What if turning 40 is about finally becoming brave enough to ask what do I actually want? This week on Self Care Club: The Midlife Edition, we’re talking fearlessness, resilience, reinvention and what happens when you stop living according to someone else’s expectations. Our guest is Vicki Anstey - who is an inspiring example of midlife reinvention, resilience, identity, courage and pushing your own limits. A double world record-holding adventurer, entrepreneur, TEDx speaker, human performance coach and author. After a career in marketing and building a successful fitness business, Vicki’s life changed dramatically at 40. She ended her marriage, entered SAS: Who Dares Wins, rowed unsupported across the Pacific Ocean and cycled 3,000 miles across America as part of record-breaking teams. But this conversation isn’t really about rowing oceans or cycling across continents. It’s about fear  and what happens when you stop letting it make your decisions. We talk about confidence and ageing, resilience, failure, friendship under extreme pressure, starting again in midlife, and whether women have been taught to settle for smaller lives than they actually want. Vicki also tells us about her brilliant book, Other People Are Like The Weather: Stop Managing the Forecast, Start Mastering Yourself  and why learning to manage ourselves rather than trying to control everything around us might be one of the biggest lessons of midlife. In this episode: What fear really feels like when you’re doing something terrifying How to build resilience Why confidence can come from experience What women underestimate about themselves as they get older Living according to someone else’s “forecast” Failure, setbacks and learning to trust yourself Why women need to stop asking for permission You can learn more about Vicki here: https://vickianstey.co.uk/  Instagram: @vickianstey Other People Are Like The Weather: Stop Managing the Forecast, Start Mastering Yourself is available now. Instagram: @selfcareclubpod Email: [email protected] Try AG1 now at https://drinkag1.com/selfcare and get £20 off your first order + 5 AG1 Travel Packs for on the go, a bottle of Vitamin D3+K2, and the Welcome Kit for FREE. No risk with the 30- day money-back guarantee.  Find all details about the health benefits in the link. Study results are on file with AG1, 2023. Get in touch with us: Self Care Club Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why is saying no so hard for women in midlife? Your kids, your partner, your parents, your friends, your work and the school WhatsApp all want a piece of you — and because you're so capable, everyone assumes you'll say yes. This week on Self Care Club: The Midlife Edition, Nicole Goodman and Lauren Mishcon talk about why saying no might be one of the most important forms of self-care in your 40s and 50s — and how to actually do it without guilt. In this episode: Why women are conditioned to people-please — and why midlife is the moment to stop "What you tolerate, you allow": how being capable makes people assume you'll do everything The joy of JOMO — why you don't have to go to everything anymore Why a genuine no is kinder than a fake, resentful yes The simple pause that stops the automatic yes Every no is a yes to something else You don't need an excuse — how to say no honestly and briefly Saying no to the request, not the person Curating your friendships and letting other people be disappointed Where to start if you really struggle with setting boundaries If you've ever got to Friday night completely exhausted from a week of things you didn't want to do, this one's for you. If you’re ready to launch your business before Black Friday, go to shopify.com to start your free trial. Join The Midlife Club on Substack for exclusive extras and everything we mention on the show: substack.com/@themidlifeclub Read our book, Have You Tried This? by Nicole Goodman and Lauren Mishcon. Self Care Club: The Midlife Edition is a British Podcast Award-winning show about midlife, menopause, wellbeing and self-care for women in their 40s and 50s. If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share it with a friend who needs to hear it. Get in touch with us: Email us: [email protected] Instagram @selfcareclubpod  Try AG1 now at https://drinkag1.com/selfcare and get £20 off your first order + 5 AG1 Travel Packs for on the go, a bottle of Vitamin D3+K2, and the Welcome Kit for FREE. No risk with the 30- day money-back guarantee.  Find all details about the health benefits in the link. Study results are on file with AG1, 2023. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This episode is sponsored by Welbeck – providing beyond better healthcare. Welcome to Ask The Doctor. In this special bonus episode, we put your midlife health questions directly to a medical expert  and this time, we're talking about bladder issue, urinary incontinence, prolapse and UTIs.  We put your questions to consultant urological surgeon Neha Sihra. She specialises in the investigation and treatment of male and female urinary incontinence, bladder dysfunction, neuro-urology, bladder pain and urinary tract infections and performs a range of surgical procedures for these conditions.  Got a question for a future Ask The Doctor? Keep an eye on our socials for details of how to send yours in. We'd love to hear what you've always wanted to ask a medical expert. Email: [email protected]: @selfcareclubpod Find Neha Sihra here: https://welbeck.com/find-a-specialist/miss-neha-sihra Please note: Self Care Club is for entertainment purposes and not personal medical advice. If you have symptoms or concerns about your bladder, urinary health or pelvic floor, please speak to a qualified healthcare professional. Get in touch with us: Email us: [email protected] Instagram @selfcareclubpod  Try AG1 now at https://drinkag1.com/selfcare and get £20 off your first order + 5 AG1 Travel Packs for on the go, a bottle of Vitamin D3+K2, and the Welcome Kit for FREE. No risk with the 30- day money-back guarantee.  