Thank you for your post and for sharing your experience.
I’m nearly 57 and, I have to say, I have been somewhat spared (so far, knock on wood!) from major issues related to (peri) menopause. I do experience occasional hot flashes and night sweats, but overall, I have muddled through.
I can absolutely agree with your advice about staying active. I have been practicing adult ballet for the past five years, only barre training , it is gentle and great for my balance. I obviously don’t perform, but the practice is refreshing and energising. Our class is for people over 40, and we even have a few gentlemen attending! I also learned to swim at 50 and have been swimming once a week ever since. I have adjusted my diet too, eat less and keep dinner light, see my GP at least once a year...
But another important aspect, I think, is socialising, having a close group of friends to vent with, go out with, talks books and gossips...and try new things together. That connection makes a big difference to me.
Thank you so much for sharing this. I could feel the groundedness and wisdom in your words.
There’s something really beautiful in the way you’ve tended to yourself through this season, not with force, but with gentle consistency. Adult ballet sounds absolutely gorgeous. I can almost picture the class: slow lines, soft strength, women (and a few men!) moving in a room where no one is trying to prove anything, just reconnecting with their bodies in a way that feels alive. That kind of movement feels like poetry.
And swimming at 50, that touched me. The courage to try something new later in life is its own quiet form of becoming.
You’re so right about connection, too. We talk so much about hormones, vitamins, sleep routines, and those matter, but friendship, laughter, shared stories, and being witnessed through the shifts… that’s medicine in its own right. Midlife can be isolating if we try to navigate it alone.
Thank you for reminding me of that. I’m deeply grateful you’re here, and yes, I’ll keep writing.
Thank you for your post and for sharing your experience.
I’m nearly 57 and, I have to say, I have been somewhat spared (so far, knock on wood!) from major issues related to (peri) menopause. I do experience occasional hot flashes and night sweats, but overall, I have muddled through.
I can absolutely agree with your advice about staying active. I have been practicing adult ballet for the past five years, only barre training , it is gentle and great for my balance. I obviously don’t perform, but the practice is refreshing and energising. Our class is for people over 40, and we even have a few gentlemen attending! I also learned to swim at 50 and have been swimming once a week ever since. I have adjusted my diet too, eat less and keep dinner light, see my GP at least once a year...
But another important aspect, I think, is socialising, having a close group of friends to vent with, go out with, talks books and gossips...and try new things together. That connection makes a big difference to me.
Good luck with you writing :-)
Thank you so much for sharing this. I could feel the groundedness and wisdom in your words.
There’s something really beautiful in the way you’ve tended to yourself through this season, not with force, but with gentle consistency. Adult ballet sounds absolutely gorgeous. I can almost picture the class: slow lines, soft strength, women (and a few men!) moving in a room where no one is trying to prove anything, just reconnecting with their bodies in a way that feels alive. That kind of movement feels like poetry.
And swimming at 50, that touched me. The courage to try something new later in life is its own quiet form of becoming.
You’re so right about connection, too. We talk so much about hormones, vitamins, sleep routines, and those matter, but friendship, laughter, shared stories, and being witnessed through the shifts… that’s medicine in its own right. Midlife can be isolating if we try to navigate it alone.
Thank you for reminding me of that. I’m deeply grateful you’re here, and yes, I’ll keep writing.
Sending love x