If you’ve spent some time online recently in spaces devoted to discussing aging, menopause, and womanhood, then you might’ve heard the term “menopause vacation” or “menopause retreat” getting thrown around. A vacation always sounds nice, but what exactly are these phrases referring to, and what do you need to know about it if you’re currently staring down the barrel of menopause yourself?
Here’s the short answer– a menopause vacation or retreat is a program, usually that lasts at least a day or as long as a few days, focused on menopause and dedicated to increasing a woman’s understanding and enjoyment of the experience as she goes through it. For the long answer, keep reading below!
Why Go On a Menopause Vacation?
Right off the bat, you might have mixed feelings about the idea of a menopause retreat. This stage of life is something that isn’t frequently acknowledged or discussed by society at large, so dedicating an entire wellness program to it might seem like an unusual decision. However, there are lots of reasons that women choose to go to these retreats!
For starters, menopause vacations or retreats often have a strong focus on education, information, and awareness. Menopause is something that every woman goes through once she reaches a certain age, and yet many women don’t fully understand what the change entails and aren’t prepared for it. Learning more about what’s actually happening in your body, how to make it easier to cope with, and how to embrace it can create a positive experience for many women.
On the subject of embracing it, part of the idea behind menopause vacations is to celebrate and relish this time in your life. Menopause is often viewed through a negative lens, but it’s not necessarily a negative thing, even if at times it isn’t the most pleasant. Going through menopause means you’ve grown and experienced so much as you aged! It means that you have wisdom to share, memories to treasure, and new experiences to look forward to. Celebrating the process of aging and all of the developments that come along with it is something of a radical idea in our society that tends to look down its nose a bit at older women, and programs especially dedicated to embracing this stage of life are a great vehicle to do it.
One of the other main reasons that a woman might enjoy going on a menopause retreat is to enjoy camaraderie and community with her peers– other women who are in a similar stage of life and who are going through the same experiences. For lots of people, school is the last time that they’re ever surrounded by people their own age, and even if you have lots of friends and family that you love, if there’s no one in your circle who’s at a similar stage in life to you, it can be hard to feel understood. Meeting other women, making friends, and exchanging stories and advice is a huge part of these vacations or retreats, and it’s a big draw for a lot of the people who attend them!
What Do Menopause Vacations Include?
What a menopause vacation or menopause retreat will include depends a lot on the individual program, its location, and its length. However, you can definitely expect to see sections of the program dedicated to learning about menopause as well as sections devoted to socializing and bonding with the other attendees. It’s also common to have activities on the schedule that promote rest, relaxation, and wellness, like massages, yoga, meditation classes, and other activities designed to alleviate stress. You might also have activities that discuss exercise and healthy movement, nutrition, sleep, and other aspects of your physical wellbeing that can help to alleviate the less pleasant symptoms of menopause.
Would a Menopause Vacation Benefit Me?
Whether or not you feel like a menopause vacation would be a good idea for you is a personal thing. However, if you’ve been feeling like you could use some deeper knowledge about menopause, some friends to talk about it with, or just a chance to relax and slow down for a minute, going on a menopause retreat might be a good idea for you!
If you want to start learning more about menopause and the many ways that it can affect you, you can continue to read our blog here!
