51 is the average age for levels of oestrogen in women to drop. Could this be incipient hormonal chaos? No personal weather system yet. That must be good news.

However, the symptoms of menopause can start up to 4 years before and carry on for many years after. Just as puberty is a difficult time of change, so is menopause. Feelings of irritability, fatigue, anxiety and depression are common. Juggling a demanding job, ageing parents, teenage kids and a full- fledged household can be stressful. Collectively or individually, they can all bring on tiredness, worry, insomnia and low mood. It’s easy to overlook menopause as a cause.

Many women struggle around this time as they may be confused by their symptoms. The problem is often compounded by the fact that they are poorly understood by their partners, kids, employers and colleagues. Many are wrongly started on antidepressants without addressing the cause of the problem or the side effects of the medication.

Hormone Replacement therapy (HRT) helps with most symptoms but is associated with a higher incidence of Breast Cancer. It is the recommended remedy but is controversial. It’s best to read about it and consult a gynaecologist. The joys of womanhood!

Books:
“Is it me or is it hot in here?” by Jenni Murray
“How hard can it be?” by Allison Pearson