Monica Simpson, DNP, RN

Menopause is more than hot flashes. Here are the concerns women often discuss privately—and why the whole picture belongs in the exam room. Menopause is more than hot flashes. KEY TAKEAWAY You do not need to prove that menopause is causing a symptom before you mention it. Describe what changed, when it began, and how it affects your daily life. When women talk about menopause online, the conversation often sounds very different from the one that happens in a healthcare office. In a Facebook...

Menopause is often talked about as something that suddenly arrives in your late 40s or early 50s, bringing hot flashes, sleep disruption, mood changes, weight changes, and a long list of “what is happening to me?” moments. But the more we learn about women’s health, the clearer it becomes that menopause is not just a short hormonal event. It is a major life transition that touches the heart, brain, bones, muscles, metabolism, sleep, mood, and sense of self. That may sound intimidating at...

If someone has suggested — directly or indirectly — that your best years are behind you, I want to stop right there and tell you: you are not alone in hearing that message. And it simply isn't true. This June, I am celebrating my 71st birthday. And I can tell you with certainty, grounded in nearly four decades of clinical experience and in the lives of the women I've walked alongside: the second chapter of life is not a slow unwinding. For many women, it is the richest, most intentional...