Top Tips for Managing Menopause Symptoms During Summer

Now a bit of a master of the menopause, Earle has put together a few handy tips for women during the menopause years – for beating the hottest days of the year, both at home and at work. Here’s how she manages to keep her cool and breeze through July and August…

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is a treatment used to help relieve some of the most common symptoms of the menopause, such as hot flushes, night sweats, emotional flare-ups and reduced sex drive. In a nutshell, HRT replaces hormones that are at a lower level due to menopause.

Every woman will experience the menopause differently, so it’s important to chat through the best options for you with your own doctor. For instance, some types of HRT can are associated with potentially serious side-effects, but there may also be big benefits and the NHS say that these generally outweigh the risks. Your GP can explain the different types of HRT available and help you decide if it’s suitable for you.

Earle believes HRT is “the number one strategy for genuine help [for the menopause] and is far safer than many may think. Hormone replacement therapy is simply about using the oestrogen hormone to replace what our ovaries no longer make naturally (or produce in declining levels during the perimenopause),” she adds.

“One of the main benefits of this oestrogen top-up is the impact on hot flushes and night sweats, which are at their worst on hot summer nights when it’s so much harder to keep cool. With HRT, night sweats and insomnia usually subside in just a few days, making the summer heat so much more bearable.”

If your menopause symptoms have prevented you from getting a decent night’s kip, that afternoon cup of coffee can feel like a godsend. However, Earle says it’s best to steer clear of caffeine pick-me-ups and stick to decaff options if you’re struggling to sleep. She explains: “Caffeine is a stimulant that can interrupt sleeping patterns, which can be especially trying during this time of life.”

Caffiene peaks in the blood within 30-60 minutes of drinking it, giving you a fairly instant perk, but it has a much longer half-life of three to five hours. (Half-life is the time it takes for your body to eliminate half of the drug.)

“Try swapping night-time cups of tea for their decaffeinated equivalent, or even a sleep-inducing herbal tea, such as chamomile or lemon verbena,” suggests Earle. “Personally, I avoid caffeine in all forms (including dark chocolate) after 3pm to ensure a better night’s sleep.”

“Simple night-time strategies can make all the difference during the summer, when mid-life women can be driven to breaking point,” says Earle. “Having a small fan beside the bed or wearing pyjamas made out of cooling, sweat-wicking fabric which draws moisture away from the body are both ideas worth considering.”

She also suggests switching to a lightweight duvet and, if you’re sharing with a partner, opting for two single duvets on a double bed, so there are no ‘duvet wars’ when it comes to keeping covered.

Earle believes that food has “tremendous power” to help the body navigate through a significant hormonal change like the menopause.

“What we choose to eat is one of the most important wellbeing factors we can actually control in life,” she says. “In the heat, it’s often tempting to skip meals and not eat properly, but eating the right balance of nutritious and healthy foods can have a hugely positive impact on how we look and feel.”

As well as getting your five-a-day, Earle specifically suggests including phytoestrogens in your diet, which she says provide oestrogen-like compounds that occur naturally in the plant kingdom.