I have written previously about a term I coined: “the menopausal load.” It’s a phrase that gives language to the complex, cumulative burden women carry during the menopausal transition—physically, emotionally, mentally, and socially.
Today’s World Menopause Day (October 18) presents a valuable opportunity to revisit this term, and reflect on a life stage that remains largely invisible in public discourse and workplace policy.
Recently, I went out to dinner with two beautiful friends, both in a similar age bracket, and our shared experiences only reinforced how real and unspoken this load is. One friend had flown interstate for work but was still fielding calls from her family. The other friend and I had prepped dinner for our families, worked a full day, and then carved out rare time for ourselves to go out. And yet, beneath the laughter and connection, we were all quietly battling our bodies, minds, and emotions as we navigate perimenopause and menopause whilst being mothers, carers, employees and women. As the night went on and we spoke about our experiences, I walked away feeling a little better as I wasn’t the only one feeling like I was on a constant roller-coaster.
This stage of life is not just about hot flushes or night sweats; it’s about what we are expected to carry while they happen. The menopausal load is the latest evolution of the invisible load women bear throughout life.
In early adulthood, emotional labour often means being the “good friend,” the “reliable daughter,” or the “supportive partner.” At work, we’re the ones who remember birthdays, mediate tensions, and organise team gifts, often without being asked. We are also quietly grappling with identity, anxiety, and imposter syndrome, pushing through without naming what we feel.
In motherhood and midlife, the load multiplies. For those of us who become mothers, we are not just managing calendars and school events, we are the emotional anchors of our families. Even in supportive partnerships, the mental load often defaults to us. Career pressures, caregiving, and the quiet erosion of personal time lead many women to burnout. We scale back work, pause careers, and rarely pause for ourselves.
Then comes older age, and with it, peri menopause and menopause—a transition that’s often dismissed as a “rite of passage.” But it’s more than that. The menopausal load is a multifaceted burden that includes:
– Mental load: Brain fog, forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating, and the pressure to maintain productivity and emotional stability.
– Emotional load: Navigating identity shifts, emotional volatility, and feeling misunderstood or invisible in workplaces and healthcare systems.
– Social load: Continuing to perform emotional labour in families and workplaces, while being expected to “push through” without accommodations or empathy.
– Physical load: Hot flushes, night sweats, sleep disruption, weight changes, joint pain, fatigue, hormonal shifts affecting energy, libido, and overall wellbeing.
And I’m not alone. In Australia, 75 per cent of postmenopausal women under 55 experience hot flushes or night sweats, and 28 per cent have moderate to severe symptoms, which are linked to a threefold increase in depressive symptoms.
Yet many women feel unsupported or misunderstood, especially in workplaces and healthcare settings.
I thought I was past the “breast is best” stage, only to find myself in the “to HRT or not to HRT” debate, judged even by other women for choosing not to take it.
This year’s World Menopause Day theme is “The Role of Lifestyle Medicine in Menopausal Health.” It’s a welcome shift in the conversation, promoting awareness of how lifestyle choices can support women through this transition. The six pillars of lifestyle medicine—healthy eating, physical activity, stress management, avoidance of risky substances, social connection, and restorative sleep—offer a holistic framework.
I love that we’re finally talking about the sometimes debilitating impacts of menopause symptoms. But let’s be honest, some things are out of our control. I would love to be sleeping at least six hours straight a night, yet achieving restorative sleep feels like a distant dream.
While Australia continues to make progress in gender equality on paper, the reality for many women in midlife tells a different story. Menopause, and the complex challenges it brings, remains largely unacknowledged in everyday life and workplace culture.
It is time to bring menopause into the spotlight. We must raise awareness about the menopausal load and advocate for its recognition in workplaces, healthcare systems, and public policy. Discuss it openly, write about your experiences, and support those who are going through it. By acknowledging this stage of life, we empower women to seek support, demand change, and navigate menopause with dignity and understanding.