Menopause: Understanding and Supporting Someone Through It

Menopause is often spoken about as a women's health issue, and of course, it is the person going through it who experiences the physical and emotional changes.

But understanding menopause shouldn't only be left to the person experiencing it.

If your partner, family member, friend or colleague is going through perimenopause or menopause, taking the time to understand what they may be experiencing can make a real difference.

You don't need to have all the answers. Sometimes knowing a little more, listening and offering the right kind of support is enough.

First, what actually is menopause?

Menopause is a natural stage of life caused by changing hormone levels. It usually happens between the ages of 45 and 55, although it can happen earlier.

Before menopause comes perimenopause, the period when hormone levels begin to change and symptoms can start to appear.

Menopause itself is reached when someone has not had a period for 12 months, provided they are not using hormonal contraception.

And while hot flushes might be the symptom most people associate with menopause, the reality can be much broader.

Someone going through menopause or perimenopause may experience:

● Changes in mood, including low mood or anxiety
● Difficulty sleeping
● Brain fog or problems with memory and concentration
● Hot flushes and night sweats
● Fatigue
● Headaches, muscle aches or joint pain
● Changes in confidence
● Reduced sex drive
● Changes to periods during perimenopause

Everyone experiences menopause differently. Some people may have symptoms that significantly affect everyday life, while others experience relatively few.

Why does understanding it matter?

Because these changes don't happen in isolation.

Poor sleep can affect someone's energy. Brain fog can make an ordinary working day feel more difficult. Changes in mood or confidence can affect relationships, social life and even how someone feels about exercising or being active.

If you don't understand what may be happening, it can be easy to misinterpret those changes.

Learning more means you're less likely to make assumptions, and more likely to offer the type of support someone actually needs.

So, how can you help?

1. Learn about it

You've already made a start by reading this.

Taking a little time to understand perimenopause and menopause means the person in your life doesn't always have to be the one explaining everything.

Read trusted information, ask questions when appropriate and remember that everyone's experience can be different.

2. Listen before trying to fix things

Sometimes support is less about finding a solution and more about listening.

A simple "How are you feeling?", "Is there anything I can do?" or "What would help today?" can go a long way.

And if they do want to talk, give them the space to do that without immediately trying to solve everything.

3. Don't make assumptions

There isn't one version of menopause.

Symptoms can change over time, and something that helps one person may not help another.

Try not to dismiss how somebody is feeling because it doesn't match what you thought menopause looked like.

Instead, let them tell you what they're experiencing.

4. Support them in staying active

Movement can be a valuable part of looking after physical and mental wellbeing during menopause, but how someone wants to exercise may change.

Poor sleep, fatigue, aching joints or changes in confidence could mean their usual workout feels harder on some days.

Supporting someone doesn't mean pushing them to exercise.

It could be as simple as:

● Going for a walk together
● Joining them for a gym session
● Trying a fitness class together
● Encouraging them when they're building confidence with strength training
● Making space in the day for them to exercise
● Understanding when they need an easier session or more recovery

Sometimes support is simply helping someone continue moving in a way that feels good for them.

5. Remember that movement doesn't have to look the same every day

Someone might feel ready for a strength session one day and prefer a walk, swim, yoga class or gentle movement the next.

That's okay.

Fitness doesn't have to mean constantly doing more or pushing harder.

During periods of change, adapting a routine can help someone continue enjoying movement without making exercise another source of pressure.

Encouragement can be helpful, comparison or pressure usually isn't.

6. Share the load

If someone is struggling with fatigue, poor sleep or simply feeling overwhelmed, practical support can be incredibly valuable.

That might mean taking on an extra job at home, making dinner, giving them time to rest or creating space for them to get to the gym, attend a class or simply have some time for themselves.

Small things can make a big difference.

7. Keep talking

Menopause can affect relationships too, including intimacy.

Changes in hormones can influence sex drive, physical comfort and body confidence.

The important thing is to keep communication open without creating pressure.

Talk honestly about how you're both feeling and remember that closeness can mean many different things, affection, conversation and simply spending time together all matter too.

8. Ask what support looks like for them

Perhaps the most useful thing you can do is avoid assuming you already know what somebody needs.

Some people will want to talk.

Others might want space.

Some may appreciate practical help, someone to exercise with or encouragement to keep doing the things they enjoy.

Others may simply want the people around them to understand what they're experiencing.

Ask.

You don't need to be an expert

Supporting someone through menopause doesn't mean becoming an expert in hormones overnight.

It means being willing to learn, listen and understand.

It could be your partner going through it today. At another point it might be a family member, friend or colleague.

The more openly we can all talk about menopause, the easier it becomes for people experiencing it to feel understood and supported rather than having to navigate everything alone.

And support doesn't always have to come through a big conversation.

It might be listening.

Making someone's day a little easier.

Going for a walk together.

Joining them for a workout.

Or simply helping them continue doing the things that make them feel good.

At Lifestyle Fitness, we believe movement should support people through every stage of life, and sometimes the best thing we can do for someone is help them find what works for them, right now.