Maja Aagaard about when hormones get in the way of women’s (work)life – Meet Maja Aagaard, co-founder of Hormoner På Arbejde
Maja Aagaard was certain something was wrong! She was almost 40 years old, didn’t sleep at night and had a strange sensation in her body. Medical tests didn’t show anything, and Maja was told she probably had stress.
Over the next 4 years things got worse. Still no somatic diagnoses but Maja started suffering from severe anxiety attacks and fear of getting sick. Eventually she was referred to a psychologist.
In that connection her doctor randomly mentioned that Maja could be suffering from symptoms of hormonal changes. It wasn’t menopause as Maja still had her periode, and since she would probably have it for another 10 years, the message was: Get used to it. There’s no treatment.
To Maja this was fantastic news, believe it or not. The concept of menopause hadn’t even crossed her mind. But she was relieved. Menopause and hormonal changes meant no cancer and no psychiatric diagnose. But no treatment? That couldn’t be right.
Or could it? We were all eager to find out at Community Breakfast that morning.
Both men and women had shown up to hear Maja’s story, not really sure what to expect.
Fair to say both sexes did experience a couple of light bulb moments that morning.
So what did Maja Aagaard do?
Maja began to research (she did work with communication and in management!). And found that there was only very little information online. However, se did discover the reason for her physical and mental state: Perimenopause. The period leading up to menopause, lasting up to 10 years.
Stress vs. Perimenopause vs. Menopause = All About Hormones
But how do you know the difference?
All of a sudden all of Maja Aagaards sufferings made sense. All the symptoms she’d been told were stress symptoms were actually a sign of perimenopause. But to be fair, the difference between the two is barely there
Perimenopause starts in the late 30s or early 40s for some women. During this phase, hormone levels fluctuate, and women may experience a range of symptoms, including changes in their menstrual cycle (not as regular as it used to be or the flow’s intensity has changed), hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, and cognitive issues such as memory problems and difficulty concentrating. These changes are normal, but sometimes it’s difficult to tell if it’s caused by perimenopause or stress.
One way to determine if it’s the one or the other is to look at external factors. Big changes (financial stress, relationship issues etc.) can cause the body to start producing the stress hormone Cortisol. It affects the Estrogen and Progesterone level gives the same reactions as in the case of perimenopause, particularly with irregular or more/less intense periods.
Ironically the strongest indicator you’e experiencing perimenopause is the change in the period!
No wonder doctors – and everyone else – missdiagnose and label women with stress.
Menopause typically occurs in a woman’s late 40s or early 50s and is easy to identify: The woman’s period stops and the actual hormone level can be measured. Easy – on paper. But general for all is that the symptoms can affect a woman’s work performance and overall job satisfaction.
And Maja realised that the official information level in Denmark wasn’t impressive at all.
“Hormoner På Arbejde”
There were tons of Danish communities on Facebook and on Instagram for women sharing experiences are helping each other by giving advice. Nothing scientifically proven, and Maja found it challenging to navigate in the chaotic amount of tips and tricks.
So she called her sister, Stine Mathieu, to debrief – and that’s how “Hormoner På Arbejde” was founded.
Still in the initial phase, figuring everything out, Maja and Stine has one clear purpose: To inform about and shed light on how perimenopause and menopause affects women and their worklife.
Spoiler alert: Sleepless nights and soaked beds doesn’t exactly mean a good start of the day.
And with their combined experiences within management and communication they have a fantastic foundation. Add to that, Stine is a general practicing naturopath and NHT supervisor in natural hormone therapy and knows exactly what happens in the different stages.
Maja, we’re just happy you and your sister are here to shine a bit of light on what can be done to get through 10-15 years under these torture-like conditions! We support your mission 100% – and judging on the co-members that showed up for the breakfast, your support system is both men and women.
But then again – who wouldn’t love the idea that many stress diagnoses can be avoided and that women can get smother into and through menopause? It’s a win-win for women, men, workplaces and society in our humble opinion 😉
The Approach
we’re focusing on raising awareness, providing education, offering workshops and talks, and potentially collaborating with organizations and unions to gather more data and insights on how menopause affects women in the workplace.
Our goal is to create a supportive environment within companies, where women going through menopause feel understood, valued, and provided with the resources and information they need to manage their symptoms effectively. We believe that by addressing the impact of menopause on women in the workplace, we can contribute to a happier and more productive workforce, benefitting both employees and employers.
Meet Maya at Community Breakfast on Thursday and find out “how Hormoner på Arbejde” is met when they approach companies and unions – obvious stakeholders – when they present their cause and consultancy. Thankfully positively but the road is long – cause hormones are still taboo and nobody want to be the first to incorporate focus on hormones in the workplace in Denmark. At least not yet.
Yeah, there’s actually just a recent survey in in UK again, because that’s what they’ve worked with us for about 10 years and had focus on this. So they were much more ahead on the rest of us. And they actually did the survey on on, I think amongst 2000 women and they could see a big difference in whether the women felt supported by the company or not on all sorts of parameters. Sick leave. Like you said happy at work or also ambitions for your career consideration whether or not to leave your job. I mean, there’s a lot of parameters and there’s quite a significant difference whether you felt supported or not.
Should we worry all the time?
also in your own case and you you actually develop a fear of becoming seriously ill because you didn’t know what was going on yet. So you can by having somebody to talk to you can prevent a worst case scenarios like like your own and also and also even being aware of the parent menopause. Because I also didn’t really think about that. And my sorry to share, Jana Collins said, Oh yeah, there’ll be many years before you get into menopause. And then I was like, Okay, I’ll just wait till I get 55 And then it happens and then I wasn’t thinking about that anymore. And then what happens up until then, should I should I pay attention to it and not get worried or anything? I had no idea before I met you. So it’s it’s quite enlightening in that sense. But also being able to share that with a boyfriend or girlfriend or whatever that don’t worry, I’m not going nuts. It’s actually just a homeowner which can be bad in itself. But okay, and before we get to Shem I just want to ask why don’t you just give men a little bit of testosterone and women, estrogen when they when their hormone level goes down. Also in the perimenopause, why is that not possible? It
Women, Hormones & Work
A challenge for the workplaces
What can the workplaces do
The treatment
why don’t you just give men a little bit of testosterone and women, estrogen when they when their hormone level goes down. Also in the perimenopause, why is that not possible? It is. That’s actually what I do with the mind what is estrogen? Progesterone is it’s balancing our other moments and it’s very safe to give because it can be transformed. into other hormones. And that’s also when you feel when you’re lacking progesterone. That’s when you get these cognitive and emotional stress because it’s very important for the brain function as well. So it’s the symbol we give to women and men. It’s just different doses and it but when you when you work with hormones your body can react very, very strong. If you can, if you can’t absorb it, so that’s why it’s it’s a long transition where you have to gradually edit. So so that’s why they need to complete to start this off.
Doctors in Denmark
And how many offers that kind of treatment? In Demand? Not many I mean, of course it’s and there’s many, many different ways of alternative ways of balancing hormones. What I’m using is actually something that you if you go to the doctor in France or Germany or Switzerland, England, this is the first choice. So it’s not even that alternative is just alternative in Denmark. Yeah. So so my clients buy it in the pharmacy in, in France, and then they get the problem is that doctors don’t know how to use it so they can’t get counseling from their doctors and that’s why they come to someone like me, and we are about 50 certified in Denmark right now. There are more but then there are some that don’t practice anymore.
but I have doctors as clients come to me because they say one thing about hormones and I don’t want to take what I’m supposed to give my patients so please explain to meet ya. So, so it’s not that doctors don’t know that there is lacking. They’re very controlled and what they’re allowed to do. They have very strict protocols. So they also a lot of my clients, they’re being sent from their doctor or their gynecologist to know about this in a safe if you if you need help during this phase,
done by healthcare professionals. So we’re not providing medical treatments, but we’re focusing on raising awareness, providing education, offering workshops and talks, and potentially collaborating with organizations and unions to gather more data and insights on how menopause affects women in the workplace.
Our goal is to create a supportive environment within companies, where women going through menopause feel understood, valued, and provided with the resources and information they need to manage their symptoms effectively. We believe that by addressing the impact of menopause on women in the workplace, we can contribute to a happier and more productive workforce, benefitting both employees and employers.
Now, let’s delve deeper into the topic of menopause and its effects on women in the workplace. Menopause, often referred to as the “change of life,” is a natural biological process that marks the end of a woman’s reproductive years. While it’s a normal phase of life, the transition through menopause can bring about various physical, emotional, and psychological changes that can impact a woman’s well-being and her ability to perform optimally at work.
One of the challenges women face during perimenopause and menopause is the lack of awareness and support in the workplace. Many women are often hesitant to discuss their menopausal symptoms with their employers or colleagues, fearing stigma or embarrassment. This lack of communication can lead to increased stress and anxiety, exacerbating the impact of menopause on job performance.
As we discussed earlier, studies from the UK have shown that when women feel supported by their employers and have access to information about menopause, it positively affects various aspects of their work life. Women who receive support are less likely to take sick leave, report higher levels of job satisfaction, and are more likely to continue pursuing their career goals.
So, what can companies and organizations do to create a more menopause-friendly workplace? Here are some steps that can make a significant difference:
- Raise Awareness: Companies can start by raising awareness about menopause and its impact on women’s health and work performance. Providing information through workshops, seminars, or informational resources can help employees understand the changes women go through during this phase of life.
- Create a Supportive Environment: Encourage open communication by fostering a workplace culture where women feel comfortable discussing their menopausal symptoms with managers and HR. Companies can also provide resources or support groups where women can share their experiences and seek advice.
- Flexible Work Arrangements: Offering flexible work arrangements, such as the option to work from home or adjust working hours, can be beneficial. This allows women to manage their symptoms better and maintain their productivity.
- Education for Managers: Train managers and supervisors to be more empathetic and understanding towards employees going through menopause. They should be aware of the potential challenges and know how to support their team members effectively.
- Wellness Programs: Implement wellness programs that focus on stress management, nutrition, and exercise, as these can help alleviate some menopausal symptoms. Providing access to yoga classes, meditation sessions, or nutrition workshops can contribute to overall well-being.
- Adjusting Workplace Temperature: Address the issue of workplace temperature, as women experiencing hot flashes may find it uncomfortable to work in overly warm environments. Ensuring temperature control can help create a more comfortable workspace.
- Offer Menopause Leave: Some companies are exploring the idea of providing specific leave or accommodations for menopausal symptoms, similar to maternity leave. While this is not widespread, it reflects a growing recognition of menopause as a valid health concern.
In conclusion, menopause is a natural phase of life that affects women in various ways, including their work life. By raising awareness, fostering a supportive workplace culture, and offering practical solutions, companies can help women navigate this transition more smoothly, leading to happier and more productive employees. As we continue to learn more about the impact of menopause on women in the workplace, it is crucial for both employers and employees to collaborate in finding effective strategies for managing menopausal symptoms and promoting overall well-being at work.
Read more about Maja Aagaard and Hormoner På Arbejde here