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How hormone health impacts ageing – and a thank you!

March 10, 2023 8 Comments

Annabel and I have been emailing each other back and forth about menopause recently as we’re both writing books that cover the topic, in very different ways. Annabel’s book about creative women and insomnia, touches on the subject, because menopause can impact sleep dramatically. Her book is out next year. My book is much more directly about menopause and the role of declining reproductive hormones in how women age. And this book is out rather sooner – on April 27th (eek!). What has struck us both is that, despite researching ageing well for almost a decade, we have struggled to get clear information about the long-term impact of menopause on our health. Which is the exact reason why I wrote The Power Decade: How to Thrive After Menopause.

Everything Annabel and I have learnt about ageing well points to a time (for women at least) in their mid-60s when the chronic conditions of ageing, like diabetes, heart disease and dementia, are – statistically – more likely to kick in. And we know that our reproductive hormones do so much more than prepare us to have periods and babies, we have receptors for them throughout our bodies and brains. Oestrogen, in particular, helps keep bones strong, blood vessels flexible, brains firing and inflammation levels low. Essentially, it wraps us up in a cosy protective cloak to keep us safe and healthy while we’re able to reproduce, but once the eggs have run out – we’re on our own! Between the average age of menopause at 51, and that time in our 60s when the chronic conditions of ageing are more likely to kick in, we have a decade or so in which it’s vital to focus on our health.

Thank you, to you

I’m hugely grateful to the many, many followers of The Age-Well Project who filled out my survey on post-menopausal health last year. Your responses helped me shape the book, particularly in regard to the symptoms of menopause that may persist beyond the final menstrual period. This (highly unscientific) research showed me that there is no ‘normal’ in our 50s and 60s – around one-third of you weren’t suffering menopause-related symptoms, some were on HRT, some had simply left their symptoms behind, or had experienced very few as they went through the transition. Others were still experiencing symptoms, with insomnia, night sweats and brain fog forming an ‘unholy trinity’ of the most common.

Those of you in the 56-65 age bracket reported sleep issues as your worst symptom post-menopause. This was closely followed by night sweats and brain fog. The three issues are closely entwined: oestrogen activates the hypothalamus which controls body temperature. So what happens when oestrogen declines? We end up with a body thermostat that’s out of control, meaning we can’t sleep. The exhaustion we feel triggers mood and memory problems. Around half of women experience sleep disruption in midlife and 30-40% report chronic insomnia by the end of menopause. No wonder it’s the subject of Annabel’s next book!

You had plenty to say, too, on the joys of post-menopausal hot flushes. One survey respondent reported hot flushes, ‘for 16 years and counting!’ Another referred to them as, ‘useful in winter because I live in a cold house, not so good in summer!’

A new life stage

More broadly, it was fascinating to hear your thoughts about ageing. Some of you felt weighed down by the process, and the health concerns that come with it. Others felt the decades post-menopause were a time of freedom. These were a couple of my favourite responses:

‘This stage of life is a time to enjoy. It’s a time to seize opportunities and try new experiences.’

And

‘I am more confident, don’t have to answer to anyone, feel free to do what I want, no periods which is a bonus. I am enjoying this stage of my life.’

SAVE THE DATE FOR A VIRTUAL BOOK LAUNCH PARTY

To say thank you for being part of The Power Decade, for following us here and generally being fabulous, I’d love to invite you to the virtual book launch on Monday April 24th at 7pm BST. Annabel and I will be chatting about the book, and all things Age Well. I’ll share details of how to book a free ticket very soon, but please save the date for now.

 

Susan

« WHY WE SHOULD BE WALKING … BACKWARDS
IS WAKING AT NIGHT GOOD FOR THE BRAIN? »

Comments

  1. Susan Wilde says

    March 10, 2023 at 1:53 pm

    Excited to read your new books on this topic. Just decided to resume HRT for potential protective effects going forward. I’m 64
    Nurse said “it doesn’t protect women over 60”. I said “you do not know that because you just told me there’s not enough research. Which isn’t the same as saying it won’t work!”.

    Reply
    • Susan Saunders says

      March 11, 2023 at 6:07 pm

      There’s certainly not enough research! It’s shocking how far behind research is in this area but it is catching up and new studies are being published all the time. The best we can do is what we feel in right for us, and great that you have been able to make a choice on this.

