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

40ish Live: Menopause, Midlife & Audience Chaos in London (Part 1) 23.07.2026 42dk

Part one of our first ever live show — recorded in front of a sold-out audience at Kings Cross, London in July 2026. All the usual 40ish chaos, midlife meltdowns and menopause madness you know from the podcast, but this time with a room full of women (and two blokes) laughing along in real time. We're talking the everyday absurdities of being a woman in your 40s and beyond — the stuff we normally only say behind a studio mic — now with bigger laughs, live audience reactions, and the full 40ish experience taken to the stage. If you've ever wanted to know what a room full of women who all secretly think the same things sounds like, this is it. Grab a drink, settle in, and enjoy Part 1 of our first live show. Part 2 coming next week. New episodes every week from Self Care Club / 40ish. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

My Husband Has Money Secrets & Why I'm Done With "Sexy" 16.07.2026 38dk

HRT and breast cancer fears — the real talk women are having about how hormone replacement therapy has genuinely changed their lives. Plus: a listener's husband won't explain a mysterious £600 missing from their joint account ("I can't say who it's for"), and Clare has an epiphany about being completely done wanting "sexy" on holiday — she just wants a spa, room service, and nobody touching her or asking where anything is. This week on 40ish, Lauren and Nicole talk perimenopause, menopause, midlife marriage secrets, financial infidelity, and why "sexy hotel" era is officially over for some of us. Also: 70 metres of medieval embroidery nearly ends a friendship (Lauren does NOT care about the Bayeux Tapestry, Nicole is obsessed). Tell us your most 40ish moment — you know you've got one. hello@40ish.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We are on Holiday (well Nicole is) 14.07.2026 2dk

A quick one from us today just letting you know we will be back on Thursday! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

My Husband Shaved WHAT?! and The Great Midlife Shorts Debate 09.07.2026 40dk

Today on 40ish, Lauren and Nicole spill the behind-the-scenes gossip from their live show, where, as you'd expect, absolutely anything can happen once they're let loose in front of an audience. A listener takes a passionate stand in the great midlife shorts debate. Strong legs? Absolutely. Thigh chafing, uncomfortable wedges and feeling like a busted can of biscuits? Not a chance. Then comes a dilemma that has Lauren and Nicole in stitches. After 23 years of marriage, one listener's husband decides to shave off all his pubic hair just days before they head to Spain. Is it simply a practical way to stay cool? A midlife confidence boost? Or enough to send anyone's overthinking into overdrive? The conversation quickly turns to their shared appreciation of hairy cavemen and why absolutely nobody wants their husband looking like an unusually tall newborn. If you love funny podcasts about midlife, relationships, marriage, menopause, fashion and the everyday chaos of life after 40, this episode is for you. If you're loving 40ish, please follow the podcast, leave us a review and share this episode with a friend who'll laugh right along with you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Mental Load, Midlife Divorce & Body-Shaming Mothers-in-Law 07.07.2026 39dk

This week on 40ish: Nicole needs to be treated like an unsettled baby until her implant kicks in and Lauren discovers cycling shorts are not just for fancy dress. In Midlife News, we unpack the research behind the UK's rising divorce rate and why so many women in their 40s and 50s are choosing to walk away from their marriages. Is it really about falling out of love, or are women finally reaching breaking point with carrying the mental load? Our dilemma this week asks what friendship looks like when life gets tough. One listener ended up in A&E after a nasty fall, but apart from one friend, hardly anyone checked in. Is she right to feel hurt, or are expectations around friendship sometimes too high? Lauren also shares her latest meltdown after a broken bracelet and Nicole decides her superstitious brain is in overdrive. Finally, we hear from a listener whose mother-in-law simply cannot stop commenting on her postpartum body. From backhanded compliments to unsolicited weight-loss advice, we ask the question: why do some people think a woman's body is fair game for public discussion? If you're enjoying 40ish, please share the podcast with a friend. 40ish is the funny podcast for midlife women navigating menopause, perimenopause, relationships, confidence, hormones and everything else life throws at women over 40. Topics discussed:• Midlife divorce• Grey divorce• Mental load in relationships• Emotional labour• Women's friendships• Loneliness in midlife• Women over 40• Body confidence• Relationships after 40• Menopause humour 💛 If you're enjoying 40ish, please follow, rate and review the podcast, and share it with a friend who'll laugh along with us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Testosterone, Hormonal Rage & An ADHD Marriage Dilemma 02.07.2026 40dk

