Advocates warn how the hidden costs of menopause could hurt your retirement plans

Menopause. Once spoken of in hushed tones, this natural part of aging is now talked about openly. But while we better understand how menopause can impact your physical and mental health, many will be surprised how much this life transition will cost and why it could leave us financially worse off in retirement.

That is the warning from the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) who say that one in seven Australian women will pay a superannuation savings penalty as they transition through menopause.

Their research found that 20,000 women will be forced to switch from full-time to part-time work from debilitating symptoms, only 10,000 will return later and around 4,000 will retire early.

A spokesperson for ASFA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mary Delahunty said this meant that a significant proportion of the 160,000 women who enter menopause each year are being hit hard financially and their is income inequality is significant.

“Women who are unable to continue working during menopause and are forced to retire around five years prematurely are potentially foregoing an estimated $60,000 in lost retirement savings, ” they said.

“You might expect these stats would make menopause a key business continuity issue, yet it remains mostly hidden and rarely discussed at work, with most women admitting to not feeling comfortable speaking with their manager about it.”

Research by Menopause Friendly revealed that one in four women considered leaving work during their menopause transition, due to the sometimes debilitating physical and mental health impacts, while 83 per cent of those surveyed report lost productivity due to symptoms and 67 percent said they had related mental health concerns.

Unfortunately, the issue is not discussed openly and the community does not understand the full impact of menopause on women’s working lives.

In light of this, ASFA is calling for a comprehensive survey of Australian women regarding the impacts of menopause transition on work and career, including early retirement as part of the Senate Inquiry into Issues Related to Menopause and Perimenopause.

Although these statistics are concerning, hope is at hand and there are ways you can help manage your symptoms if your menopause is challenging.

While most women will begin to go through menopause between the ages of 45 to 55 (with menopausal symptoms lasting anywhere from five years), for those less fortunate, symptoms could persist for up to 10 years.

Anything that occurs to a woman after this period is considered “post menopausal” – medically speaking – 12 months after they have experienced their last period.

But there is some light amid the gloom. Let’s consider the symptoms, how we manage them and why we should rethink the ageing process.

1. Loss of libido

The Problem

Having no interest in sex or a decrease in libido is one of a slew of symptoms which occur during vaginal atrophy. Atrophic vaginitis, as it may also be known, occurs when estrogen levels drop after menopause. The lack of estrogen causes the vaginal walls to thin, dry out and become more fragile, which could lead to the following symptoms, According to Healthline:

• thinning of the vaginal walls
• shortening and tightening of the vaginal canal
• lack of vaginal moisture (vaginal dryness)
• vaginal burning (inflammation)
• spotting after intercourse
• discomfort or pain during intercourse
• pain or burning with urination
• more frequent urinary tract infections
• urinary incontinence (involuntary leakage)

The Solution

Your GP can order tests to see if you have vaginal atrophy and can provide topical estrogen, HRT options or oral estrogen.

Give your underwear drawer a clear out. Wearing comfortable, cotton underwear, or underwear made from natural fibres, improves the air circulation around your nether regions. Tight-fitting clothes or synthetic fibres may breed an environment ripe for bacteria that can lead to nasty infections.

2. Weight gain

The Problem

The dreaded middle aged spread. Some say it’s unavoidable, others say it’s genetics, and some will blame menopause. In reality, all of those things have a role to play in weight gain.

As we age, our bodies lose muscle tone and our metabolism slows down. If we continue to consume the same amount of calories, even if we still do the same amount of exercise, you will find that squeezing into your jeans may be considered a cardio workout in and of itself.

So where does menopause fit in? The hormonal changes in your body that result from menopause do not directly impact your weight gain, rather where the weight is distributed.

The Australian Menopause Society explains, “Contrary to popular belief, weight gain around menopause is mainly associated with your lifestyle and ageing. Hormonal changes of menopause do result in a change in body composition with increased fat and decreased muscle (thus no net change in weight) and can cause fat to settle in your abdomen rather than your hips, thighs and buttocks.”

The Solution

Good old-fashioned nutrition and exercise. Eat well and move your body. Consuming a balanced, healthy diet will help maintain your weight, boost your energy levels, and will do wonders for your mental health.

“Clean eating” first entered the lexicon in 2007 and has proven to be a mainstay in how we think about food. Put simply, clean eating is the kind of food you’re used to eating growing up. Nothing processed, no additives, no preservatives and certainly nothing from a packet. It’s good food cooked from natural ingredients.

Then there’s the exercise component. To keep your body in tip-top shape, you don’t need to train like a movie star. If you can manage 30 minutes of walking every day, you are on your way to a healthier you. To increase your muscle tone, resistance training will help you reach your fitness goals much faster.

Poor sleep