Best Gift Ideas for the Menopausal Person in Your Life

If What to Expect When You’re Expecting is the ultimate book about pregnancy, we now (finally) have its menopause equivalent, penned by Mary Claire Haver, MD: The New Menopause: Navigating Your Path Through Hormonal Change With Purpose, Power, and Facts. Dr. Haver was inspired to write this book by her own perimenopause and menopause journey. As an ob-gyn, she admits that she and her colleagues are woefully uneducated about what happens to women as egg reserves tick down and estrogen and progesterone are no longer regulated by a cycle. Despite being chock-full of science and data, the book is super easy to read and understand.

Breasts are fun and funny because of how much they change size and shape, sometimes seemingly overnight. Menopausal breasts are no different. But if you, like me, find that sports bras act more like straitjackets than anything else (taking off a sweaty sports bra takes a lot of energy I no longer have), you’re ready for something more comfortable and easy to wear. Shefit is a company founded by women for women that has created what I believe to be the perfect sports bra. The zipper in front might not be as revolutionary as it once was, but Shefit bras go one or two steps further. The shoulder straps and chest band are made with Velcro and are fully adjustable. This means that you can easily loosen or tighten every part of the bra to give you perfect support and coverage — whatever size or shape your breasts happen to be that day.

Sleep is the single most important aspect of overall health. It is also nearly impossible to get during the menopausal journey. One huge reason for that is night sweats. These are hot flashes that happen while you’re asleep and often cause you to wake up dripping with sweat. Both phenomena are the result of plummeting estrogen and the body’s vasomotor system or temperature regulation being unable to compensate. A cooling pillow, such as this one from Slumber Cloud, can help ease the nighttime heat by keeping your head cooler. That means you might actually get more sleep.

In keeping with the theme of better sleep, it never hurts to have an extra bedside fan to help keep the skin a little cooler during the night. This compact fan is small enough to fit on any nightstand, yet strong enough to produce cooling air at five different speeds. It’s even got a remote, making it easy to fire up in the dead of night. But we all know that hot flashes don’t only occur at night, which leads to this next idea. …

Hot flashes are the most common symptom of perimenopause and menopause, as well as the most well-known. I remember the first time I had one, in my mid-thirties: I thought I was going to die as heat shot up my chest and into my head while I was sitting on the sidelines of my son’s football game. Yes, hot flashes can start in your thirties, and by your forties they become almost a mainstay — and they can continue throughout the rest of your life. This Ryobi clamp fan is small, portable, and powerful. You can keep it in your car or carry it in your bag. It’s light and can work for up to seven hours on one battery charge.

Fiber becomes even more important as we age because the body’s digestive system no longer functions as well it used to. One of the tastiest ways to get that fiber, as well as other essential vitamins, is through smoothies. While it may be easier to run to a nearby restaurant to get one, those are loaded with added sugar, which is absolutely not your friend during menopause (as I’ve also learned). A Nutribullet blender allows you to create your own smoothies at home at a fraction of the calories, sugar, and cost.

Sunblock should already be a daily part of your skin-care routine — but as we age and our skin stops producing oil naturally, some of our old favorites can dry it out further. As someone who has gone from an oily complexion to a dry one, my favorite sunblock is now ISDIN Photo. This broad-spectrum mineral sunscreen is made for actinic damage but works so well for dry skin. It doesn’t clump or feel greasy, and it doesn’t run, even after sweating.

In addition to sunblock, daily moisturizer has become a staple for me, since I seem to get dry, itchy skin all the time now. CeraVe makes the best moisturizers and caters to those with acne (yes, I still break out like I’m 16 sometimes), as well as sensitive skin, dry skin, and everything in between. For women going through menopause, it helps to apply the moisturizer while the skin is damp, which will help keep it smooth without feeling heavy.

Body odor is totally natural, but that doesn’t mean we have to like it. And as I’ve aged, I’ve noticed it’s gotten worse. Lume has created a line of products aimed at helping women keep bacteria from reacting with sweaty areas and causing odor. I’ve started using it and noticed a difference right away. I tried the solid version, and it even made a difference with the chafing I usually get when I walk (and sweat) in leggings.

I always used to brag that my eyesight was 20/20 long after most of the people in my family needed glasses. But in the past few years, I’ve had a harder time reading things up close, so I finally broke down and got prescription glasses. I love reading, especially in bed at night, so having to deal with glasses and a paperback isn’t ideal. The Kindle Paperwhite has been a godsend because I can enlarge the font anytime I need to. Plus, it’s portable, which means I don’t have to haul three books with me on vacation.

Whether you suffer from night sweats (see above) or general anxiety and insomnia brought on by estrogen loss, you may find it impossible to sleep in perfect silence. White noise is essential in my room, and this compact Yogasleep Hushh sound machine is one of the best I’ve found. It’s small, rechargeable, and travels well. It does a great job of helping my brain ease into a good night’s sleep.

I was never a huge believer in essential oils — until I went to a fancy hotel that had lavender sprinkled on the pillows. From then on, I’ve been sold on the effectiveness of essential oils for everything from sleep to anxiety relief. And since the loss of estrogen during menopause brought about a whole lot of new anxiety (as it does for many women), I’ve turned to essential oils more and more for help. This diffuser from Asakuki makes a great gift, especially when you pair it with scents like chamomile, lavender, and clary sage.