This week on 40ish, Lauren discovers that Mah Jong, tea and cake might actually be peak midlife entertainment, while Nicole has an unexpected tantrum on the padel court. We hear from a listener who says finally being prescribed testosterone during menopause helped her feel like herself again, boosted her confidence, improved her libido and even made her like her husband again. We discuss testosterone for women, perimenopause, menopause symptoms and why hormones can have such a huge impact on how we feel. In Midlife News, we explore why so many women over 40 feel like they have nothing to wear. Is it really about clothes, or is it changing bodies, confidence, hormones and learning to dress the person we've become? Our listener dilemma sparks a lively conversation about ADHD in women, relationships and the mental load after one woman's husband comes home from a wedding convinced she has ADHD following a lengthy chat with his female best friend. Plus, Lauren's spectacular meltdown involves the dog throwing up a raw meat fountain onto the carpet, and we ask when exactly your neighbour's cat quietly becomes everyone else's responsibility. 40ish is the funny podcast for midlife women navigating menopause, perimenopause, hormones, relationships, confidence and everything else life throws at women over 40. Topics discussed:• Testosterone for women• Menopause and hormones• Perimenopause• Women's libido• ADHD in women• Midlife confidence• Body image after 40• Relationships and mental load• Women over 40• Menopause humour 💛 Follow us on Substack: The Midlife Club If you're enjoying 40ish, please follow, rate and review the podcast, and share it with a friend who'll laugh along with us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bad Hair, Midlife Sleep & The Canadian Gynecologist 29.06.2026 39dk

Today on 40ish, Nicole is having a hair moan, because apparently menopausal hair now requires its own emotional support team. Lauren is not helping. We also get into your feedback on whether it’s normal or deeply unhinged to track your husband’s location. Opinions are strong and polarising but our favourite is from a husband who says he’s usually in the loo. In Midlife News, we discuss a new study suggesting poor sleep in midlife can have long-term effects on women’s wellbeing. So basically, yes, your snoring husband may be a legitimate health risk. This week’s dilemma comes from a 47-year-old listener who feels drained, disconnected and completely unlike herself. She asks if she’s alone - answer - no way! Plus, we have a meltdown from a woman whose Canadian gynaecologist with a very niche sense of humour. Come for the fun, stay because you’re too tired to leave. Buy tickets to our live show here: https://podlifeevents.com/event-details/40ish-live-show-5-jul-2026-tickets You can now follow us on Substack! https://open.substack.com/pub/bethlisogorsky/p/off-campus-season-one-prime-review?r=7u0jz7&utm_medium=ios&shareImageVariant=split Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Midlife Libido, Confidence & Getting Rated by Teenagers 25.06.2026 43dk

This week on 40ish, Nicole brings a Hogman update direct from the gym and somehow ends up discussing the workout routine of a man called Brian, while Lauren takes her first steps into the world of Substack. We tackle a listener dilemma that every British woman will understand. What do you do when you notice someone's leggings are completely see-through at the gym? Say something and risk the embarrassment, or stay silent and hope someone else steps in? We also hear from a 45-year-old woman who was unexpectedly hurt after being "rated" by a group of teenage boys in a pub. It sparks a bigger conversation about confidence, ageing, body image and why external validation can still affect us in midlife, even when we know it shouldn't. In Midlife News, we discuss new research exploring women's libido, testosterone and sexual desire, and whether hormones are really the key to a healthy sex life. We unpack what the latest findings could mean for women navigating perimenopause, menopause and changing relationships. Meanwhile, a listener from Tennessee experiences every woman's worst nightmare when a missing handbag triggers a full-scale supermarket search involving staff, customers and rising panic, only for the bag to be discovered hanging from a friend's shoulder the entire time. 40ish is the funny podcast for midlife women navigating menopause, perimenopause, ageing, relationships, confidence and everything else life throws at women over 40. Topics discussed:• Women's libido and sexual desire• Testosterone and menopause• Perimenopause and hormones• Confidence in midlife• Body image and ageing• Women over 40• Self-esteem and validation• Gym anxiety• Midlife friendships• Menopause humour 🎟️ Buy tickets to our live show:https://podlifeevents.com/event-details/40ish-live-show-5-jul-2026-tickets Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

