Menopause can be a sneaky little thief, can’t it? One minute, you’re confidently handling meetings, deadlines, and office banter like a pro, and the next, you’re battling brain fog, sweating through your shirt, and wondering if you just imagined sending that important email. It’s not just frustrating, it can feel like you’re losing yourself completely.
You’re not alone. 13 million women in the UK are currently in their menopause transition, and yet, too often, the workplace isn’t set up to support us. But here’s the good news: there are things you can do to help yourself, and yes, your employer has a responsibility to support you too.
The Challenges You Might Be Facing
Let’s be honest, menopause symptoms don’t politely clock in after work hours. They barge right in during that big presentation, your morning meeting, or worse, your performance review.
Some of the most common challenges include:
Brain Fog & Memory Lapses – It is very common for women during menopause to struggle to remember what they were speaking about mid-sentence, be unable to recall words that are on the tip of their tongue, or struggle to put names to recognisable faces. We often also forget what we walked into a room to do, put things away in the wrong place or be unable to remember activities unless they are in the diary.
Hot Flushes & Night Sweats – Night sweats will leave you exhausted and emotionally unstable because they disrupt your sleep cycle. Hot flushes occur any time of day and can feel embarrassing to us when we visibly start to sweat, go red in the face, neck and chest and become so hot that we feel like we are burning on the inside. We might worry about what our colleagues and peers are thinking of us which only exacerbates the problem.
Anxiety & Mood Swings – These are some of the most common but least talked about symptoms, often because women do not want to admit they are struggling, especially in the work environment. Anxiety will often start the moment you wake up, worrying about the day ahead, tasks you used to take in your stride, now becoming a struggle. Even getting in the car to drive to work, can become something we struggle with, even though we have driven for many years.
That amount of stress and worry often leads to mood swings, when one minute we are fine and the next a rage waves through our bodies. It can be a scary experience both for us and those around us.
Poor Sleep – If you are not getting enough Deep or REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, then you are not getting the repair and restoration for your physical, mental and emotional well-being that occurs during your sleep. This leads us to feel tired, sluggish and emotional and can become a vicious cycle and affect our performance at work.
Physical symptoms – Joint pain, headaches, dizziness—the list goes on.
These symptoms aren’t just ‘part of life’ they can have a real impact on your confidence, productivity, and even your career progression.
What You Can Do to Help Yourself?
While menopause can throw us some serious curveballs, affecting our physical and mental health, relationships and careers, there are steps you can take to help yourself thrive at work again.
Get Clued Up on Your Rights
Your employer has a legal duty to support you. The Equality Act 2010 protects against discrimination based on age, sex and disability and menopause is increasingly recognised as a workplace issue. Plus, the Health and Safety at Work Act means your employer should be making reasonable adjustments for you.
Some companies have menopause policies in place, offering things like flexible working, temperature control options, or access to occupational health. If they don’t, it might be time to start the conversation.
Have an Honest Conversation
If you're aware your menopause is affecting your work, speaking to your manager or HR could be helpful, even though it will likely feel uncomfortable or scary for some.
You don’t have to share every detail (unless you want to), but explaining that you’re dealing with menopause-related challenges can help open up support options. If that feels daunting, bringing in a trusted colleague or requesting a confidential chat with HR can make it easier. Remember, they have a responsibility to support you, listen to your concerns and help you resolve any issues. If you are still unsure, speak to your GP, Clinician or Menopause Specialist to get advice.
Ask for Reasonable Adjustments
You wouldn’t hesitate to ask for support if you had a physical condition impacting your work, menopause should be no different. Some simple adjustments that might help include:
A desk fan or access to cooler areas
Flexible working or remote work options - These now have to be considered.
More breaks during the day
If you work in an environment where you need permission to leave your workstation, request access to leave for toilet breaks as and when required
Adjusted deadlines if brain fog is slowing you down
Access to a quiet space when you need to reset
Prioritise Your Wellbeing
This isn’t just about surviving menopause at work, it’s about continuing to thrive at work and enjoy your career.
Some practical ways to take care of yourself include:
Sleep: Prioritise good sleep habits: reduce alcohol and caffeine, create a wind-down routine, a warm bath, reading, meditation, whatever makes you feel relaxed and slow down. Reduce screen time before bed and ideally leave your phone in another room whilst you sleep. Whatever you do, don't get tempted to pick up your phone in the middle of the night!
Nutrition: Reduce processed foods in your diet, as much as possible. Stick to a well-balanced natural diet, remembering the phrase, 'eat the rainbow'! Find what works for you, test, to find anything that triggers gut-related issues and exclude them from your diet. You do not need me to tell you what to eat, you need to explore your diet and understand how your body thrives best.
Movement: You don't have to join a gym, or train for a marathon (unless that's your thing!). Keep it realistic and start small to create new habits. New habits are created by setting manageable expectations. When we succeed, we are more likely to continue. Start with a brisk walk daily. Add in some stretching, maybe joining a Yoga, or Pilates class. Then start to add in some weights, starting with a tin of beans is perfectly fine! All you need to do is get started and keep building. Find an activity you enjoy, for me it is dancing, something I loved as a child and young adult. If you enjoy it, it won't become a chore!
Hydration: Dehydration makes hot flushes worse, keep that water bottle close and aim for 2-3 litres of water a day. Remember if you are spending the day, going from meeting to meeting, don't leave the bottle on your desk, take it with you! You'll suddenly notice how many other bottles there are in the room! Yes you will urinate more but that's not a bad thing, get those toxins out! I promise you will feel better for it and your skin will thank you too!
Mindfulness & Stress Management: Breathing exercises, meditation, or even just taking five minutes to step outside can help keep overwhelm to a minimum. If you feel yourself becoming stressed, learn to recognise the signs. Has your heart rate got faster? Is your breathing shallower? Has your body started to heat up and your face flush? These are all signs you are under stress. Focusing on the breath is one of the most powerful tools we have to reduce stress and anxiety.
Find Your Support System
You don’t have to do this alone. Whether it’s a menopause support group at work, online communities (there are some great ones on Facebook), or just a few trusted friends, talking about what you’re going through can be a huge relief. And if things feel unmanageable, speaking to your GP or a Menopause Specialist about treatment options could be worth exploring.
You Deserve to Feel Like Yourself Again
As women, we can't avoid Menopause, but struggling through it in silence at work is not an option.
You’re still the same capable, brilliant person you’ve always been, you just need the right support to keep showing up as your best self.
So, let’s start making workplaces menopause-friendly, not just for us but for the women coming up behind us too. You deserve to thrive not just survive, at work.
We achieve all of this by being open, communicating about what is happening to us and being honest with ourselves.
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