Women's Life Stage 4 | Back to you

  • Overview
Women's Health
For many women, this stage can be an opportunity to shift focus back to you. But whether your children are leaving home or you’ve built a solid career – this is as much a time to enjoy new found freedoms as it is to choose new directions.

It’s also a time of great change for your body. Menopause is a key development women will experience at this stage. But as Dr Annie Evans explains, this shift can bring problems that you may not have expected.

Some women discover they have increasingly heavy periods in the lead up to menopause, while others find they’re not coping emotionally. Hot flushes and night sweats are to be expected – but the loss of sleep and concentration can also have an impact on normal life and work.

Sometimes more serious health issues like thyroid problems or diabetes can present. And unfortunately, some women will be diagnosed with breast cancer.

None of this needs to stand in your way. Slowing down might be the last thing on your mind and staying on top of your health can give you the edge you need to take on the next challenge.

Areas to consider at this stage include:

Less common:

This stage not for you? Perhaps you're looking for Stage 3 | Life balance. Or you may be ready for Stage 5 | Freedom to Explore.

Last updated Tuesday 18 April 2017

First published on Tuesday 8 September 2015

Women's Health