Yes, Manopause is real

While women may experience hot flushes, mood swings and all sorts of other symptoms throughout menopause, men also go through their own version of Manopause. Women have laughed about this for a long time but we do have to think about it and its consequences for the men in our lives that we love.

Men may go out and buy a sports car, take up a life-endangering sport or get hair implants and all of a sudden think 20 year gorgeous hot girl are interested in them (some not all) but they don't realise they're going through exactly the same thing women are, change in life, Manopause.

Both sexes get hormonal changes during the later years of life but we deal with it very differently. As they age, men have a decrease in testosterone, increase in fat mass, loss in muscle mass which is a life-altering time for men as they are inherently used to being the one who is in control and is virile and strong. Coming to terms with this can be tough for men.

Women will talk to their girlfriends about menopause but men can’t talk to their mates about these issues very often as it’s not culturally acceptable. Men go through depression and anxiety during their later years as women often do but they won’t talk about it, as it probably scares them and that’s fair enough. As a society, we are coming to terms with talking about depression and anxiety and realising that this is very common.

As women, we have to recognise the symptoms and help them through it as we communicate well and can deal with these change (well mostly 😊). Manopause can be medically diagnosed through a physical examination and a test to measure their testosterone levels. A decline in testosterone is completely normal as men age but they can still produce sperm well into their 80’s, unlike women whose reproduction days are completely over.

Men can experience things like loss of sex drive, tiredness, weakness and depression which can all be helped through exercise, eating well and generally looking after your mind and body. There’s no shame in talking about these changes to your partner or wife so maybe we ladies should open that door ever so gently if we think we see it in our own partners. Just letting someone know you are there if they want to talk can make the world of difference.