Find all details about the health benefits in the link. Study results are on file with AG1, 2023. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This episode is sponsored by Welbeck – providing beyond better healthcare. On today’s show we’re talking about something that affects millions of women but that we still find surprisingly difficult to talk about: our bladders. Urinary incontinence, recurrent UTIs, pelvic floor problems and prolapse are incredibly common, particularly as women move through their 40s, perimenopause and menopause. But how much of it is actually "normal", how much should we put up with, and when should we get help? This week we are joined by Miss Neha Sihra, Consultant Urological Surgeon, to answer the questions women are often too embarrassed to ask. We talk about why childbirth, perimenopause and menopause can change your bladder, whether low oestrogen can cause urinary symptoms even without vaginal dryness, and whether needing to wee more frequently or waking up several times a night is simply part of getting older. We get into urinary incontinence, including stress incontinence and overactive bladder, why women leak when they laugh, sneeze, run or jump, and what treatments are actually available. Then it's time for UTIs. Why do some women suddenly start getting recurrent infections in midlife? How can you tell the difference between a UTI, overactive bladder and menopause-related urinary symptoms? Can you have UTI symptoms without actually having an infection? And does cranberry really help? We also tackle pelvic floor health and prolapse. What does a prolapse actually feel like? Can you have one without knowing? Does running, lifting weights or playing sports make it worse? And what's the difference between a weak pelvic floor and one that's actually too tight? Finally, Neha explains which bladder and urinary symptoms women should get checked rather than simply putting them down to ageing or menopause, and the symptoms she wishes women would stop ignoring. If you've ever crossed your legs before sneezing, planned your day around toilet locations, had a UTI at the most inconvenient possible moment or wondered whether that sudden need to wee every five minutes is "just your age", this one's for you. In this episode we discuss: Women's bladder health Urinary incontinence and menopause Stress incontinence Overactive bladder Recurrent UTIs UTIs and perimenopause Vaginal oestrogen and urinary symptoms HRT and bladder health Pelvic floor problems Pelvic organ prolapse Bladder problems and sex Exercise and urinary incontinence When to see a urologist Which urinary symptoms should be checked by a doctor Find Neha Sihra here: https://welbeck.com/find-a-specialist/miss-neha-sihra Please note: Self Care Club is not medical advice. If you have symptoms or concerns about your bladder, urinary health or pelvic floor, speak to a qualified healthcare professional. Get in touch with us: Email us: [email protected] Instagram @selfcareclubpod  Try AG1 now at https://drinkag1.com/selfcare and get £20 off your first order + 5 AG1 Travel Packs for on the go, a bottle of Vitamin D3+K2, and the Welcome Kit for FREE. No risk with the 30- day money-back guarantee.  Find all details about the health benefits in the link. Study results are on file with AG1, 2023. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Diagnosed with ADHD at 40, Kate Moryoussef explains what ADHD really looks like in women over 40, why so many reach midlife before spotting it, and how perimenopause, oestrogen and HRT can change your symptoms. If you've ever wondered whether your forgetful, overwhelmed, emotionally intense brain is more than "just your personality", this episode is for you. Kate is the host of The ADHD Women's Wellbeing Podcast, author of The ADHD Women's Wellbeing Toolkit, an EFT practitioner and mum to four neurodivergent children. IN THIS EPISODE:In this episode we discuss: ADHD in women and why it is often diagnosed later in life ADHD symptoms in women over 40 ADHD and perimenopauseOestrogen, hormones and ADHD symptoms ADHD and HRTBrain fog and forgetfulness ADHD and anxietyRejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD)Emotional regulation and overstimulation ADHD and workProcrastination and executive dysfunction ADHD burnout and masking ADHD-friendly self-careSensory regulationSleep, movement, food and caffeine Getting an ADHD diagnosis in midlife 🔗 Find Kate: https://www.adhdwomenswellbeing.co.uk/ 🎧 Listen to the podcast: [link] 📱 Instagram: @selfcareclubpod ✉️ [email protected] Self Care Club is not medical advice. If you have concerns about ADHD, please speak to a qualified professional. Try AG1 at https://drinkag1.com/selfcare for £20 off your first order + 5 Travel Packs, a bottle of Vitamin D3+K2 and the Welcome Kit free, with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Study results are on file with AG1, 2023. #ADHDinWomen #Perimenopause #MidlifeWomen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ever heard us mention a pair of jeans, a hair product or a recipe in passing and wished you'd written it down? That's exactly why we've started The Midlife Club on Substack. It's our home for everything behind the episodes: the products, recipes, clothes and bits and pieces we chat about on the show, all in one place, plus extra content you won't hear anywhere else. Come and join us: https://substack.com/@themidlifeclub See you in the club x Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week Nicole's daughter Daisy went off to uni — and it's brought up every contradictory feeling going: pride, relief, grief, liberation, and the sudden silence of a house that used to be full of noise. In this episode, Lauren and Nicole dig into what it really means to become an empty nester (or, as they'd rather call it, a "free bird") — without turning it into either a tragedy or a celebration. Because you're allowed to feel whatever you actually feel. We cover the emotional whiplash of drop-off day, what you're really grieving when the house goes quiet, the identity shift of no longer being needed the same way, navigating phone calls and contact without guilt-tripping, why the empty nest doesn't actually stay empty, and how to rebuild your relationship with your partner once the parenting dynamic changes. If your kid has just left, is about to leave, or you're dreading it already, this episode is your permission slip to feel it all. Get in touch with us: Self Care Club Instagram: @selfcareclubpod Email: [email protected] Try AG1 now at https://drinkag1.com/selfcare and get £20 off your first order + 5 AG1 Travel Packs for on the go, a bottle of Vitamin D3+K2, and the Welcome Kit for FREE. No risk with the 30- day money-back guarantee.  