Menopause Aware Month, October 2025

World Menopause Day is held yearly on October 18th, making October World Menopause Month to raise awareness about menopause, its symptoms, and support options available. This year’s theme is Lifestyle Medicine, which highlights how everyday choices, such as food, movement, sleep, stress management, and self-care, can make a real difference in how people experience menopause.

Perimenopause is the transition period leading up to menopause, often beginning in the mid-40s, marked by fluctuating hormone levels and irregular periods. Menopause is officially diagnosed after 12 months without menstruation, usually around 51-52. Menopause is a big deal and is often kept hush-hush, it effects all aspects of a womans life: her mood, her body, her confidence, her relationships and her work.

Symptoms that many women face are:

• Hot flushes and night sweats
• Irregular periods
• Sleep problems and insomnia
• Mood changes, including irritability, anxiety, or depression
• Vaginal dryness, discomfort during sex
• Lower libido and sexual drive
• Palpitations, headaches, muscle and joint aches
• “Brain fog” (memory and concentration difficulties)
• Changed body shape, weight gain, and skin changes
• Increased risk of urinary problems and infections

All these symptoms and women are told to just ‘get on with it’ or, due to lack of knowledge and conversation, many women don’t realise their symptoms are menopause.

Many menopause symptoms can be eased with adjustments in diet, exercise, sleep habits, and by managing stress levels,

Diet Adjustments – Eating a balanced, nutrient-rich diet helps manage symptoms and supports bone and heart health.

• Calcium and vitamin D-rich foods like milk, yoghurt, leafy greens, fatty fish to protect your bones.
• Phytoestrogen-rich foods like soy products, flaxseeds, and berries may help balance hormones and reduce hot flushes.
• Hydration by drinking plenty of water and reducing caffeine and alcohol intake, which can worsen hot flushes and dehydration.
• Emphasising a Mediterranean-style diet high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins supports overall health and may improve mood and cognitive symptoms.

Exercise Benefits- Regular physical activity that improves menopausal symptoms:

• Walking, dancing , yoga and resistance training supports bone strength through weight bearing and muscle strengthening, these exercises can also prevent osteoporosis
• Swimming and cycling can improve joint pain symptoms
• Exercise can improve sleep, mood and reduce anxiety and depression

Sleep Improvement- Establish a regular sleep routine and create a cool, quiet bedroom environment.

• Avoid stimulants like caffeine and alcohol before bedtime.
• Relaxation and mindfulness practices like yoga, meditation, or tai chi help enhance sleep quality and reduce stress.

Stress Reduction – Managing stress can reduce the severity of menopause symptoms:

• Stress-reduction techniques such as yoga, meditation, and controlled breathing improve mood and decrease hot flushes triggered by anxiety.
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can help reframe negative thoughts and manage mood swings, anxiety, and sleep disturbances associated with menopause.

Menopause Awareness Month also addresses the societal stigma surrounding menopause, campaigning for more inclusive and supportive environments in the workplace and beyond. By raising awareness, Menopause Awareness Month aims to ensure that women feel understood, respected, and supported as they go through this natural phase of life.

In Birmingham, the Women’s and Children’s Trust in the NHS has compiled a page for menopause resources and information. On this page, there is help with HRT, breast cancer and menopause, lifestyle help, information for menopause clinics.

To access the page for yourself, a family member, friend, or colleague, follow the link here Menopause resources | Birmingham Women’s and Children’s

You can spread awareness online using these hashtags:

• #MenopauseAwarenessMonth
• #BreakTheStigma
• #MidlifeHealth
• #MenopauseMatters
• #HealthyTransitions

At Xpress-Yourself Dance CIC, we are raising awareness of menopause awareness month by dedicating our cool-down song, ‘Beautiful’ by Christina Aguilera. The song is an empowering song that emphasises self-acceptance and inner beauty, which encourages our dancers to embrace their true selves. The song’s message is especially important during menopause, a time when many women struggle with body image changes, self-esteem, and emotional shifts.

We hope you enjoy cooling down to ‘Beautiful’ by Christina Aguilera and take the time to reflect, feel good, and connect with others in your class. We hope this blog has been informative and helps to spread awareness and give women going through menopause more of a voice!

Xpress-Yourself Dance CIC run weekly Keep Dancing classes, suitable for older adults across, Birmingham, Solihull, Walsall, Sandwell and online. Keep Dancing will teach you dances from around the world with no need for a dance partner. Find your nearest Keep Dancing class here.     

Xpress-Yourself Dance CIC also runs classes to support carers in Birmingham thanks to Funding from Forward Carers CIC. Find out more about our Keep Dancing for carers here

To find out more about Xpress-Yourself Dance CIC follow us on Facebook.     

Thank you for taking the time to read Menopause Awareness Month 2025 blog!

Keep Dancing 💃