‘You feel like you’re not yourself’: Dame Kelly Holmes says perimenopause is ‘killing’ her

Dame Kelly Holmes has spoken about the toll the symptoms of perimenopause take.

The two-time Olympic gold medalist said: “I think perimenopause is killing me right now.

“As much as I deny it, it definitely had an effect on my body.”

Dame Kelly described her symptoms as “body aches, aches, like constant aches all over my body, feeling lethargic,” adding, “Last week I started sweating, which I’m not happy about, only at night.

‘I think: ‘this is not good’. And it makes you more irritable. You feel like you’re not yourself.”

The former athlete, who retired from competition in 2005 after winning Olympic gold in both the 800m and 1,500m in Athens, said perimenopause is particularly hard on her, “as someone who is in tune with their body”.

Perimenopause is the transition period before menopause. It usually starts between the ages of 45 and 55, according to the NHS, although it can start much earlier.

It means your hormone levels are starting to change, but it’s before your period has stopped for 12 months – then you’re officially in menopause.

During this transition period, your ovaries produce fewer eggs and your hormone levels change.

Symptoms may include headache, dizziness, joint and muscle aches, pain, flushing (or “flashes” as they are sometimes called), night sweats, and trouble sleeping.

A less discussed impact of going through what is called “change” is in the mind.

“The one thing about hormonal changes — and men get it at a certain age, too — hormonal changes in the body can really affect your mental health,” says Dame Kelly, who has been open about her own mental health issues in the past.

And I think women need to understand how your mental and physical health are related [are]because if one is not there, the other will still suffer.

“If you feel like your body is a mess, it affects your head.” But if you go to the gym or exercise, at least you know you’re benefiting — even if those changes are still happening.”

Dame Kelly, a Nuffield health ambassador, was speaking as the health organization published a major survey – the Healthier Nation Index – in support of the organization’s Find 5 campaign, which encourages us to spend an extra five minutes every day on our health.

“Exercise is very important for people with perimenopause,” she said.

“You do everything you can to fight it, so I go to the gym.”

Dame Kelly does some running and three to four strength training sessions a week, but a recent history of back problems means she’s careful not to push herself too hard.

“Sometimes I feel so bad it’s easy to just not do it,” she said.

“Nowadays I give myself more rest than ever before because I find that very important.

“I’m taking magnesium because I’m sweating right now, so I don’t want to get cramps. I’m thinking about increasing my protein.”

According to a Nuffield Health survey of 8,000 UK adults, 60% of people said the cost of living crisis had a negative impact on their physical health and 59% said it had affected their mental health in the past year.

The index also found that two in five (40%) said their sleep has worsened since the crisis got worse.

Respondents said they sleep an average of just five hours and 54 minutes per night, compared to just over six hours last year.