The menopause bookshelf is crowded— these are the books we made room for.
Everyone seems to be talking about menopause these days. There are books, podcasts, supplements, skincare products, and enough advice in our feeds to make understanding our own bodies feel like another full-time job.
We’re glad this hormonal shitshow is finally getting some attention. We’re also still pissed that women spent decades being dismissed, underinformed, and told to just get on with it. Don’t get us started on the recent WW (Whiny Woman) stories that are coming to light. (If you don’t know what we are referring to, hop on any social platform and you will soon understand.)
Now that everyone has something to say, where the hell do you start?
Every book promises answers and every expert has a plan. Meanwhile, we just want to sleep through the night and remember why we walked into the kitchen.
So we asked our Midlife Mom friends which books about perimenopause and menopause they’ve actually read and would recommend to the next in line. You know the ones that offer info, advice and leave them feeling less alone in a body that apparently changed the rules on them without any notice.
Consider these the books worth making room for on your nightstand. Or for gifting to a friend who doesn’t think they’re in early perimenopause…but may be.
The 5 Menopause Books We Recommend to Our Friends
Best Book for an Introduction to Perimenopause and Menopause
The Book of Menopause: Real Talk, Real Science, Real Strategies for Your Next Chapter
By the editors of Oprah Daily, introduction by Oprah Winfrey
Leave it to Oprah’s team to make menopause feel a little less overwhelming. This is an easy place to start with expert advice, personal stories, and a really fun design to unpack perimenopause, menopause, and what comes after. The thing we love most about this is the contributors! They include Dr. Mary Claire Haver, Dr Sharon Malone and Tamsen Fadal, with Oprah adding her own perspective as well.
“This book is a treasure trove of information from all my favorite experts together all in one place.”-Jenny
Best Book for Understanding What to Expect in Perimenopause
Dare I say it: Everything I Wish I’d Known About Menopause
By Naomi Watts, foreword by Mary Claire Haver, MD
The reality is that many of us think menopause is something we’d worry about in our 50s. Surprise! That’s why I’ve started giving this book to friends for their 40th birthdays. Naomi shares her experience with such honesty that it feels like a friend is finally telling you all the stuff nobody mentioned. She mixes her own personal stories with expert advice, making this a truly warm but funny introduction to a conversation worth having sooner than later. Pro tip: listen to Naomi tell her own stories with the audio book!
“I’ve started to give this book to my younger friends when they turn 40. My advice? Don’t wait until you are wondering ‘what the hell is happening to me’ to start considering your hormones and perimenopause.” -Megan
Best Book for an Integrative Approach to Menopause
The Hormone Shift: Balance Your body and Thrive Through Midlife and Menopause
By Tasneem Bhatia, MD, foreword by Gwyneth Paltrow
In the Hormone Shift, Dr. Tasneem Bhatia, known as Dr. Taz, reframes menopause as one point on a lifelong hormonal continuum, not an ending and looks at hormonal changes across a woman’s life including midlife and menopause. Her approach combines Western medicine with traditions including Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine, as well as touching on food, sleep, stress, along with a 30-day plan she calls the “Hormone Reset.”
“Dr. Taz owns a practice down the street from me, and it’s the practice that I had all my bloodwork taken at when I wanted answers. She’s funny, real, and made me feel less alone.“-Olivia
Best Book for Making Sense of Your Symptoms
The New Menopause: Navigating Your Path Through Hormonal Change with Purpose, Power, and Facts
By Mary Claire Haver, MD
Dr. Mary Claire Haver is practically the fairy godmother of menopause. She knows all the celebs, has great online content, and knows her shit when it comes to women’s health. When your sleep is crap, the brain fog is thick, and you’re collecting new complaints like loyalty points, this book helps put all the pieces together. She covers all the menopause concerns from sleep and sex to joint pain and mood swings, plus HRT and best alternative treatment options. But the real gold? Helping you figure out how to talk to your doc about all of it. Thanks to Dr. Mary Claire we can all remind ourselves that “Menopause is inevitable; suffering is not.”
“This book connected the dots between symptoms I’d been treating separately, and helped me see the bigger picture of what was happening in my body.”-Melea
Best Book for Understanding Menopause Bloating, Food Sensitivities, and Gut Health
The Menopause Gut: Balance your Microbiome to Reclaim Your Health in Midlife and Beyond
By Cynthia Thurlow, NP
If your digestion has become a recurring topic in the group chat, this one deserves a spot on your shelf. We’ve all had some sort of menopause digestive adventure either with bloating or sudden food sensitivities (sayonara, gluten), so we appreciate Nurse Practitioner Cynthia Thurlow’s explanation of how gut health and hormones are connected. (Let her blow your mind with anecdotes on how your gut is connected to everything, even your immune system.) Thurlow makes the compelling case that the gut is the missing piece in midlife health and then gets practical with meal suggestions, easy gut-friendly recipes, and guidance on food sensitivities. This book is so helpful when your stomach seems to have developed a whole new set of rules without consulting you.
“I picked this up desperate for help with my bloating. It gave me practical steps that helped, and a whole new understanding of the gut-hormone relationship.”-Megan
Which Menopause Book Do I Read First?
Start with the one that meets you where you are— desperate for an overview, wanting someone to say the awkward parts out loud, or trying to figure out what to say at your next appointment besides “I just don’t feel like myself”. These recommendations come from our own Midlife Mom’s reading experiences. There are tons of great menopause books out there, these are just the ones that we love.
You don’t have to read all five— there is no perimenopause or menopause book report due on Monday.
One ask for you! If you’ve read a menopause book that you constantly recommend to friends, DM us the title. The best recommendations tend to get passed around. If you’re looking for books pre-menopause, we’ve got the best perimenopause books as well.
