40ish - Laughing Our Way Through Midlife, Perimenopause & Menopause

Today on 40ish, Nicole has become friends with ‘Hogman’ - the weight-hogging man at the gym. The man everyone silently judges while waiting for the dumbbells is now part of her social circle. Protein shake dates can't be far away. Meanwhile, Lauren fails to make the connection between half a bottle of champagne and her hangover whilst maintaining a full-blown rant about Steven Bartlett's obsession with optimisation. Must we really maximise every waking moment of our lives? A listener shares a powerful story about how hearing Nicole talk openly about her perimenopause journey encouraged her to finally seek help from her GP. In Midlife News, we discuss new research showing that more than 80% of women experiencing menopause symptoms never seek medical help, despite the huge impact on their wellbeing and daily lives. Plus, one listener is facing a tricky family dilemma. Her husband has cut ties with his family after a painful fallout, but she misses them (their BBQ’s and heated pool) terribly. Should she continue supporting her husband's decision, or is it okay to maintain those relationships herself? Friendship, family feuds, menopause, meltdowns and midlife hangovers. Just another week in your 40s.We are doing a live show! July 5th 4pm London.

Book your tickets here: https://podlifeevents.com/event-details/40ish-live-show-5-jul-2026-tickets

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This week on 40ish, the ladies embrace their latest career pivot as unofficial vaginal wellness influencers.  If anyone had “vaginal hydration gel ambassador” on their bingo card, congratulations. Lauren shares an HRT patch hack - if your arse looks like a patchwork quilt you will want to know! In Midlife News, there’s a breakthrough from Harvard researchers whose award-winning “vagina-on-a-chip” tech is helping transform women’s health research. The dilemma comes from a listener who feels she has spent so many years putting everyone else first that she’s slowly disappeared from her own life.
The ladies discuss money, identity, self-care and why shrinking yourself to make room for others rarely ends well. There’s a Jeff update and Nicole is miffed after being told Padel is for losers.We are doing a live show! July 5th 4pm London. 

Book your tickets here: https://podlifeevents.com/event-details/40ish-live-show-5-jul-2026-tickets

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/40ish-laughing-our-way-through-midlife-perimenopause-menopause--6942825/support.

We love to hear from you! Get in touch with your dilemmas and rants.

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This week on 40ish, Nicole finally concedes defeat as Lauren is crowned the people’s champion and the “who’s more down to earth?” debate is officially settled. Following a stranger’s meltdown in a nail salon, the ladies open up about how perimenopause completely knocked them sideways. In Midlife News, there’s a major update in women’s health as PCOS gets a new name, reflecting a growing understanding that it’s far more complex than many people have been led to believe. The dilemma comes from a listener whose driving anxiety has become so overwhelming that a two-hour journey feels like preparing for an Arctic expedition. And finally, a listener from Australia shares her frustration at the endless questions about childlessness after years of endometriosis, IVF and heartbreak.
Expect laughs, honesty, motorway anxiety, menopause mayhem and at least one person silently judging foraged ingredients.We are doing a live show! July 5th 4pm London. 

Book your tickets here: https://podlifeevents.com/event-details/40ish-live-show-5-jul-2026-tickets

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/40ish-laughing-our-way-through-midlife-perimenopause-menopause--6942825/support.

We love to hear from you! Get in touch with your dilemmas and rants.

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Come join us 5th July in London for our first live show! Get your tickets here - 

https://podlifeevents.com/event-details/40ish-live-show-5-jul-2026-tickets

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/40ish-laughing-our-way-through-midlife-perimenopause-menopause--6942825/support.

We love to hear from you! Get in touch with your dilemmas and rants.

DM & follow us on Instagram  

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Today on 40ish, James is drafted in to settle the highly important debate over which one of the ladies is actually more down to earth.
Nicole is sporting enormous statement earrings to enhance her brand new Invisalign teeth, whilst Lauren is having a deeply middle-aged moment refusing to throw away perfectly good ziplock bags because they’ve still got life left in them. Meanwhile, the podcast accidentally turns into an amateur gynecology clinic as the ladies attempt to investigate whether itchy pubes are actually a perimenopause symptom and confront the genuinely horrifying concept of vulval shrinkage during menopause. Because apparently nobody warned us that midlife would involve googling sentences like “can your fanny evaporate?” We also tackle this week’s dilemma from a listener whose close friend  and hairdresser cut her off after she politely explained she needed a cheaper salon. Was sending the message over text really that unforgivable? Or is this exactly why mixing friendship and business is a bad idea? Plus, one listener shares an infuriating meltdown after finally building up the courage to visit her GP, only to leave feeling dismissed, emotional and like she’d somehow wasted everyone’s time. As always, your stories absolutely make this podcast, so keep your dilemmas, meltdowns and most 40ish moments coming because honestly none of us are surviving midlife alone.
Come see us hosting in the Menopause tent at the Everywoman Festival on June 13th https://www.everywomanfest.com/tickets-london

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/40ish-laughing-our-way-through-midlife-perimenopause-menopause--6942825/support.

We love to hear from you! Get in touch with your dilemmas and rants.

DM & follow us on Instagram  

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Order Our Book here