Menopause Awareness Month 101
Menopause Awareness Month was created to shine a light on a natural transition that too often goes unspoken. Hot flashes are only one small part of a much bigger story. Menopause includes emotional shifts, physical changes, and for many women, moments of newfound confidence.
Throughout Menopause Awareness Month, we hope women learn that menopause is not an ending but a transition into a newfound sense of self-understanding.
It’s time to replace whispers with honest conversations about a life stage every woman will experience. In this blog, we will explore practical ways to make this chapter one of wellness and confidence.
What’s Really Happening Inside Your Body During Menopause
Menopause is the time when your ovaries gradually slow the production of estrogen and progesterone (the hormones that regulate your menstrual cycle). As these hormone levels decline, your periods become irregular, and eventually, after 12 months without one, you’ve reached menopause.
The years leading up to that point are known as perimenopause, and everything after is called postmenopause. But it’s important to note that this process isn’t the same for everyone. It can depend on genetics, lifestyle, race, and even your environment. Some women experience more substantial shifts in mood, energy, and comfort than others.
Perimenopause: Early signs and typical timeline
Perimenopause is the body’s way of easing into menopause. It often begins in your 40s, but for some women, symptoms can appear even earlier.
You might notice your periods becoming unpredictable (sometimes heavier, sometimes lighter) or realize you’re waking up at night covered in sweat. Hot flashes, brain fog, mood swings, and changes in sleep or libido are also common signals that hormones are shifting. This transition can last anywhere from a few months to several years before your final period arrives.
Common physical changes you might notice
As estrogen levels decline, your body starts to change in noticeable ways:
- Periods may become unpredictable before they stop altogether.
- Hot flashes or night sweats can catch you off guard.
- You may develop new allergies and intolerances to foods and fabrics.
- You may experience dryness or discomfort during sex as vaginal
- tissue becomes thinner.
- Weight might shift to the midsection, and muscle tone can be harder to maintain.
Common emotional and cognitive changes you might notice
Menopause doesn’t just affect the body. It can stir up the mind and spirit, too. Many women notice waves of irritability, anxiety, or brain fog that seem to come out of nowhere.
But there’s another side to this shift that often gets overlooked: a sense of clarity and freedom. As hormones settle into new rhythms, many women describe feeling lighter, more authentic, and far less concerned with pleasing others. This “IDGAF energy” is real, and it’s part of the emotional rebalancing that supports long-term mental well-being.
A member of the JulieMay community, Michelle, shared with us that menopause brought confidence and a new sense of freedom, even after years of uncertainty and symptoms she didn’t initially recognize.
How to Manage Menopause Symptoms
While menopause is a natural transition, there’s plenty you can do to feel your best along the way. Small, consistent changes can make a big difference.
Lifestyle changes to manage menopause
Focus on what the International Menopause Society calls the six pillars of lifestyle medicine:
- Nourishing foods
- Regular movement
- Quality sleep
- Emotional well-being
- Supportive relationships
- Avoiding risky habits like smoking
JulieMay Lingerie can support some of these pillars by offering you a sense of comfort. Because when your body is running warm or your skin feels extra sensitive, comfort becomes everything. Choosing soft, breathable fabrics can make a real difference.
JulieMay’s Nightdress and Pure-Silk Cami offer cool, gentle comfort whether you’re resting or relaxing, while our Valentina bra (available in both underwired and non-wired styles) provides support without sacrificing softness.
Medical support for managing menopause
Medical options such as menopausal hormone therapy (MHT or HRT) can relieve hot flashes, improve sleep, and prevent bone loss, especially when started before age 60 or within 10 years of menopause. Non-hormonal treatments, vaginal moisturizers, or laser therapies can also help with any dryness or discomfort you may experience.
Sonia, another member of our JulieMay community, shared that while her hysterectomy made her path to menopause unique, she felt relief in no longer having periods. The hardest part, she said, was the “fuzzy brain” and unexpected weight gain, but bioidentical hormone therapy helped her feel like herself again. She called it “a game changer.”
Managing menopause is possible. It’s important to reach out to your doctor if something feels off. Heavy or prolonged bleeding, bleeding after menopause, or sudden changes in mood or sleep all deserve attention. Most of the time, menopause is diagnosed based on your symptoms and medical history, though labs can help if there’s uncertainty.
It may take some trial and error to figure out what works best for you, but the key is shared decision-making with your healthcare provider to find solutions tailored to your body.
Embrace Menopause with Confidence, Comfort, and Clarity
Understanding the science, listening to your body, and exploring evidence-based options for managing menopause turns awareness into action. Every woman’s journey is unique, but none of us walks it alone. Share your story, speak with your clinician, and keep lifting each other up.
If you’d like to learn more about menopause and what it means for your physical and mental health, explore these sources for evidence-based guidance and support:
