Mette Bloch lists the 10 things she wished she had known about the menopause - before it started

Almost EIGHT years ago, it started for me. I was 50 and I had started getting uncontrollably hot from time to time. When my period was also thrown completely off course, I began to think whether it was because I had entered my second puberty. I was. It became clear to me when I went from feeling a little warm to having panic-like hot flashes.

Unfortunately, it's not something that's talked about very much, so it can feel both lonely and strange that your whole body is behaving like an autonomous teenager with excesses you didn't really ask for. But when I landed in it, it was okay. So it was and still is not okay to have hot flashes, but I have been able to handle the rest.

If you're a woman and haven't gotten there yet, I have some knowledge I'd like to share with you.

1. Hold on, how nice it would have been if I had known what it really meant for my physical well-being. Although no one knows when it will come, I'm still sure that I would have settled more quickly in "layers on layers" rather than big warm sweaters, because when you get a heat, EVERYTHING has to come off as quickly as possible .

2. The mucous membranes become thinner and drier, and it's all over the place! If you already have delicate mucous membranes, make sure you take care of them with cream designed for the purpose, regardless of where on the body you may have discomfort!

3. Sleep is something you remember as "The good old days when I slept until it was morning". Not only can the heat and hot flashes keep you awake, but my sleep became much more interrupted, and it has taken me many years to find out that intermittent sleep at night can also do something. Make sure you have a super cold bedroom, and turn on the other side and rest, even if you can't sleep - you'll probably fall asleep eventually.

4. We are all different, and what is a challenge for one may not be for another. But I know from friends that the mood can take a huge dive. Some women can't recognize themselves at all and have meltdowns that resemble what you see in a 13-year-old with a bad hair day. Breathe! It passes, but you can't control it, and your hormones have taken over shop and are approx. as good at controlling you as a beaver is at knitting.

5. Sex... sex sex sex... yes yes... it's very nice, but when you hit menopause, you may find that it's suddenly not so important anymore. As my friend Christina said to me not too long ago, "Mette, I've reached the age where I'd rather have a cheese meal..." And even though you may feel unfeminine for feeling that way, it's not because it doesn't need to ruin your life! - You're just not controlled by sex, you control sex.

6. Part of the charming package is also sore joints. Here it is an advantage to stay active and perhaps find something that makes you really happy, so that it can also motivate you on the days when you feel sore

7. I have never, like NEVER laid down on the sofa in the middle of the day to take a nap. But a bit like a teenager who can sleep around the clock, you can also risk being hit by a hammer, which just means that you can't keep your eyes open. Take a nap if you can! And don't spend the time on the sofa fretting over the fact that you can't sleep at night, but can now. Enjoy it! You need it.

8. One of the things that freaked me out a lot was the sudden and intense palpitations. I felt my heart beating very hard and I could have moments where I felt like I couldn't breathe. For me it disappeared again, but only after a few years. If you experience this when you hit version 2.0, check with your doctor so you don't go worrying.

9. We can all be confused and forgetful, but if you're CRAZY it can reach new heights with the inner shift in your body. If you feel forgetful, crazy or less intelligent, then that could easily be a side effect too. I haven't had the big challenges here, but I know women who are badly affected. That is why I have also written behind my ear that I should not beat myself up if I experience "brain fog"

10. A lot of women don't just feel that their femininity lies in their feminine body and curves, the hair also has a big meaning. And here you can experience some of it smoking. This can mean extra hair in the brush that you desperately wish you could stick on the tuber again. So see if you can get the most out of what you've been given to play with, even if it might not be what you wanted!