There are certain things women are told so often that eventually, we stop questioning them. 

Period pain? 👉 "That's just part of being a woman".
Bladder leaks? 👉 "That's what happens when you become a mum"
Feeling exhausted? 👉 "You're just really busy".
Finding sex uncomfortable? 👉 "Your body's just changing".
Feeling overwhelmed, anxious or emotionally drained? 👉 "Everyone feels like that".

There can be some truth in these statements. Our bodies do change, bladder leaks can happen after having a baby, our hormones do fluctuate, ageing is part of the process and life can be really busy at times. 

But there's a big difference between saying "this is common" versus "this is something you have to live with". So this Women's Health Week, we're asking:

Is it really as simple as "it's just part of being a woman"?

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We're Very Good At Putting Up With Things

Women are very adaptable. And if something happens to enough women, we assume it's just "normal". But think about how often women change their lives around their symptoms: planning exercise around your bladder or cycle, avoiding intimacy because sex has become uncomfortable, keeping spare underwear and/or hygiene products in your handbag, changing social plans because you're too exhausted, waking up several times during the night from hot flushes. Eventually, these things can become so routine that we stop asking whether they should be happening at all. 

That's where the idea of quality of life becomes so important. Something doesn't have to be dangerous or life-threatening to deserve attention. If something is stopping you from doing the things you enjoy, affecting your relationships, disrupting your sleep or making daily life harder, it matters!

You Just Had A Baby, That's "Normal" 🤰

Pregnancy and childbirth are life-changing experiences. Your body grows and adapts to support pregnancy, your pelvic floor carries increased pressure, your abdominal muscles stretch, your hormones change, and then you give birth and your body changes again!

It's understandable that things feel different afterwards, but women have been told that ongoing symptoms are simply the price of having children. 

Bladder leakage? 👉 "You've had a baby, it's normal".
Pain during sex? 👉 "It just takes time to get back to normal".
Exhaustion? 👉 "You're a new mum, what do you expect?"

While some of these experiences can be common during pregnancy and postpartum recovery, common doesn't mean you have to blindly accept symptoms that persist or affect your life. 

You're Just Getting Older 👵🏻

We all age. It's not something we can avoid. As we do, our bodies naturally change along the way. Our muscle mass and strength can change, our bone health becomes increasingly important, our sleep patterns shift and our metabolism changes. Our periods eventually stop, our sexual health changes and our energy levels might not feel the same as they did in our early twenties. 

But "you're just getting older" can become a generalized explanation for symptoms that deserve more attention. 

Ageing isn't a reason to stop looking after your health. In fact, it's important to become more proactive about your health as you age.

Bone health, cardiovascular health, muscle strength, nutrition, mental well-being, sexual health and preventative healthcare all become important parts of looking after ourselves. The goal isn't to stop your body from changing, it's to understand the changes and support your health through them. 

It's Just Hormones 🧬

And then we have the word that gets used to explain almost everything:
Hormones.

Mood changes? 👉 Hormones
Brain fog? 👉 Hormones
Changes in libido? 👉 Hormones
Hot flushes? 👉 Hormones

Yes, sometimes it's true and our hormones are influencing all of these things. 

But "it's just hormones" shouldn't automatically mean "there's nothing you can do". 

For example, perimenopause can involve changes in periods, sleep, mood, energy, concentration, body temperature and sexual health. Understanding these changes and knowing how to help yourself through them can be incredibly helpful. If your symptoms affect your ability to work, sleep, exercise, maintain relationships or enjoy day to day life, they're worth talking about and looking into. 

An explanation should be the start of the conversation, not the end. 

"Everyone Feels Stressed" 😩

The amount of mental load women can carry on a daily basis can be staggering. Trying to balance work, family, kids, relationships, caring responsibilities, errands, life admin, and everything in between can lead us to living in a state of overwhelm. And because it's common for us to feel this way, it's easy to dismiss it. 

"I'm just busy"... "Things will settle soon"... "I just need to get through this month". 

But what happens when the "busy period" never seems to end?

Stress and anxiety can affect sleep, concentration, mood, energy and physical well-being. You don't deserve to wait until you're completely overwhelmed and depleted before seeking support. For you, it might look like talking to someone you trust, making space for rest, setting boundaries or getting professional support. 

What Does Quality Of Life Actually Mean?

When we talk about women's health, it's easy to only focus on whether or not a symptom is common. But what about how that symptom affects your life? 

○ Can you exercise without worrying about bladder leaks?
○ Can you sleep through the night and wake up feeling refreshed?
○ Do you go through the day without feeling totally exhausted?
○ Are you able to make plans without worrying about your period?
○ Can you concentrate well?
○ Do you feel comfortable in your body?
○ Are you able to enjoy intimacy without feeling pain or discomfort?
○ Do you still feel like yourself?

These things matter! Your health isn't just about whether you have a diagnosed condition, it's about your ability to live your life! And sometimes a symptom can be common while still having a big negative impact on your quality of life. 

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I think this is where the conversation around women's health needs to change. We need to stop treating "normal" as though it automatically means "nothing can be done", because many things that are normal parts of being a woman can still benefit from support. 

Menopause is normal. Changes during and after pregnancy are normal. Periods are normal. Ageing is normal. Feeling stressed sometimes is normal.

But experiencing something doesn't mean you have to deal with it silently. 

You can ask questions, seek support, learn about your body or talk to a professional. And you don't have to wait until something becomes a major problem before deciding it deserves attention. 

Because maybe the question isn't whether something's “normal”.

Maybe the better question is: is this something I want to keep living with?