Hot flushes, loss of sleep and mood swings are commonly associated with menopause, but women who've experienced the change are also more at risk of chronic diseases. Queensland researchers are looking at why they're more susceptible, in a bid to raise awareness about the challenges menopausal women face.
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00:00 Mel Kettle has no trouble focusing on her work these days, but 12 years ago she thought
00:07 she was losing her mind.
00:09 "I thought I had early onset dementia and that was terrifying."
00:14 She now knows she was going through perimenopause when a woman's ovaries slowed down in the
00:19 lead up to her last period.
00:21 "I remember talking to my doctor and saying I've got all these weird things happening,
00:26 I've gained heaps of weight, I'm really forgetful, I'm really anxious."
00:31 The then 41-year-old was incorrectly told she was too young to be going through the
00:36 hormonal transition, forcing her to do her own research, something academics say is far
00:42 too common.
00:43 "Many people think of hot flashes as that cliche symptom.
00:47 Oestrogen also has implications all around the body, so mood disturbances, poor sleep
00:53 quality."
00:54 University of the Sunshine Coast researchers say they're trying to learn more about the
00:59 understudied phase of life and why it increases the risk of chronic health diseases.
01:04 "Cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and even dementia later on in life."
01:10 The study compares women before, during and after menopause and looks at whether lifestyle
01:16 factors like weight gain, diet, exercise and sleep play a role.
01:21 "I've discovered I was sometimes waking up six times a night.
01:24 It was a big shock, you know, and just having this fatigue and brain fog."
01:30 75 participants have so far taken part in the assessment.
01:35 By the end of the year, researchers hope to have 200, to better understand the complexities
01:40 of women's health.
01:42 With the hope their efforts will go towards preparing and supporting the next generation.
01:47 "The more people who understand and the more naturally we can have conversations about
01:52 this, then we can help reduce some of that stigma."
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