Menopause isn’t just about hot flashes. It can affect your mood, memory, conversations, and the way you experience everyday life. For Bhagyashree, preparing her husband for these changes was just as important – so he could be aware, understanding and sensitive through it all. During a recent chat with SheThePeople TV, the Bollywood actor opened up about how she trained her husband to deal with her perimenopause and menopause symptoms.“I would actually tell my husband, ‘I’m going to have this outburst. I don’t need you to give me answers. I just need you to keep quiet and listen. Just look at me and listen. Don’t say a word’. And I would blabber off and walk out of the room, not even waiting for him to answer,” she shared with the host, further adding: “I think that made a lot of difference, because if you are not aware of it and spark off a conversation, the other person may not know what you’re going through, to deal with it. So, making people around you aware, that helps.”Why does a partner’s support matter?Rima Bhandekar, Senior Psychologist, Mpower – Helpline, Aditya Birla Education Trust, says that women generally suffer in silence during perimenopause and menopause, a time period when they need more support and compassion.“The silence around menopause makes women feel isolated, and they do not seek medical help when required. But when it is discussed openly in the family, women feel more confident to seek help and take better care of their health by making healthier choices in their lifestyle, which can be supported by the efforts of the partner, which creates harmony in family life and a better quality of life,” she tells indianexpress.com.And just like Bhagyashree mentioned, Bhandekar believes encouraging discussion also leads to more awareness in community and family units, which means “better support, healthcare, and resources” for women going through menopause. Bhagyashree with her husband. (Source: Instagram/@bhagyashree.online)How can partners show support?Bhandekar advises partners to show support and make it easier for menopausal women during these transitioning periods by first understanding what menopause is, its indications, and its effects on women by talking to a healthcare provider. This builds compassion and helps in providing the right kind of care, she adds.“Women go through a range of emotions during menopause. Knowing this, their partners can show more consideration in their manner, such as compassionate listening when wives express their feelings during this phase. Domestic responsibilities become taxing due to menopausal signs such as tiredness, body pain, and mood changes. Partners can also offer more support in lifting more share of the household tasks at such times,” continues Bhandekar.Story continues below this adALSO READ | ‘Tired of being the one who holds everything together’: Menopause, marriage, and ‘menodivorce’ — 4 women speak outAt times, physical changes to skin, weight, and hair can erode a woman’s self-confidence. She says that partners can also be more thoughtful of these signs, and offer comforting words rather than passing undesirable remarks on it.“Along with that, tiny changes to the external environment, such as adjusting room temperatures for hot flashes, along with actively encouraging scheduled time for personal care, are some basic things a partner can do to show support in this phase of their partner’s life,” she concludes.DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to.