Hot Flashes and Hot Yoga – Reflections on Middle Age
Debbie Reinheimer
| 3 min read
It started with a hot flash – that all-too-common experience for women in my age group that compels us to hastily remove our top layer of clothing and make MacGyver-like fanning devices from nearby paper goods. It was my third one of the day. Could it be “the change”?
I looked online for information. What I found was a lot of clinical information – sanitized, dry, straight-up information. I wanted something more colorful. So, I started talking to my friends about it. I wanted to hear about their experiences. And not just about “the change,” but about all the other things we were going through.
Why does my hip hurt in the morning?
What are some fun, new exercise classes my friends and I could try?
How can my spouse and I reconnect now that we’re not consumed with the kids’ daily lives?
When will I need to start learning about Medicare?
How will I know when my parents aren’t safe to drive themselves anymore?
I found it was a lot more enjoyable to talk with my friends and family members about our experiences. But, I also wanted some third-party, objective information to add some scientific validation to my friends’ insightful and entertaining observations.
A few of my friends had raved about how good hot yoga made them feel. But was it safe for my friend with high blood pressure?
Some other friends shared their exasperation in trying to find caregivers for their aging parents. But they weren’t aware of the many resources available from local agencies like the Area Agency on Aging.
Which brings us to this new blog series, the Midlife Map. A few times each month, we’ll share some experiences, sprinkled with scientific validation or third-party information, focused on the life and health issues common to those in the 45-64 age group.
And not just issues. Opportunities too. Because many of us are just getting started. There’s a whole lot of fun ahead of us, even if we must stretch first and carry a pocket fan in our bag.
I hope you’ll come back to this series throughout the year. Share it with your friends. And drop us a line if you have an idea for a topic you’d like us to cover. You can do that by sharing a comment below.
If you really want to follow along, subscribe by email and you’ll get each new Midlife Map blog post delivered right to your inbox!
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Photo credit: Fat Camera
