Here's how to chill the f#ck out this summer

Hot-flash help, cool book recos, and sinfully easy beauty products

Jul 21, 2024

Exclusive for subscribers to The Midst Substack

July = Holy hot-flash hell

Hot flashes are most common in July, according to a study of 955 menopausal women who tracked their symptoms for a good 10 years. (Night sweats peaked in June, FYI.) While researchers aren’t clear why this happens, the rise in mercury is all the explanation we GALS need.

When the sweat from under your boobs rolls onto your tummy, have hope knowing that hot flashes typically last between 30 seconds to 10 minutes. You can also take note of these tried-and-true tips, which are easier to plan for than remember in the moment of holy hell.

7 ways to keep your cool

1. Light, natural layers, and zero underwire

Dress in layers, wear natural fabrics, and consider bralettes for capturing boob sweats.

2. Stay dry down under

Wear nearly-there pantiliners to refresh throughout the day and keep your crotch and undies dry.

3. Water, more water, and cold foods

Carry ice water everywhere and opt for cooling foods like melons, salads, and smoothies to take things down a notch.

4. Skip the spice, booze, and brews

Avoid spicy foods, alcohol, and caffeine (terrible, I know) — all said to worsen hot-flash symptoms.

5. Work it out on your terms

Exercise in early morning or night when temps are down, and take breaks in your workout classes for water, towel wipes, and moments to whisper “Ugh, another hot flash!” (who else does this?) to the GAL next to you.

6. Mist, wipe, refresh!

Cool your skin with facial mists (my all-time fave here!) and use baby wipes to touch up icky body sweats.

7. Pop a pill and more

Consider talking to your healthcare provider about meds like hormone replacement therapy (HRT), antidepressants, and Gabapentin (an anticonvulsant), all of which can help to relieve symptoms.

A summer Midst reading list for Gen X babes

By Anne Holub

Sometimes you just want a few hours alone with a book, you know? And when it’s summertime, all those dusty to-be-read piles on your nightstand can look pretty tall and intimidating. To help you cut through the clutter, here are some absolutely perfect options for Gen X MidstHers looking for a great summer read.

Fiona and Jane by Jean Chen Ho

Do you have a best friend from childhood? Are you still just as close in your 40s as you were in elementary school? Or not? Either way, this might be the book for you. It’s a tale of female friendship that stands the test of age — or does it? Set as alternating stories from the viewpoints of the two title characters, these Taiwanese-American women navigate the complexities of life over two decades, including work, family, and LGBTQ themes.

All of You by Elisa Lorello

Elisa’s books frequently, if not always, include a Gen X woman as the main protagonist, making all her books a great pick for MidstHers who like seeing themselves in the storyline. This one has humor and some heartfelt plots around bandmates and finding your way back from what you were in your 20s into what you want to be beyond 40.

The Thursday Next series by Jasper Fforde

Following the main character (named Thursday) from her 30s into her 50s, this series of eight books so far has all the right touchstones for Gen Xers who love a little fantasy in their fiction. It’s a little bit Buffy the Vampire Slayer and a little bit Harry Potter — yum, right? Great for when you want to really see a main character grow — and not just go through puberty — which is hard to find in fantasy books sometimes.

Ruth Galloway series by Elly Griffiths

A mystery series with a Gen X female main character? Sign me up and leave me alone on the beach while I read all of them! Great for GALs who want to jump into a long reading obsession all at once, there are 15 books to dive into. Bonus: Ruth is a career GAL like so many MidstHers. She’s a forensic archaeologist (dare we say, the real-brains antidote to Indiana Jones?). All the mysteries she gets into are either homegrown in Britain (like in the first book) or involve exotic locales she visits for work. Oh, and she’s unmarried and has two cats — icon!

All Fours by Miranda July

Brand-new from author-filmmaker Miranda July is a book about turning your life upside down in midlife. FEELS TEMPTING! Irreverent and all about that awakening, it’s a joy to read and imagine how your life could change — for the better. It starts with a curious note from a well-intentioned neighbor about a potential peeping Tom with a telephoto lens, and really doesn’t ever let up the pace till the end. Let me know when you finish it and we can gab.

Sandwich: A Novel by Catherine Newman

Sandwich is not about the thing with bread. It’s about being on vacation with family when you’re a member of Gen X’s “sandwich generation.” Taking care of kids and aging parents can be a real chore — and also hilarious. If you’re up for a moving but funny story of summer plans gone awry, then this is the one for you.

Did you read any of these books this summer? Or have others to recommend for a MidstHer? Let us know in the comments!

5 lazy GAL glow-up essentials you need now

By Emily Ornberg

I’ll admit, I am a hit-snooze-every-morning kind of GAL. But I certainly don’t want to look like one! Thanks to TikTok, Amazon Prime, and some beauty queen friends of mine, here are my favorite tips and tricks to maintain a put-together look without much time or effort.

1. Clear skin is just a spray away: Tower 28 SOS Skin Spray

After any hot and sweaty day or post-workout sesh, I reach for this spray. It keeps my skin clear and prevents future breakouts to boot.

2. Only 20 minutes to whiter teeth: Opalescence Go Pre Filled Whitening Trays

Whiter teeth can be an optical illusion that makes your skin look smoother and more awake. Try it for yourself and see how much your confidence boosts!

3. Enhance your features with a waterproof pen: AKARY Freckle Pen

Not only does this pen help you enhance freckles (sometimes I use it to turn a zit into a “freckle”), but I also love to use it as a brow pen that rarely rubs off on summer days.

4. Use a lip stain that lasts overnight: Maybelline Super Stay Matte Ink

Now that I’ve found the perfect shade of natural mauve, l’ll sometimes apply it before bed so I wake up with perfectly pink lips all day the next day. No need for touch ups or reapplying between meetings!

5. Wake up with a heatless blowout: Heatless Hair Curler

This has revolutionized my hair game! I pop this thing in when my hair is 95% dry and wake up with the perfect blowout without any heat.

Go for the T-shirt — stay for ALL the information, community, and fabulousness

We busted our butts to create “F#ck Middle Age: A Day in The Midst” — an afternoon of educational panels from acclaimed rock stars in peri/menopause, career coaching, and beauty and wellness — with cock/mocktails, yummy apps, and city skylines! If you’re able to be in Chicago on October 19, this is a day you won’t want to miss!

Thanks for reading BeWell!
X, Lauria, Head of Content

The Midst is a woman-owned business on a mission to empower women in midlife.

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