Struggling with your 40s? For many women, it’s perimenopause
The forties may have gained a reputation for being the age when bad things happen to a woman’s body, but there is no magic to this number.
Every woman goes through these physiological changes in their own time. The 40s is, however, the age when perimenopause is most likely to hit women, and it is good to know what changes to expect and how to combat them.
Perimenopause can be loosely defined as the prep time that a female body takes to transition into menopause, and it is here that hormones such as oestrogen and progesterone start to destabilise.
The most notable changes a woman faces physically at this time are weight gain, a deteriorating skin texture, and exhaustion. Doctors have noted that this particular weight gain is not just visible on the scale — it settles distinctly on the hips, giving the body a more rotund look.
The loss of oestrogen and progesterone is directly responsible for saggy and more dehydrated skin, fine lines and the loss of skin suppleness due to decreasing collagen.
Dr Kazi Azmiri Hoque, RMO at the Obs Gyn Department of Meditech General Hospital, mentions, “Women can sometimes lose the softness of their face, and even the litheness of their build during this process, and gain some facial hair.”
Women hitting this age also often complain of losing hair volume, but this is not common to everyone.
One of the most important jobs of oestrogen is to keep young joints greased — women losing this hormone in their 40s, therefore, often complain of joint stiffness, bone and back pain over time, especially if they have a BMI on the higher side.
Women also lose muscle mass and strength by up to 15 per cent during this time, increasing the risk of fractures and osteoporosis.
Other effects of hitting pre-menopause include vision changes and dry eyes, a weak pelvic floor, especially for women who have given birth, sleep challenges, fatigue and consequent brain fog.
These, however, are only the tip of the proverbial iceberg of perimenopause.
Oestrogen provides a buffer against cardiovascular ageing and even insulin sensitivity. A decrease in the hormone could therefore render women more vulnerable to cardiovascular risks and strokes, and increase the risks of Type 2 diabetes.
Wild fluctuations of hormones before the last period may cause irregular periods, hot flashes and night sweats, vaginal dryness, and wild mood swings in women.
“One of the reasons women dread menopause is because they feel that this would mean the end of sexual desire and physical love, but this is far from the truth,” shares Azmiri. “In fact, libido remains unchanged and sexual relations can continue well into menopause.”
Vaginal dryness may be an issue during this time, but lubricants can help make things better. While these are all intimidating factors to consider, not every woman goes through all these factors, and definitely not all at once.
“Oftentimes, women find themselves dealing with teenage children in their 40s, or ailing parents,” confides Azmiri. “These are stressors which may manifest themselves in the form of aches and pains. Most doctors group these ailments under menopause, making it a villainous stage in women’s lives.”
However, there are several ways in which a woman can combat the negative effects of perimenopause in her 40s. She can choose to switch to a healthy lifestyle, incorporating a balanced diet, for instance.
A dietician will be especially beneficial here, as they can chalk out a phytoestrogen-rich diet including foods like flaxseeds, soy, and lentils, balance blood sugar levels, and order a reduction in nicotine, caffeine, and alcoholic beverages.
Women can also take up regular exercise, leaving behind a sedentary way of life, and practice stress management techniques such as yoga or meditation. A good sleep hygiene, such as a solid eight-hour shut-eye and a no-screens rule an hour before bedtime, can help counter fatigue and brain fog.
More than anything else, having a good sense of awareness of what is going on in your body means that half the battle is already won. Knowing and expecting, and to some extent perhaps even combating the signs of perimenopause, can make your 40s much less daunting, allowing you to embrace this milestone age as a special number, not a dreaded one.
Header Image: The image is created via generative AI.
This story was originally published on The Daily Star, an ANN partner of Dawn.
If you're over 60 and playing with sex toys, you're not alone
New study suggests that many older women use sex toys to promote orgasm, which may promote positive health outcomes
The Menopause Society
CLEVELAND, Ohio (Nov 26, 2025) –Although research on sexuality in older adults has been growing in recent years, most of the studies are focused on partnered sexual activity and not on solo sexual behavior, including masturbation or the use of sex toys. A new study specifically investigated sex toy use during partnered sex and masturbation in older adult women. Results of the study are published online today in Menopause, the journal of The Menopause Society.
Women are less likely to masturbate than men, and masturbation tends to be negatively associated with age. Women are more likely to use masturbation as complementary to partnered sex, whereas men use it to compensate for lack of partnered sex. Although there has historically been a stigma associated with masturbation and the use of sex toys, especially for women, the reality is that there are a number of positive health outcomes that may be related to masturbation in older adults. There is also evidence that such behavior is associated with improved cognitive function, specifically better word recall.
During the COVID pandemic, there was a spike in the sale of sex toys. One U.S. study found that one in five respondents reported expanding their sexual repertoire by adding new activities, including using a sex toy with a partner, during the pandemic. There is also evidence that older women are engaging in more varied sexual acts, including sex toy use. Because penetrative sex may become more painful and difficult because of menopause and erectile problems in men, alternative modes of sexual expression, including sex-toy use, may be replacing intercourse.
Another contributing factor is that an increasing number of older women are living alone, either because of divorce, widowhood or an intentional choice to remain single. In response, sex-toy companies are increasingly designing and marketing sex toys for older adult women, including toys specifically targeting those in menopause.
In a new, one-of-the-first-of-its-kind studies involving more than 3,000 women aged 60 years and older, researchers confirmed that there was a growing prevalence of masturbation and sex-toy use in this population and that such use led to a higher frequency of orgasm. More specifically, participants reported much greater use of sex toys during masturbation than during sex with a partner. Those who reported almost always or always using sex toys during masturbation were significantly more likely to report always or almost always having an organism. The most frequently used sex toys were an external vibrator or a dildo/penetrative toy.
Of those who had partner sex, more than one-third (38.7%) reported using sex toys during partnered sex at least sometimes. Because of the prevalence of masturbation and sex-toy use, as well as their relationships to orgasm and possible improved health outcomes and well-being, the researchers suggest that older women could benefit from receiving more information from their health care professionals on these topics.
Study results are published in the article “Sex toy use among a demographically representative sample of women 60 and older in the United States.”
“Lack of understanding of female anatomy, the sexual response cycle, and underlying factors resulting in orgasm is common among both older and younger women. The physical and mental benefits of fulfilling sexual function are well known. By initiating conversations around sexuality in routine healthcare encounters, healthcare professionals can destigmatize the topic and provide valuable instruction on how to achieve an orgasm. Many women believe something is wrong with them because they can’t achieve orgasm with a partner, when the truth is that most women don’t reach orgasm with penetrative intercourse alone. This simple knowledge has the potential to significantly impact the high prevalence of female sexual dysfunction,” says Dr. Monica Christmas, associate medical director for The Menopause Society.
For more information about menopause and healthy aging, visit www.menopause.org.
The Menopause Society is dedicated to empowering healthcare professionals and providing them with the tools and resources to improve the health of women during the menopause transition and beyond. As the leading authority on menopause since 1989, the nonprofit, multidisciplinary organization serves as the independent, evidence-based resource for healthcare professionals, researchers, the media, and the public and leads the conversation about improving women’s health and healthcare experiences. To learn more, visit menopause.org.
Journal
Menopause
Method of Research
Survey
Article Title
Sex toy use among a demographically representative sample of women 60 and older in the United States
Article Publication Date
26-Nov-2025
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