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Health check-ups

Menopause: understanding and navigating this transition

IRIS Prévention
2 December 2026
Menopause is not an illness, but a natural transition. Understanding it well means being able to go through it more serenely.

Menopause marks the end of the fertile period and is accompanied by hormonal changes that influence the body and well-being. Often feared, sometimes taboo, it benefits from being better understood. Because if it brings its share of symptoms, it is prepared and accompanied, and in no way prevents you from living fully.

1. What is menopause?

Menopause corresponds to the definitive cessation of periods, confirmed after a period without menstruation. It most often occurs around the age of fifty and results from a decline in the production of ovarian hormones. It is preceded by a transition phase, perimenopause.

2. Variable symptoms

SymptomFrequency
Hot FlashesCommon
Sleep disordersFrequent
Changes moodPossible
Dryness, discomfortPossible

The intensity of the symptoms varies greatly from one woman to another: some barely experience them, others more markedly. No experience is “abnormal”.

3. Health issues to watch out for

The drop in estrogens accelerates bone loss (risk of osteoporosis) and modifies the cardiovascular profile. This is why menopause is a key moment to strengthen prevention: physical activity, diet, blood pressure and bone monitoring.

4. Experience this stage better

Many measures help you get through menopause better: physical activity, sleep, balanced diet, stress management. Depending on the situation, medical support may be offered to relieve the symptoms. Talking about it allows you to find suitable solutions.

    • Stay active for your bones, heart and morale
    • Take care of sleep, diet and stress management
    • Talk to a professional for bothersome symptoms

Menopause is a transition, not an end: well supported, it is part of an active and fulfilled life.

💡 tips to remember

    • Menopause is a natural transition: the permanent cessation of periods, most often around the age of fifty, preceded by perimenopause.
    • Hot flashes, sleep disturbances and mood changes are common, but their intensity varies greatly: no experience is abnormal.
    • The decline in estrogen accelerates bone loss and modifies the cardiovascular profile: this is a key moment for prevention.
    • Staying active protects the bones, the heart and morale; sleep, diet and stress management also count.
    • For bothersome symptoms, I talk to a professional: appropriate support can be offered.