Find all details about the health benefits in the link. Study results are on file with AG1, 2023. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What if the midlife confidence crisis isn't about losing confidence; but about outgrowing what used to create it? In today’s episode Lauren and Nicole unpack why confidence feels harder to access in your 40s and 50s, even when nothing's "wrong." They break confidence down into six areas: identity, capability, body image, desirability, agency, and belonging and do a confidence audit asking the questions most women never stop to ask themselves. In this episode we discuss: Why the confidence markers that worked in your 20s and 30s stop working in midlife The link between perimenopause symptoms (brain fog, fatigue, poor sleep) and feeling "less capable" Body image and attractiveness in midlife -  what actually changes Why confidence often comes after action, not before it Rebuilding friendships and finding "your people" in midlife How evidence, not perfection, builds real confidence If you've ever felt like you don't recognize yourself lately, this episode is for you. Get in touch with us: Email us: [email protected] Instagram @selfcareclubpod  Try AG1 now at https://drinkag1.com/selfcare and get £20 off your first order + 5 AG1 Travel Packs for on the go, a bottle of Vitamin D3+K2, and the Welcome Kit for FREE. No risk with the 30- day money-back guarantee.  Find all details about the health benefits in the link. Study results are on file with AG1, 2023. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ask The Doctor: Insomnia, Menopause & Sleep with Professor Guy Leschziner This episode is sponsored by Welbeck – providing beyond better healthcare. Welcome to the first episode of our brand-new Ask The Doctor series. In this special bonus episode, we put your midlife health questions directly to a medical expert  and this time, we're talking about insomnia, menopause and sleep. Sleep problems are incredibly common during the perimenopause and menopause, with around 40–60% of women experiencing sleep disruption during the menopausal transition. But why does sleep become so difficult in midlife? What causes us to struggle to fall asleep? And what can we actually do to improve our sleep? We put your questions to Professor Guy Leschziner, one of the UK's leading neurologists and sleep experts. Guy is a Consultant Neurologist at Welbeck and Guy’s Hospital and St Thomas’ Hospital, where he runs specialist sleep and epilepsy clinics as well as general neurology clinics.  Got a question for a future Ask The Doctor? Keep an eye on our socials for details of how to send yours in. We'd love to hear what you've always wanted to ask a medical expert. Email: [email protected]: @selfcareclubpod Please note: This podcast is for information and entertainment purposes only and is not a substitute for personalised medical advice. If you have concerns about your sleep, insomnia, perimenopause, menopause or any other health issue, please speak to your GP or another qualified healthcare professional. Try AG1 now at https://drinkag1.com/selfcare and get £20 off your first order + 5 AG1 Travel Packs for on the go, a bottle of Vitamin D3+K2, and the Welcome Kit for FREE. No risk with the 30- day money-back guarantee.  Find all details about the health benefits in the link. Study results are on file with AG1, 2023. Find Professor Guy Leschziner Professor Guy Leschziner at WelbeckGet in touch with Self Care Club Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Advertisement⏐Try AG1 now at http://drinkag1.com/selfcare and get £20off your first order + 5 AG1 Travel Packs for on the go, a bottle of Vitamin D3+K2, and the Welcome Kit for FREE. No risk with the 30-day money-back guarantee. Find all details about the health benefits in the link. Study results are on file with AG1, 2023 This episode is sponsored by Welbeck - providing beyond better healthcare. Why does sleep seem to get so much harder in midlife? From waking at 3am and being unable to get back to sleep, to lying awake with a racing mind, insomnia is one of the most common and frustrating symptoms women experience during the menopausal transition. In this episode of Self Care Club - The Midlife Edition, we’re talking all things sleep, insomnia and menopause with Professor Guy Leschziner, Consultant Neurologist at Welbeck and Guy’s Hospital and St Thomas’ Hospital. We explore what’s really happening to our brains and bodies during menopause, the difference between poor sleep and clinical insomnia, and why you can spend eight hours in bed and still wake up feeling exhausted. We also get into brain fog, sleep trackers, caffeine, screens and blue light, snoring, HRT and the lifestyle changes that can genuinely make a difference. We discuss: The 2 biggest mistakes people make when trying to improve their insomnia  Why we shouldn’t be mean to snoring husbands  Why Sleep trackers can be harmful The importance of aking at the same time every day  If you’re struggling with sleep in midlife, this is one you won’t want to miss. Get in touch with us: Email us: [email protected] Instagram @selfcareclubpod Find Professor Guy Leschziner Professor Guy Leschziner at Welbeck Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices