Hot and Bothered

When Jancee Dunn hit her mid-forties, she was bombarded by seemingly random symptoms: rampant insomnia, spring-loaded nerves, weirdly dry mouth, and Rio Grande-level periods. After going to multiple doctors who ran test after fruitless test, she was surprised to finally discover the culprit—perimenopause. For more than two decades, Jancee had been reporting on mental and physical health. So if she was unprepared for this, what about all the women who don’t write about health for a living?

Hot and Bothered is the book she wishes existed as she was scrambling for information: an empowering, research-based guide on how women can tackle this new stage of life. Menopause isn’t a disease, but a natural, normal life transition. Why, then, are we still speaking in whispers about something that affects half the earth’s population?

Through in-depth interviews with renowned menopause experts and trusted authorities, Dunn peels back the layers on this still-mystifying topic with her trademark humor and unpacks the science on both hormonal and nonhormonal treatments. She provides actionable ways to improve sleep, sex, moods, mental clarity, and skin; details the latest treatments for hot flashes; and explores the best practices to stop “peezing” (that would be peeing when you sneeze, thanks to your new urinary issues). Dunn’s clear, easy-to-follow advice will help you reclaim yourself—and fully embrace life’s next chapter.