AI, Burnout & Liquorice Allsorts 23.06.2026 35dk

In this week's episode of 40ish, Nicole and Lauren tackle some of the biggest midlife challenges facing women today: people pleasing, setting boundaries, emotional overload and the reality of being part of the sandwich generation. Alongside the usual chaos, they discuss AI destroying garden dreams, accidental Instagram business strategies, makeup storage meltdowns, Temu temptations and why a packet of Liquorice Allsorts might be the secret to happiness after 40. A listener shares her journey of finally stopping shrinking herself to make everyone else comfortable, while another opens up about the resentment and exhaustion that can come from caring for ageing parents, children and everyone else's emotions at the same time. If you're navigating perimenopause, menopause, midlife burnout, people pleasing, family boundaries, confidence after 40 or simply trying to survive adulthood with your sense of humour intact, this episode is for you. 40ish is the funny podcast for midlife women navigating menopause, perimenopause, ageing, relationships, confidence and everything else life throws at women over 40. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

FLASH SALE on live show tickets! 17.06.2026 2dk

Here is the link to our live show! We hope you can join us 🙏🏻https://podlifeevents.com/event-details/40ish-live-show-5-jul-2026-ticketsBecome 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 TikTokOrder Our Book here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Husband Tracking, Itchy Bottoms and The World Cup 16.06.2026 46dk

On todays episode of 40ish: Nicole is losing her mind over losing absolutely everything she owns, while Lauren is deeply disturbed by the algorithm's insistence that she might be in the market for itchy anus remedies. We hear from a listener who has accidentally become a midlife music sensation, discuss why women in midlife are increasingly swapping big friendship groups for a handful of meaningful connections, and tackle a surprisingly divisive question: is tracking your husband's location perfectly normal... or just plain weird? Plus, a listener asks for help navigating the bewildering world of supplements for a neurodivergent perimenopausal brain, and Lauren and Nicole discover they share one deeply unfashionable opinion: complete and utter apathy towards the World Cup.Buy tickets to our Live Show on July 5th here: https://podlifeevents.com/event-details/40ish-live-show-5-jul-2026-ticketsBecome 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 TikTokOrder Our Book here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Family Feuds, Gym Friendships & Hangovers 11.06.2026 37dk

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-ticketsBecome 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 TikTokOrder Our Book here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

HRT Hack, Midlife Confidence and Padel is for Losers 09.06.2026 40dk

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-ticketsBecome 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 TikTokOrder Our Book here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Driving Anxiety, Midlife News & A PCOS Update 04.06.2026 38dk

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-ticketsBecome 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 TikTokOrder Our Book here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Live Show is Live! 03.06.2026 2dk

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-ticketsBecome 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 TikTokOrder Our Book here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Itchy Pubes, Friendship Fallouts & the Fear of a Shrinking Fanny 02.06.2026 42dk

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-londonBecome 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 TikTokOrder Our Book here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Making Female Friends in Your 40s & Becoming ‘Mumsy’ 28.05.2026 45dk

