5 Benefits of Menopause, Yes Really!

Posted December 29, 2022

I know, if you are like me as I approached menopause, I could see exactly zero benefits of menopause. Certainly nothing that could come close to balancing out the not-so-beneficial parts of perimenopause. In my particular situation, following a bumpy ride through perimenopause, surgical menopause was added for good measure. Now, there are many women that sail into and out of menopause just fine, and for those women I am thrilled. I am just not one of those women, and I suspect neither are you having read this far. If so, read on, there may be light at the end of the tunnel.

Menopause

Let’s first agree on what we are talking about. Menopause is a natural process that marks the end of a woman’s reproductive years. It typically occurs around the age of 51 and is official 12 months after your last period¹. As was highlighted in our blog post, Not Your Mother’s Menopause, there is a high degree of fear associated with this transition, primarily due to lack of education. This study² conducted by the Menopause Foundation of Canada agrees, where it found that 46% of women felt unprepared for menopause. I wonder if more of us who have successfully transitioned into menopause, can help by spreading the message to friends and family that menopause can be great. Yes, being honest about the challenges one may experience is important as well. However, I feel the internet has that side well covered and I thought I’d focus on the positives here.

So, without further ado, let’s highlight five benefits of menopause that both myself and the good women of the Canadian Perimenopause and Menopause Facebook Support group, have experienced.

Benefits of Menopause #1: Goodbye Periods!

This was particularly welcome for me given the bumpy road I had through perimenopause. Yes, with the heavy periods that always seem to come at a time when you were the least prepared, and least expecting, then sticking around waaay longer than they should. Unfortunately, this is all too familiar for many as heavy periods can be a hallmark of perimenopause. In my particular case, with hindsight, I regret not throwing a party where I burned all my period panties and tampons as no longer having to deal with that was certainly worthy of celebration!

Benefits of Menopause #2 : Au Revoir PMS

In our last blog, Is This Perimenopause and Can HRT Help?, we discussed how difficult perimenopause is with the rollercoaster of symptoms that can occur in the weeks leading up to your period. These symptoms can include such things as headaches, fatigue, bloating, and mood changes. The vast majority, over 90% of women report premenstrual syndrome, some severe enough to miss work or school. It turns out, that once the fluctuations of hormones settle down in menopause, the symptoms of PMS also usually subside.

Benefits of Menopause #3: Adiós Pelvic Pain

Perimenopause can be a time of pelvic pain for many women. Whether the pain is caused by cysts, fibroids, ovulation or menstrual cramps, our monthly cycle can be very challenging. Mercifully, as our estrogen declines in menopause, and our periods stop, regular pelvic pain is usually a thing of the past. Bye Bye Aleve!

Benefits of Menopause #4: Hello Predictability

I think we have all have been there, counting out the days until your next period, overlaying your vacation plans, then breathing a sigh of relief when you realize that the two don’t overlap. Or how about that half marathon you have been training for and then doing the same calendar gymnastics as the race approached (I wasn’t so lucky in that instance). Some of us currently in, or having recently experienced, perimenopause can only dream of such opportunities for good planning; because when the duration of the cycle is *checks notes* RANDOM, the potential scramble in Disneyland for tampons and Advil is simply a reality. If any of that rings true for you, menopause can actually bring a consistency to your life that you may have been missing for many years. Now that is something to look forward to!

Benefits of Menopause #5 : Newfound Confidence

Many menopausal women speak about a mindset shift in their thinking where they experience higher confidence, and caring less about what others may think. In a survey³ conducted by the University of Copenhagen, the authors found half of the women interviewed described positive aspects of the menopausal experience which included an overall sense of well being and the freedom to concentrate on their own lives. Menopause is usually a time in a woman’s life where stability of hormones, relationships and career can lead to greater self exploration and the confidence to try new things. For me personally, as I was able to reduce the worst aspect of perimenopause, I discovered I had more time and energy to devote to myself. In fact, I have embraced this midlife freedom by starting a new business⁵ and writing this blog⁶ to help women thrive in perimenopause and menopause.

Closing Thoughts …

Overall, menopause can bring about some uncomfortable symptoms, but it can also bring a number of positive changes and benefits. About 10% of women sail through menopause with no symptoms at all⁴, others have a much tougher time. It is important for women to understand that there are things that can be done to alleviate symptoms. This can be HRT, non-hormonal medications, and/or lifestyle modifications. Each woman has their own unique menopause experience that should be shared. The best years are ahead of us. We need more menopause warriors to spread the word and more women to prosper! Thanks for reading.

References

Barbieri MD, Robert L, (2021). Patient education: Menopausal hormone therapy (Beyond the Basics), UpToDate. Retrieved December 29, 2022, from https://www.uptodate.com/contents/menopausal-hormone-therapy-beyond-the-basics
Menopause Foundation of Canada. (2022, October). The Silence and Stigma: Menopause in Canada. https://menopausefoundationcanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/MFC-Report_The-Silence-and-the-Stigma_Menopause-in-Canada_October-2022.pdf
DeAngelis, T. (2010, March 1). Menopause, the makeover. Monitor on Psychology, 41(3). https://www.apa.org/monitor/2010/03/menopause
Constantine GD, Graham S, Clerinx C, Bernick BA, Krassan M, Mirkin S, Currie H. Behaviours and attitudes influencing treatment decisions for menopausal symptoms in five European countries. Post Reprod Health. 2016 Sep;22(3):112-22. doi: 10.1177/2053369116632439. Epub 2016 Feb 18. PMID: 26895640; PMCID: PMC5019289.
With zero experience in entrepreneurship, this is something I would never have dreamt of just a few years ago. You should check it out at http://prospermenopause.ca
A few-years-ago-me writing a blog post is possibly even more unlikely than starting a business by a wide margin.
Featured photo Giuseppe Milo on Flickr (included here, unedited, under the creative common license v2.0).

Tania Croft BN RN

Tania has spent her 23 year nursing career in adult critical care medicine, and recently taken a special interest in women's health following surgical menopause. Tania is now thriving and living life with the same passion and energy she always has. In fact, the realization that women are often under supported through menopause is the reason Prosper Menopause was founded.