Hot flushes
These are a common symptom while you’re transitioning from perimenopause to menopause. Hot flashes feel like heat is spreading through your body, and they often last for a few minutes. They can make you appear flushed across your face and chest. If you let your senior staff know about your hot flashes, you can work together to implement changes to make you more comfortable when they occur. Wearing clothing that keeps you cool or requesting a fan can prevent you feeling too warm, and you can keep a diary to stay on top of things that might trigger this symptom.
Fatigue
During the menopause, estrogen levels drop significantly. Progesterone and testosterone levels also drop, and these hormonal changes can cause tiredness and, eventually, fatigue. If you’re feeling fatigued at work, you might need to make some adjustments. Tiredness can obviously prevent you getting things done, so it’s advisable you let your manager know the reasons you’re not feeling 100%.
Getting the right amount of restful sleep, exercising regularly and eating a balanced diet can all help boost your energy levels when you’re feeling run-down.
Memory problems
Another common menopause symptom is ‘brain fog’ — a feeling of forgetfulness that might make it difficult to concentrate at work. During perimenopause, numerous estrogen-regulated systems such as sleep, sensory processing and thermoregulation (maintaining body temperature) are disrupted. These can all impact cognitive function, so it’s common to experience concentration and memory-related problems.
It’s best to be open about the difficulties that memory problems are causing you at work. If you’re struggling with certain tasks, you could try having a one-on-one with your manager to explain how menopause is affecting your ability to carry them out. You can create an action plan, which might involve prioritizing other tasks you feel more able to manage.
Mood changes
Hormonal changes can impact both your physical and mental health. The changes to your body that occur during menopause can lead to stress, anxiety, and sometimes depression.
Symptoms to look out for include:
- anger
- irritability
- lack of confidence
- anxiety
- low self-esteem
Nighttime hot flashes (night sweats) can interrupt your sleep, which doesn’t help matters if you’re experiencing low moods and a lack of energy throughout the day. Talking about changes in your mood can sometimes be a challenge, but shouldn’t be a taboo. Speaking privately to a senior member of staff about how the menopause is making you feel is a healthy way of managing the issue discreetly, and asking for whatever support you need.
If your mood changes feel unmanageable, you might need to discuss your mental health with your doctor. They can give you practical advice about how to improve things (including sleep), and might recommend some blood tests to get a better overall picture of your health.
Weight gain
During the menopause, it’s common to gain weight. Excess body fat can usually show up in different areas of your body, like your thighs and hips, but when your weight increases as the result of lowered estrogen levels, it tends to show up around your abdomen.
Although you might think weight gain is a personal issue that your employer can’t help out with, there are ways they can help staff members who want to reduce their calorie intake. Rather than feeling singled out for your own weight management, you can encourage your senior staff and colleagues to promote healthier eating at work. This could be changes to your cafeteria’s food selection, or requesting provided snacks like chips, chocolate, and soda to be replaced with fruits, nuts, and water.
As well as trying to eat a more balanced diet, your manager might be able to help make your commute to work healthier. Some companies offer wellness programs with commuter benefits, or you could walk or jog to work and use their facilities to shower before you begin.