      Reply
  2. Tanya Williams says

    March 11, 2023 at 8:38 am

    Great I’ll look forward to it thank you

    Reply
    • Susan Saunders says

      March 11, 2023 at 6:04 pm

      Thanks so much Tanya

      Reply
  3. Charmaine says

    March 12, 2023 at 9:35 am

    Hello there Susan, this is the first time I have heard about the book. I would definitely like to buy a copy when it comes out in print.

    Reply
    • Susan Saunders says

      March 12, 2023 at 2:05 pm

      That’s so good to hear Charmaine, thank you. April 27th is the day, but it’s available to pre-order now

      Reply
  4. Catherine Fisher says

    March 26, 2023 at 8:21 am

    Just wanted to say a huge thank you to both of you for your incredibly informative newsletters. I get a lot of email but always find myself reading yours to the end as they are so interesting.
    I’ve enjoyed both the Age Well books (pioneering books!) and look forward to your upcoming books. I will join the launch if I can but am embarking on a new challenge just now with breast cancer so I may be just post op on that date. One thing’s for sure, I will be investing even more time now in ageing well!
    Sincere thanks.

    Reply
    • Susan Saunders says

      March 27, 2023 at 5:55 pm

      Thanks so much for your kind words, Catherine, very much appreciated – particularly when you have so much on your plate. Good luck with your recovery x

      Reply

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Look, we know not many people have round-the-clock Look, we know not many people have round-the-clock access to a sauna. But Susan found one in a hotel she was staying at recently, there’s one in our local gym and Annabel found plenty on her summer holiday in Finland. 

A growing number of studies attest to the longevity-enhancing benefits of routine forays into a sauna. Much of the research has been instigated in Finland where sauna (pronounced to rhyme with downer) has existed forever.

So how does sauna help us age well? The extreme heat activates heat shock proteins which researchers think can maintain the healthy functioning of our cells.  As we get older, the proteins in some of our cells start to misfold and collapse. They then clump together forming plaques, including the plaques thought to cause Alzheimer’s and dementia.

Heat shock proteins – triggered by a sauna stint and possibly by hot baths – appear to prevent the misfolding and collapsing of cellular proteins, as well as clearing out those that have already misfolded. Which is to say they keep our cells in good shape. 

There’s more on the blog - link in bio 

#womenover50 #over50andfit #womenover60 #postmenopause #postmenopausalwomen #postmenopausalhealth 
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Obsessed with the smoked quinoa in this salad! You Obsessed with the smoked quinoa in this salad! You know we love a good grain and this one is particularly delicious. It’s from our friends @hodmedods and they very kindly gave us a discount code to share with you - it’s valid until the end of September. Code and recipe are on the blog - link in bio (it’s the blog post about reducing dementia risk) #prproduct #recipe #healthyrecipe #discountcode #wholegrains #quinoarecipes #womenover50 #over50 #over50health #postmenopause #over50andfit #dementiaprevention #alzheimers #brainhealth #cognition #agewell
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Thank you!
Of course, it’s not about numbers, but we’re s Of course, it’s not about numbers, but we’re so thrilled over 5000 of you have joined us on our mission to age well! Thank you 🙏

If you’re new here, we’re Susan and Annabel, long-time friends turned longevity writers. We started blogging about our quest to age well almost a decade ago (!) - you can find the blog at agewellproject.com or via the link in our bio. 

As working mums, we started looking for simple, science-backed ways to make the best of the second halves of our lives. We wanted to improve our own health and reduce our risk of the chronic conditions of ageing. When we started writing, Susan was caring for her mum, who had dementia, and Annabel has also faced challenges with her family’s health. 

Along the way, the blog became a best-selling book, The Age-Well Project, and further books have followed. You can find out more about us individually @annabelabbs and @susansaundershealth 

The blog is packed with posts on the latest research into the science of longevity, and how we make sense of it in our own lives. And there’s also loads of lovely age-well recipes - all approved by our families! 

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Wherever you’re walking this August weekend (a b Wherever you’re walking this August weekend (a bank holiday for us 🇬🇧🇬🇧), take time for your feet. They’re mini miracles and looking after them is key to ageing well. 

There’s more on the blog - link in bio.

And save this as a reminder to look after your feet! 

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