3 Things You Wish Your Spouse Knew about Menopause
While menopause affects every woman differently, there is no denying that this inevitable phase of life causes drastic physical and emotional changes to those going through it. But it doesn’t only affect the woman experiencing the changes, it can also affect a spouse who may feel helpless and confused. Below, we discuss three common things that most women wish their husbands knew as they witness them going through this new life milestone.
1. It’s Ok to Talk About It
Many women are not entirely sure what to expect of perimenopause and menopause — let alone their spouses — but communicating with each other can be greatly beneficial for both individuals. Men may have many questions during this huge life change, but feel uncomfortable to discuss them. It’s important to break the stigma and encourage honest conversations.
As the woman experiencing menopause, share what symptoms you are facing and ways your spouse may be supportive. As the spouse, ask any questions to help you better understand menopause and what to expect. To recognize the common symptoms and have a better understanding of what your wife may be experiencing, you should first learn what exactly are perimenopause and menopause.
Perimenopause involves the body decreasing hormone production usually 8-10 years before the full onset of menopause. Once menopause begins, the menstrual cycle has fully stopped, ovaries stopped producing a majority of estrogen, and a wide range of symptoms may become present. It’s a natural part of life and, with some support, you will both get through these changes.
2. There are Ways to be Supportive
For a spouse, watching the woman they love endure the challenges of menopause can be difficult and make them feel helpless, but there are ways to be supportive. Make the transition easier by asking how you can help. Menopause isn’t something that can be “fixed,” but the symptoms may be eased.
While it may be hard at the moment to recognize, mood swings are not always aimed at you or something you did, but rather a symptom of menopause. Help her feel relaxed and enjoy her favorite activities with her, or give her some time and space if that is what she prefers. Another common change that may occur during menopause is weight gain which can diminish a person’s self confidence. One way to be supportive is by joining them in the gym, helping them make healthy meals, and reassuring them that they are perfect just the way they are. Empathy and small actions to show you care go a long way. We’re not always looking for unsolicited advice or solutions, just support and kind words to know we’re not alone in this journey.
3. I Still Love You
Perimenopause and menopause bring many physical and emotional changes to the body. Hot flashes, insomnia, mood swings/irritability, and vaginal dryness can all drastically impact a woman’s quality of life, her marriage, and her sex life. In addition to the uncomfortable symptoms turning many women off from sex during menopause, the reduced production of hormones has also been known to dramatically lower libido.
Be open and honest about what each other expects in their sex life and what they’re comfortable doing. If sex is painful, Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy may be your solution or find other ways to keep the intimacy alive in your marriage. Ideas include planning romantic date nights, writing each other love letters, or taking walks to talk and catch up. Just because aging and menopause have changed what your sex life may look like, it does not mean your spouse no longer loves you or finds you attractive and it won’t last forever. Be honest and patient with each other to find what works for both of you.
Find Your Balance
Regardless of how severe your menopausal symptoms are, Renewed Vitality is prepared to get your body back on track with a personalized solution that works for you. Schedule your consultation today and get the balance back in your life!
Life is filled with many joys, but perhaps the best of all is being a grandparent. It can be hard to watch the children that you have raised for the past 18 years leave home to start a life of their own, but in a few years when that “empty nest” feeling is replaced with grandchildren and you see your own children start a family of theirs, the rewarding feeling is like none other.
It’s hard to limit the perks of being a grandparent to only 5 reasons, and there really aren’t any negatives to the title, but read below to find out some of our favorite parts about the job.
1. Learning About Your Grandchildren
Each grandchild is different and precious in their own way and learning about what makes them “them” is fun and special. Whether it’s learning about their personality while baking together, kicking a soccer ball in the backyard, or reading a bedtime story, over the years you will experience their personality begin to shine. Planning bonding activities to do with your grandchildren will help keep you young at heart and allow you to reminisce on the similar plans you did with your own children when they were that age!
2. Reexperiencing Those Firsts
Surely, you can’t remember everything about your children when they were young and growing up, but those special first moments that happened in your life will stand out to you. Now you can experience them all over again with your grandchildren. Your child’s first — breath, smile, step, word, birthday, day of school, time behind the wheel, prom, date, graduation, and surely much more — filled you with an overwhelming sense of pride and love. You will experience those same feelings again watching your grandchildren grow up and have their own first milestones.
