MAN - a - pause

There is a lot of conversation about hormonal changes in women as they move through midlife. Menopause has become an important and increasingly open conversation in the Western world- and rightly so.

But, What about men?

Men also experience hormonal and physiological changes as they age. We may not talk about them as openly. The changes are generally not as sudden or predictatble as menopause, but they are real.

Sometimes a man at his 40s, 50s, or 60s may notice that he simply does not feel quite the same.

Perhaps his energy isn’t what it used to be,

His sleep has changed,

His recovery after exercise takes longer,

His body composition is changing,

His motivation or mood feels different,

His libido may not what it once was.

Often there is a quiet question - “is this aging, or what is wrong with me?”

THIS is where we need to create a little more space for open conversation…

What is happening hormonally as men age?

Testosterone is one of the hormones that naturally change with age. Testosterone reach its highest level in early adulthood and gradually decline thereafter. However, this is not a simple or uniform process, and the experienec varies considerably between men.

The term “andropause” is used to describe age-related hormonal changes in men. However, it can be misleading if we imagine it as the male equivalent of menopause.

Men do not generally experience a complete cessation of reproductive hormone production like women experience the cessation of ovarian function at menopause.

Modern medicine refers to clinically significant testosterone deficiency as hypogonadism.

But,

feeling tired does not automatically mean that testosterone is low

Change in libido does not automatically mean that hormones are the problem.

Poor sleep, chronic stress, excess body weight and visceral fat, non-communicable diseases, medication, nutrition deficiencies can influence how a man feels- and some can affect testosterone levels as well.

So rather than asking “how can we increase testosterone?”, we should be asking a broader question…

“What is happening to this man’s overall health and vitality?”

Ayurveda has been talking about ageing for a very long time.

Ayurveda do not identify testosterone decline as we understand it today, in biomedical terms.

What Ayurveda does offer is a sophisticated framework for understanding aging, vitality, tissue nourishment, reproductive health, and the gradual changes that occur throughout life.

Two important areas are:

Rasayana - maintaining and promoting health, nourishment, vitality and healthy aging.

Vajikarana - reproductive health, sexual function, vitality and nourishment of Shukra dhatu. The subject is broader than simply sexual performance. The traditional Ayurvedic text discuss Vajikarana in detail and itd relevance to men at different stages of life.

This gives us the perspective that,

Ayurveda does not view reproductive health separately from the rest of the body!

It is connected with nourishment and nutrition, digestion, strength, vitality and the way a person lives.

Shukra is more than semen or sex!

Ayurveda asks us to look at the whole picture before reachng for a single solution.

How is the digestion? What is on his plate? How is sleep? What is the quality of the daily routine? Is there adequate movement? Is there enough recovery? what is happening with stress? and most importantly- what is this person experiencing?

Health is more complex than one number on a blood test.

Ayurveda emphasises on maintaining Agni, nourishing Dhatu, supporting Ojas and adapting lifestyle according to age and individual constitution.

Midlife should be less about fighting against aging and more about learning to support the body differently.

A man may come in to a consultation because of fatigue..

But when we talk, I discover

• the sleep is no longer restorative
• digestion and elimination has changed
• waist circumference has increased
• exercise recovery is slower
• stress has been high for several years
• libido has changed
• mood or motivation has shifted
• strength and muscle mass is decreasing
• less enthusiasm for things previously enjoyed

These should not be attributes to aging hormones, nor should they be simply dismissed.

Maybe the body is asking for a different rhythm…

less excess,

more recovery,

better nourishemnt,

more attention to restful sleep,

more awareness of stress, and sometimes..

a pause!

Perhaps Men need permission to Pause.

Many men have spent decades

working

providing

building

achieving

caring for others

pushing through tiredness

The body eventually is asking for a different way of living. Not necessarily because something has gone wrong. Because the demands of life has changed- and the body has changed with them.

I think mid life offers an opportunity to re-consider what vitality actually means.

Maybe it is about having enough energy for what matters NOW!

Enough strength

Enough resilience

Enough clarity

Enough connection

Enough joy and enjoyment.

I don’t think we need to medicalise every change that happens as men age, neither should be ignored.

sometimes, investigation is needed

sometimes, diet and lifestyle needs attention.

sometimes, an underlying health issue needs attention.

sometimes, it is an invitation to looka t the whole person rather than one symptom.

MAN- a - pause

It is time for open communication.

Not about stopping or turning back the clock..

But about pausing long enough to notice what has change- and asking what the whole person needs NOW!