Top 10 Weirdest Menopause Myths (Busted)

Menopause seems to attract more myths than a tabloid magazine. People love to toss out advice—most of it bizarre, some of it hilarious, and plenty of it completely wrong. Over the years, I’ve heard some real head-scratchers that made me raise an eyebrow, snort-laugh or just question whether people just made these up at a slumber party after too much boxed wine.

So here they are—the top 10 strangest menopause myths I’ve heard—paired with the truth, because sometimes laughter and facts are the best hot flash medicine.

1. Myth: “If you eat enough yams, your hormones will reset.”

Where it came from: This one sprouted (pun intended) from early studies showing wild yams have phytoestrogens—plant-based estrogens. The wellness rumor mill turned that crumb into a full-on miracle cure.

Truth: Listen, unless you plan to morph into a sweet potato casserole, yams are not your fairy godmother. They’ll give you fiber, maybe help with Thanksgiving leftovers, but they won’t magically restore your estrogen. Bottom line? A yam is a side dish, not hormone therapy.

2. Myth: “Hot flashes only happen at night.”

Where it came from: This one probably started because night sweats got all the attention. Since those happen during sleep, people assumed hot flashes were only a nighttime problem.

Truth: Nice try, but hot flashes don’t clock out when the sun comes up. They’re equal-opportunity Debbie Downers—showing up at 2 a.m., in the middle of Costco or right when you’ve finally finished your makeup. Basically, they pop in wherever they can make the biggest scene.

3. Myth: “You’ll instantly gain 20 pounds the day menopause starts.”

Where it came from: The diet industry, of course. They love selling panic in 30-day packages. Add in stories from women who did notice gradual changes and suddenly menopause got branded as the “Instant 20-Pound Club.”

Truth: Sorry, no fairy godmother floats in shouting, “Poof! You’re fluffier!” Menopause can affect metabolism, but it’s gradual. Think of it as a slow leak, not a blowout—and leaks can be patched with strength training, balance, and grace (with maybe a cookie or two).

4. Myth: “Menopause makes you invisible to men.”

Where it came from: Blame society’s obsession with youth and fertility. Hollywood doesn’t help when 50-year-old male actors are paired with 25-year-old “love interests.” Cue the myth that once your ovaries clock out, so does your sparkle.

Truth: Honestly, invisibility sometimes sounds like a perk—I’d love to sneak past the “Do you want to extend your car warranty?” guy. But no, you don’t actually disappear. Confidence, humor, kindness, and sass are still magnetic. Spoiler: sparkle isn’t hormone-dependent.

5. Myth: “You’re officially old once menopause hits.”

Where it came from: Decades ago, menopause and old age did overlap. Life expectancy was shorter, so when menopause showed up, so did rocking chairs and shawls.

Truth: Nice try, Grim Reaper, but no. Menopause isn’t a finish line—it’s a new lap. Sure, you may creak a little, but it’s also prime time for reinvention. Think less “over the hill” and more “climbing a new mountain—with a portable fan.”

6. Myth: “Menopause brain fog means you’re getting dementia.”

Where it came from: Hormone-driven memory blips were once shrugged off by doctors, leaving women to connect their own dots (usually in a panic). Thus, brain fog got mislabeled as early dementia.

Truth: Forgetting why you walked into the kitchen isn’t dementia—it’s just your brain staging a temporary power outage. The lights are still on, but the wiring’s a little glitchy. Annoying? Yes. Permanent? Nope. Think of it less as “losing your mind” and more as “rebooting like an old laptop—slower, but still works if you jiggle the mouse.”

7. Myth: “You can sweat out hot flashes in a sauna.”

Where it came from: From the “sweat it out” wellness crowd. If sweating is good for detox, they figured it must help hot flashes too.

Truth: Whoever suggested this must be part iguana. Sitting in a sauna when you’re already sweating buckets is like throwing a bonfire on a campfire. Unless you enjoy feeling like rotisserie chicken, I’d skip this one.

8. Myth: “Hormones stop—so intimacy does too.”

Where it came from: Old-school thinking said once estrogen left the building, desire packed its bags and caught the same bus.

Truth: Please. Intimacy doesn’t retire with your hormones. It just gets…creative. Whether that’s enjoying your own company, flirting with the cute barista or just savoring a really good moisturizer (not for your face), the spark is still alive with your spouse. Menopause may rearrange the furniture, but it doesn’t close the whole house.

9. Myth: “If you ignore menopause, it’ll go away.”

Where it came from: Wishful thinking, plain and simple. Because menopause isn’t visible like a cast on your arm, some thought pretending it wasn’t happening would make it vanish.

Truth: Oh, bless. Ignoring menopause is like ignoring a toddler with a Sharpie. It’s happening whether you admit it or not—and the longer you ignore it, the messier it gets.

10. Myth: “Menopause is just hot flashes.”

Where it came from: Hot flashes grabbed the spotlight because they’re dramatic and visible. Everything else—mood swings, insomnia, skin changes—got shoved into the wings.

Truth: If only! Menopause is more of an all-you-can-eat buffet: hot flashes, mood swings, restless nights, and those delightful surprise chin hairs. And let’s not forget the pounds that sneak in like uninvited party guests—you swear you only looked at the bread basket, but your jeans insist otherwise. Menopause isn’t a one-trick pony; it’s the whole circus, elephants and all.

Taming the Flame

This is exactly why I created Hot Flash Finds—because when the world hands us yam cures, sauna advice, and chin-hair prophecies, we need a place that cuts through the noise. Here, we laugh, we learn, and we find practical solutions that actually help cool the chaos (without requiring us to buy stock in sweet potatoes).

The Cool Down❄️

So the next time you hear that menopause will make you invisible, pack on 20 pounds overnight or somehow be cured by yam casserole, take a breath and remember—you’re not the only one rolling your eyes. We’re in this together, sometimes laughing, sometimes sweating, sometimes both at the same time.

The beauty of midlife is that we can finally be honest about what’s going on. We can swap tips, compare fan speeds and share the kind of stories that make this season feel a little less lonely. Menopause may not come with an instruction manual, but at least we’ve got each other—and the freedom to laugh at the chaos.

Because really, if we can’t laugh at hot flashes, what’s left? ...Oh, right—chin hairs and stretchy pants. Lucky us.