Menopause is weird. If you are a human woman, you are born with every egg present in your ovaries. By the time you reach your fifties, every egg is gone. You stop menstruating. As your hormone levels change, you experience symptoms ranging from hot flashes to decreased bone density. We don't know much about it, because only humans and a few whales Experience it. there is also one gap in research Especially for women's health.
Several recent initiatives from both the public and private sectors are trying to change this. Last year, First Lady Jill Biden launched White House initiative on women's health To help bridge the research gap on conditions such as menopause. Additionally, if you have an Apple Watch, you can choose to contribute your data to Apple Women's Health StudyDesigned to further the understanding of the menstrual cycle.
Tomorrow, Smart-ring manufacturer Ora first announced perimenopause reportWhich collects long-term data from 100,000 de-identified Oura ring wearers to help understand how perimenopause and menopause can affect your day-to-day life.
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Photograph: Adrienne So
The term “perimenopause” refers to the years leading up to menopause, which is when your periods end; Some people call it “second youthBecause the range of physical symptoms is very wide. It usually lasts for about four years, but in some women it can last up to 14 years. It's amazing to think that 50 percent of the human population experiences sleep disturbances for more than a decade. Night sweats, memory problemsor weight gain (or loss, this affects everyone differently).
As Oura points out in its data, only 28 percent of women know what's going to happen during perimenopause, which is a huge information gap when you consider what every middle-schooler knows about what happens with their menstruation. Takes a health class to prepare for it. The first step is to recognize that it is happening. To that end, Aura recently added 17 new tags, like hot flashes, hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and spotting, so its users can start seeing trends in their timelines.
One of the most important findings in Ora's report is that peri- and post-menopausal sleep is hugely affected. Hot flashes increase dramatically during perimenopause and early postmenopause. A hot flash can last from thirty seconds to 10 minutes and 69 percent of hot flashes are associated with waking during the night. As anyone who has cared for an infant can attest, frequent awakenings during the night can affect your functioning the next day.
Acne, inflammation and migraine aura are some of the most common symptoms reported by women in the perimenopausal age range. The most worrying thing to me is that perimenopausal women report a 20 to 30 percent decline heart rate variabilityHigh HRV means that your nervous system is responsive and flexible; You can cope with changing circumstances, handle lots of physical activities, and manage stress. Low HRV is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events.
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Even once you know you're experiencing perimenopausal symptoms, it can be a little difficult to know what to do about it. menopause hormone therapy This is a common, if somewhat controversial, option. But the solution at scale—like an employer optimize health conditions– A little out of our control. Still, if you pay attention sleep quality As you enter perimenopause, HRV decreases, leading to decreased The amount of alcohol and caffeine you consume or increasing regular cardio activity Can help.
As both public and private organizations learn to use power smart rings and others fitness wearablesWe can begin to shed some light on this uniquely human condition. It's not just your imagination – you don't have to figure out a way to gain power on your own.