Postmenopause: The New Perception

Scott Griessel/Creatista/PhotoSpin

There has been a huge change in the perception of postmenopause.

According to Epigee.com, this could be partially due to the fact women live more than a third of their lives after menopause.

Many women see the benefits associated with postmenopause. The Independent reported a survey commissioned for Health Plus magazine which found 72 percent of women thought they are "just as attractive as before," while 82 percent felt "as feminine as before."

According to the survey, 8 out of 10 said they had an overwhelming "sense of freedom" and 6 out of 10 women said they felt "better than ever before." The women also felt an average of 10 years younger than their real age.

Postmenopausal women may find themselves free to enjoy sex now that many of the worries associated with it no longer apply, said Epigee.org.

A recent study in the United Kingdom found that most postmenopausal women actually have better sex lives than they did before menopause. Of the women participating in the study, 65 percent reported being happier in their sex lives, and this may be due to the lack of concern over an unplanned pregnancy.

Postmenopausal women also seem to have an easier time reaching orgasm, and are more likely to experience multiple orgasms during intercourse, wrote Epigee.org.

Health.com said that older women know what they want in the bedroom and typically aren’t shy asking for it.

“There’s some data to suggest that women become less inhibited as they age, so it’s often a time of relaxation and being comfortable with who you are, and that often improves sexual functioning and sexual performance,” Dr. Margaret E. Wierman, a professor of medicine, physiology, and biophysics at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center told Health.com.

It is true that menopause can lead to vaginal dryness, wrote Health.com. But this can be an excuse to discover new, more pleasurable experiences.

“Vaginal dryness after menopause may encourage woman to experiment with vaginal lubricants designed to promote vasodilation and thus increase pleasure,” Amanda Richards, MD, an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine told Health.com.

Postmenopausal women can also spend more time on themselves. Many go back to school, take classes, develop new hobbies, travel or explore new leisure activities, said WomentoWomen.com.

Many women find themselves experiencing new levels of satisfaction in their lives after menopause, wrote Epigee.org. In a recent study, more than 75 percent of women reported they were having more fun in their everyday lives, and 93 percent reported an increase in their independence.

Health.com said that postmenopausal women are more likely to have achieved their career goals and therefore experience less stress. And less stress is always a welcome benefit.

Sources:

Ironside, Virginia. "Why women feel great after the menopause - Health News - Health & Families - The Independent." The Independent | News | UK and Worldwide News | Newspaper . N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Aug. 2012.
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/why-women-feel-great-after-the-menopause-465200.html

Gardner, Amanda. "Top reasons why sex is better after menopause - Health.com." Health.com: Fitness, Nutrition, Tools, News, Health Magazine. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Sept. 2012.
http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20348327,00.html

"Many Benefits of Life After Menopause." Epigee Pregnancy Resource. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Sept. 2012.
http://www.epigee.org/benefits-of-menopause.html

Mayne, Debby. "Life After Menopause | eHow.com." eHow | How to Videos, Articles & More - Discover the expert in you. | eHow.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Sept. 2012.
http://www.ehow.com/about_5501550_life-after-menopause.html

"Menopause Information." Epigee Pregnancy Resource. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Sept. 2012.
http://www.epigee.org/menopause/lifeafter.html

Mills, MD, Dixie. "Post menopausal — what is post menopause?" Women to Women — Changing women's health — naturally. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Sept. 2012.
http://www.womentowomen.com/menopause/postmenopausal.aspx

Reviewed September 13, 2012
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith

Keywords: post-menopause, postmenopausal women, sex lives, vaginal dryness, lives, less stress, after menopause

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