This week on 40ish, Lauren ponders whether becoming “mumsy” is actually contagious, whilst Nicole continues her impressive streak of losing dog leads, car keys and essentially any object not physically attached to her body. A listener shares an unexpectedly wholesome dream about meeting the ladies, which somehow sparks a fierce debate over who is actually more down to earth and honestly, the jury is still very much out. We also tackle this week’s dilemma from a listener who feels rubbish at making female friendships in her 40s. Why does building meaningful friendships as an adult woman sometimes feel harder than dating? Plus, an elite meltdown involving the correct way to say goodbye to someone in their 20s.As always, we absolutely love hearing from you lot. Your stories genuinely make the show. So please keep your dilemmas, meltdowns and most 40ish moments coming because you are the podcast.Come see us hosting in the Menopause tent at the Everywoman Festival on June 13th https://www.everywomanfest.com/tickets-londonBecome 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 TikTokOrder Our Book here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sienna Miller, Emotional Affairs & Marriage Red Flags 26.05.2026 44dk

Today on 40ish: Lauren and Nicole win a comedy award and celebrate in true 40ish style - by having a yogurt and an apple on the way home. Huge congratulations to Sienna Miller who has welcomed her third child. We discuss her comments about not caring what anyone thinks anymore, and why society still acts like women over 40 getting pregnant is breaking news while men are out here having babies during their free bus pass years. The listener's dilemma is from a woman whose husband started “getting into running” and may now be training for an emotional marathon with a divorced woman from the school gates. Evening jogs have turned into post-run Diet Cokes by the beach and suddenly our listener is spiralling. Is she overthinking? Is he being shady? We unpack trust and intuition. Plus, the midlife meltdowns return featuring a broken dryer and the reappearance of the tarty shoes. Yes, those shoes. Still causing problems. If you enjoy the episode, share it with a friend who also has trust issues, questionable footwear or a laundry appliance hanging on by a thread.Come see us hosting in the Menopause tent at the Everywoman Festival on June 13th https://www.everywomanfest.com/tickets-londonBecome 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 TikTokOrder Our Book here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hot Doctors, Freelance Farts and the Anxious Vagina 21.05.2026 46dk

On today's show: Nicole has an anxious vagina and is feeling mumsy on a Saturday night out, whilst Lauren is trying to play matchmaker in A&E with her friend and a hot Italian doctor. Because nothing says romance quite like fluorescent lighting and a triage wristband. In Midlife News we reveal that one in six women have considered leaving work because of menopause symptoms. Elsewhere, a listener asks whether any supplements actually help with peri symptoms after her GP informed her she’s “too young” - spoiler alert…she is not. There’s also an update on foster dog Jeff - (and it’s not good news) and a New Zealand Quasser who reports that peri-menopause has gifted her spontaneous public farting with absolutely no warning whatsoever. Office, supermarket, gym - her arse is now essentially working freelance. If you enjoy the episode, please share it with a friend who also suspects peri-menopause is basically your body leaving a one-star review of itself.Come see us hosting in the Menopause tent at the Everywoman Festival on June 13th https://www.everywomanfest.com/tickets-londonBecome 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 TikTokOrder Our Book here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why Midlife Friendship Breakups Hurt So Much & The Mental Load 19.05.2026 35dk

This week on 40ish: Nicole and Lauren find themselves nominated alongside fellow 40-something Romesh Ranganathan for a comedy award which, considering he’s an actual professional comedian and we mainly discuss pelvic floors, peri-menopause and Real Housewives, feels both surreal and deeply flattering. We were completely overwhelmed by your response to our conversation about friendship breakups and apparently being quietly phased out of a women’s friendship group in your 40s is basically the adult version of being picked last in PE, except now there are secret WhatsApp groups, girls’ trips to Thailand and emotionally devastating photos appearing on Instagram without you. Some of these listener stories are genuinely brutal. Plus, one listener's dilemma absolutely breaks our hearts. After years of carrying the mental load for her family; the cooking, cleaning, shopping, birthday planning, emotional labour and working full-time her birthday arrives with barely any acknowledgement. We talk about the quiet loneliness of feeling invisible in midlife, the resentment that builds when everyone takes you for granted, and why so many women end up feeling completely emotionally exhausted. If you’re enjoying the show, please share it with a friend who needs a laugh, a cry, or simply reassurance that other women are also lying awake at 3am replaying a text from 2017.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 TikTokOrder Our Book here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices