Too many people are powering on through high levels of pain at work (Picture: Getty Images)
Your mum might have referred to it as ‘the change’. A mysterious event that happens to women in mid-life, until relatively recently, this defining time in a woman’s life has historically been pretty much shrouded in secrecy.
These days, while we may talk about the menopause more – get some 40-something women together with a bottle of wine and it’ll often be the dominant topic – for many, it still isn’t that easy to deal with, or get help with.
A huge and bewildering array of symptoms can include hot flashes, night sweats, difficulty sleeping, mood changes, low libido, plus problems with memory and concentration.
These can creep up slowly during the perimenopause period, which can start in your mid-30s or as late as your mid-50s.
For lots of women, this phase can last from four to eight years, and it can take time to realise that something is amiss.
Even former first lady Michelle Obama has found things difficult to navigate.
‘There is not a lot of conversation about menopause. I’m going through it, and I know all of my friends are going through it. And the information is sparse,’ she said in 2020.
Dealing with symptoms at work can be tough (Picture: Getty Images)
On her podcast, The Light, she has also spoken about menopause: ‘What a woman’s body is taking her through is important information. It’s an important thing to take up space in a society, because half of us are going through this but we’re living like it’s not happening.’
Closer to home, The Countess of Wessex has talked frankly about brain fog.
‘You suddenly can’t remember what on earth it was you were talking about,’ she said. ‘It’s like someone has just gone and taken your brain out for however long before they pop it back in again, and you try and pick up the pieces and carry on.’
Heavy periods and work
Many women will empathise, as they will with another symptom: heavier periods. Many find the unpredictability of mid-life menstruation to be particularly difficult to cope with when it comes to work.
Add in the 10% of the UK population which suffers from endometriosis, and it isn’t surprising to find that 27% of women say they have experienced challenges at work related to menstruation, menopause, or fertility.
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That’s according to Deloitte’s 2024 Women @ Work study. The research identified that more than 40% of women who experience high levels of pain due to menstruation simply work through it, without taking time off.
Another 39% who experience pain or discomfort due to menopause say they work through it too – almost double the amount of women who said this in 2023. This year, fewer women feel comfortable discussing their health challenges with their managers too, …read more
Source:: Metro
