Every fall and spring, I rotate the items in my wardrobe from the closet to storage bags. At the moment, I don’t have a walk-in closet that can house all the clothes and shoes I own. Let me tell you that when that becomes the case, I will have officially made it. Until then, however, I will be doing this much dreaded chore of shifting out my fall and winter wardrobe for my spring and summer wardrobe (and vice-versa) every year – twice a year.
When I turned 50 a couple of years ago, (see my blog post, “What My Forties Taught Me”), I realized that I had gone a couple of winters without wearing any turtlenecks or sweaters. Then it hit me – I am a woman of a certain age. And just uttering that sentence feels kind of liberating. I recall several years ago reading about mature women who dress in layers because it’s easier to take something off when they get too warm, and then put it back on if necessary. Well, once I hit perimenopause, I was baptized into this club. Just the mere thought of wearing a turtleneck makes me want to pass clean out!
To be trapped in a hot sweater – even in the dead of winter, should be considered self-harm for a menopausal woman. It just ain’t right. The wiser choice calls for a long sleeved or elbow length blouse with a jacket or heavy coat, depending on the severity of the windchill. If you live in the Midwest like me, then you have to be the judge of how light or heavy you go. If you live in a warmer climate, you are probably fortunate enough to only have one set of clothing year-round, which should make your layering a cinch.
I know what you’re thinking. Girl, is it really that serious?
Me:
For the women who have never experienced hot flashes,
But seriously, count yourself fortunate, blessed, lucky, or superhuman, especially if you’re over the age of 45 and have never experienced the inferno – cause, yeah – these flashes? They ain’t for the weak.
Some women do hormone replacement therapy, take supplements, and change their diets, while others choose a more holistic approach.
And unbelievably, some women choose to suffer through this time in life by doing nothing – seeing it as a rite of passage that all of their foremothers had to bear as well.
If that’s you, let me ask you something:
Sorry. Not sorry.
I’m sure women who have night sweats understand my war cry. I’ve been told that night sweats make you want to sleep naked on ice packs. Thankfully, I haven’t suffered that fate, but I still have to keep my nightwear light – much to my husband’s delight. Speaking of which, long pajamas for adults just shouldn’t be a thing. Why would folks want to have something clinging to their legs while under some covers?
But I digress.
I have officially donated and passed along all my heavy winter wear. Now, when I see a woman in 30-degree weather wearing only a denim jacket or a duster sweater and a scarf, I immediately recognize that I am her and she is me.
And we are both women of a certain age.
Comments (2)
Girlfriend you hit this one on the nail.
The night sweat is real. Let me tell you. One night I woke up soak-and-wet from sweating. I thought one of my young men had turn the heat up high because it felt like August in Chicago with no breeze and not even the swimming pool cool give you a sense of relief kind of day.
I got out of my bed in the middle of the winter night, went to the thermostat (mad) to turn it down.
When I got to the thermostat it was off. I looked a second time just to make sure that it really was off.
IT WAS!
Now I am walking back to my room in the dark apologizing to everyone who I had awaken.
I had to make some sleeping adjustments.
That menopausal heat is on a level of its own.
Wow! Many women have experienced the night sweats, but thankfully, those are not my portion. 🤣 Hot flashes are of the devil, though!