Menopause, a new beginning: 4 reasons to rejoice

Hot flashes, weight gain, bone fragility… This is generally what comes to mind when we talk about menopause. However, behind these very real inconveniences lies a lesser known reality: for many women, this transition represents a real liberation, and can open the door to greater personal development.

This is what Lisa Mosconi, neuroscientist, defends in her book Menopause starts in the brain. “Beyond its most visible disadvantages, menopause can have a positive impact on your life”she says. An observation that challenges preconceived ideas.

So, what exactly are these little-known benefits of menopause?

1: No more rules!

A woman is menopausal when she has gone a full year without periods. This happens on average around 51-52 years old. The end of periods means the end of sanitary napkins, tampons, stomach pains and premenstrual syndrome that ruin the lives of many women. “Menopause also reduces uterine fibroids, a major cause of heavy bleeding, and ends premenstrual syndrome, which for 85% of women means the disappearance of many complex symptoms ranging from breast tenderness and irritability to debilitating migraines.says Lisa Mosconi. This freedom represents a huge benefit to more women than you can imagine. »

2: The end of contraception

“Another often-cited positive is the ability to enjoy sex without having to worry about unforeseen consequences. » More periods, therefore more ovulation and more risk of getting pregnant. “According to national surveyssays Lisa Mosconi, The improved mood and optimism reported by many menopausal women is often linked to the end of periods, PMS, and pregnancy-related worries. »

No more pills, no more IUDs… For several decades, women have had to juggle between means of contraception, wondering about the most suitable one for their situation, each having its advantages and disadvantages. The file is now closed.

3: A new start in life and more personal fulfillment

At the age of menopause, women are often established professionally, their children, if they have any, are grown and require less maternal presence. At 50, we are still young and some women feel a surge of energy, a form of rebirth. “During my research, I discovered the term “menostart”, proposed as an alternative to menopause, said Lisa Mosconi. This word seems appropriate for the many women who experience this transition as a turning point, following which their interests, priorities and behaviors evolve in a positive way. »

As she explains in her book, women’s brains evolve at each of the “3 Ps”: puberty, pregnancy (pregnancy in English), and perimenopause. At each of these stages, under the effect of hormonal changes, the brain reorganizes and thought patterns change. A new phase of life begins, which can result in a move, a professional reorientation, new passions. “You may no longer have the bustling energy of a teenager, but you may find yourself contemplating new beginnings: a new career, new relationships and interests, new places to live or travel, new health and self-care practices, and a general renewal in the way you channel your time and energy. »

Women even experience one of the most beautiful periods of their lives at menopause. “One of my most surprising findings is that postmenopausal women are generally happier than their younger counterparts – and often happier than they were before menopause. »

4: The place of menopausal women in society

Scientists, paleontologists and doctors have only begun to question the place of menopause in evolution since the 19th century. The word “menopause” did not appear until 1821, when French physician Charles de Gardanne coined it to refer to the moment when a woman’s periods end.

When women’s life expectancy began to increase, there were more and more postmenopausal women in society. But what was the significance of this period from an evolutionary point of view? “Until recentlysays Lisa Mosconi, menopause was seen as the artificial result of women’s increased life expectancy, treated as the unfortunate consequence of living far longer than nature intended. » But this vision of things is over and menopause appears much more like an evolutionary adaptation. It should be noted that it is even a fairly rare phenomenon among mammals; it is one of the characteristics of the human species. So what are its evolutionary advantages?

When ethnologists studied hunter-gatherer tribes, the Hadza, they were able to observe the essential role that women played in the tribe’s diet. While men go hunting and often return empty-handed, women help by gathering to bring back most of the foodstuffs that the community will consume, such as berries, tubers and fruits.

And when women become mothers they have to spend more time with their children. This is where grandmothers come in. Not only do they have a role in supporting the mothers, but it is also their work which directly contributes to the survival of the group through the food they produce. “It quickly became apparent that the groups of grandmothers took on all the responsibilities related to gathering and feeding, explains Lisa Mosconi. By taking care of their grandchildren, older women also allowed their daughters to bear more children, thus doubling the species’ chances of survival. »

Ultimately, evolution was able to select the genes of women who live a long time and who can enter menopause because the survival of the species would also depend on these women! We are therefore very far from the image of the menopausal, aging woman, who has become invisible and useless in society. According to a recent theory, human longevity could even be explained by the longevity of postmenopausal women, which have been selected for by evolution. “Because prehistoric grandmothers were not just any grandmotherssays Lisa Mosconi. These women had the strength to survive multiple childbirths and the genetic makeup to not die after menopause. So many abilities which, according to this theory, were passed on to their children and grandchildren, thus perpetuating the longevity genes. Thus, over time, this improvement in survivability could have caused an evolutionary change, favoring and selecting for women whose life expectancy extended long after menopause. »

To find out more: Menopause starts in the brain