Understanding Female Menopause For Men
Female menopause is something most men hear about, but never understand. Many husbands or boyfriends feel that they just woke up one day and the woman in their life has completely changed. She’s now upset all the time, she doesn’t want to be intimate, she is extremely sensitive to the weather, the smallest thing can make her angry, and she cries or laughs without warning.
During female menopause, men can be just as confused as the women. Many times they see the situation as hopeless, not knowing what he can do to help. So men usually back off to give a woman some “space”, which will work when she wants it, but completely backfire when she doesn’t. This can strain the relationship, and sometimes it leads to both parties going their separate ways.
If you are a man, and you notice that your wife or girlfriend who is in her mid-thirties to early fifties is starting to act strange, then it is best you educate yourself on the subject of female menopause in order for you to understand what is going on and how or what you can do to help. Trust that she will truly appreciate and love you for your understanding and support, and that once this hurdle is over, you can go back to your happy relationship.
First, understand that she doesn’t mean to act the way she is acting. During female menopause, a woman’s body and mind are being affected by a hormone imbalance. Her sex hormones are no longer working the way they used to when she was younger. This leads to a host of symptoms which can trigger or lead to other symptoms. There are over thirty symptoms in all, but on average, a woman will get about 10 (that’s a lot already!)
Common symptoms of female menopause include headaches, irritability, irregular periods, hot flashes, insomnia, night sweats, bloating, mood swings, anxiety, and lack of sexual drive. Understanding that these all stem from the hormonal imbalance that is beyond their control will help you help them through this trying time.
In the meantime, here are two quick tips for all the men out there:
Learn to listen
Women going through female menopause usually have very difficult days because of her symptoms. Always ask her how her day went, and if she needs to rant, listen quietly. Don’t give advice unless she asks for it, and be sympathetic towards what she is going through. She will appreciate your attentiveness and your willing to listen. Remember, she needs to get those feelings out, that can help alleviate some symptoms.
Be ready with some quick remedies
Familiarize yourself with your wife or girlfriend’s symptoms and be ready to act when she needs you to. For example, if she suffers from hot flashes or night sweats, have a bottle of ice water she can drink handy. If she gets bouts of anxiety, learn to assure her. If she gets headaches, help her with some deep breathing techniques. The more you can help her with, the easier it will be on both of you.
Try to educate yourself further by getting yourself a comprehensive guide to female menopause. There are tons of perimenopause books out there. For example, the one by Pam Andrews, ‘Perimenopause: Have it, Live it, Love it’ covers most symptoms and what you can do to treat the symptoms. It is a great guide for both men and women, and will surely help you navigate through this period in a woman’s life.