3. Watching Your Children Experience The Joys of Parenthood
While raising children of your own, the days may have seemed to go slow, but the years have gone by fast and being a parent can prove to be a hard feat with challenges of its own. But watching your children experience all of the joys that parenthood brings makes all of those late nights, tears, and argumentative teenage years worth it. The years won’t slow down anymore this time around, but it will prove just as rewarding. Plus, you can spoil your grandchildren during the day but send them home at night without having to live through all of those sleepless nights and tantrums again!
4. Passing Down Family Traditions
Every family has a tradition, heirloom, or story that they pass down their family through the years. Watching that special family treasure, which was once passed to you from your parents and that you shared with your child, get passed down another generation is truly the best feeling in the world.
5. Unconditional Love
The endless supply of hugs. The messy kisses. The sweet and soft “I love yous.” These are the treasured moments that make being a grandparent the absolute best. There is something special about the grandchild and grandparent bond that is irreplaceable. Grandchildren look up to their grandparents and rely on them to provide them with the same unconditional love that they give right back. You may have thought that your heart was filled to capacity with love before, but it grows even bigger each time a new grandchild is brought into your life.
As you all know, Pennsylvania has set strict shelter-in-place orders to help slow the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic. While it’s important to follow the guidelines to protect those in the community as well as your own health, it can be hard to find ways to stay connected and entertained without leaving your home for long periods of time. Read below for ideas on ways to curb your boredom while at home.
Check Out a Local Virtual Attraction
Although many local businesses have closed their doors temporarily due to COVID-19, you can still visit some attractions through free virtual tours online. Hawk Mountain Sanctuary is a popular spring and summer destination for hiking and birdwatching but until the trails open back up, you can still connect with nature, learn about animals and hear from scientists and educators with new online programs every week.
The Reading Public Museum has also been ordered to close temporarily, but you can still learn more about some pieces in their collection on their website. Browse their Arms and Armor exhibition, read about Pennsylvania German objects, or find one of their other collections that interests you. If you enjoy learning about the history of aviation, the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum also offers a virtual tour of their space online. Take the tour here.
Tackle Home Projects
Now that we have all been spending more time in our homes, it’s common to have noticed home improvement projects or DIY crafts that you want to tackle. Don’t wait any longer! Grab your paintbrush or hammer and get the job done. Whether it’s adding a fresh coat of paint, thoroughly spring cleaning, or sprucing up your yard for when backyard barbecues are eventually allowed, use this slow time at home to check off the items on your to-do list. You’ll enjoy spending time in your new and improved space and feel productive and motivated to tackle even more projects.
Connect With Friends and Family
As important as it is to social distance during these times, it can be difficult to do so when you feel like you are missing out on big milestones with your family and friends. But technology can change that! Use video calls to stay connected even from a distance. You can be a part of your grandchildren’s birthday parties or host a family game night all through a video call while staying home and staying healthy.
Another popular trend that many families are doing to stay connected and celebrate big events together during these times is with drive-by parades. If you have a family member or friend celebrating a birthday, graduation, engagement, or birth of a child during quarantine, decorate your vehicle and organize a parade with other friends to drive by their home to show your support. They will appreciate the thought and enjoy seeing you, even if it’s from a distance!
Try New Recipes
Cooking and baking doesn’t have to feel like a chore. Use the extra time home to experiment with new recipes and find tasty meals. Once shelter-in-place is lifted, you can plan a dinner party with your closest friends that you’ve been missing and use the delicious new recipes you found to serve to your guests. If you need some help finding healthy recipes, browse our past blogs for inspiration.
Host a Viewing Party
Do you miss family movie night? Well we have good news for you! If you, your family, and your friends have a Netflix subscription, you can schedule a time to all watch a movie or show synced together through the Netflix Party extension. The feature allows you to play or pause the movie or show collectively as a group, and discuss the showing through a group chat.
If you don’t have a Netflix account, you can still access many new concerts, videos, and movies being released amid COVID-19. Musicians and artists are filming and streaming concert specials, tutorials, and programs so be on the lookout for ones that interest you. Remember, this is only temporary and you are not alone during this time. There are many ways to stay productive and entertained while home.
