Dr Sharmila Kumar1, Professor Ann Dadich, Siham Bardouh, Rutvi Vyas, Sawsan Dergham
1Menopause, My Way, Normanhurst, Australia
Biography:
MBBS (US yd), FRACGP, Dip Derm (Wales), FPA, Cert RANZOG, Cert Med Ed, AMS doctor
Director of Menopause, My Way
Dr. Sharmila Kumar completed her medical degree at the University of Sydney. She is a fellow of The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners with more than 23years of clinical experience in all aspects of General Practice.
Dr. Sharmila Kumars special interests include preventative health, women's health(peri/menopause), dermatology, ophthalmology, aged care, and social prescribing.
Sharmila is an adjunct lecturer at Sydney Medical School and has completed six years as a medical educator with the RACGP.
Objective:
To understand women’s lived experiences of perimenopause, with reference to brain fog, mood, social connectedness and to identify opportunities to promote wellbeing.
Methods:
A qualitative, exploratory study was conducted, comprising semi-structured interviews with 30 midlife women in Australia, reflecting culturally diverse backgrounds. The interview transcripts were thematically analysed.
Results:
Participants described a recurring disruption to stabilization cycle rather than a linear decline. Disruptions were often precipitated by sleep loss, cumulative life load, and the visibility of symptoms, shaping appraisals of mood and confidence. Women actively engineered stabilization using multi-component strategies, including withdrawal and pacing, social supports, physical activity and wellbeing practices, organization and compensatory tools, as well as acceptance and reframing. Brain fog encompassed cognitive disruption, self-doubt, and fatigue. Women reported relief through sleep optimization, leisure and cognitive stimulation, and social connection. Perimenopause also prompted recalibration of social connectedness, featuring shifting patterns of engagement, mixed experiences of support versus misunderstanding, and the value of shared spaces for meaningful connection.
Conclusions:
Perimenopause was experienced as a dynamic process in which confidence, cognition, and connection are disrupted yet can be stabilized through structured self-management and supportive contexts. Findings highlight the need for holistic, personalized multi-modal care to bolster wellbeing and everyday functioning.