For many women, the shifting hormones of midlife bring troubling physical and mental health symptoms,

hot flashes, disrupted sleep, mood changes, and even memory issues. But although half the

world's population will probably experience menopause, for decades it received relatively

little serious attention from doctors and researchers. Instead, it's been the subject of sitcom jokes and something that women were just expected to put up with.

In recent years, though, researchers have focused new attention on women's health

and learned more about the short and long-term health effects of menopause.

They've even found links between menopause symptoms and cardiovascular and Alzheimer's risk.

So what are the major mental and physical health effects of menopause?

How common are experiences like hot flashes, mood changes, and memory changes?

What are the implications for women's physical, mental, and cognitive

health later in life, and what risks and benefits should women consider as they think about

and talk to their doctors about treatments, including hormone replacement therapy?

Welcome to Speaking of Psychology, the flagship podcast of the American Psychological Association that examines the links between psychological science and everyday life.

I'm Kim Mills, coming to you today from our annual convention APA 2025 in Denver.

My guest today is Dr. Rebecca Thurston, a clinical health psychologist and assistant dean for women's health research and director of the Center for Women's Biob behavioral Health Research at the University of Pittsburgh. She also holds appointments in the departments of psychiatry, epidemiology, psychology, and clinical

and translational science. Dr. Thurston's research has looked at connections between menopause

and cardiovascular disease and brain aging, as well as how a history of trauma affects

people's experience of menopause. So, Dr. Thurston, when does menopause start for most women and how long

does it typically last? For most women, the beginnings of the menopause will happen in the 40s,

late 40s, maybe early 50s. And that's marked by the perimenopause, which is a time of menstrual cycle

irregularity and skipping.

And after a woman have skipped 12 months of menstrual cycles, she enters into the post

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