The topic of menopause was taboo until the last few years. Gayle King is determined to shed even more light on the medical condition. She published a book earlier this month providing real solutions and support for women going through the life change. Now, the CBS Mornings host revealed the nightmare lingering menopause symptoms she’s still experiencing at the age of 71. Keep reading for all the details.
Gayle King Exposes Nightmare Lingering Menopause Symptoms At 71
Menopause wasn’t something our mothers talked about or warned us about at all. Many women are now experiencing perimenopause, the stage before menopause, with little to no knowledge of how to handle the symptoms. But Gayle King wants to change that.
She’s been outspoken for years about going through menopause. She detailed her symptoms in a 2023 interview with Drew Barrymore. “It feels like you’re burning inside. For me, it was just a physical heat and then sometimes you have dripping, drenching sweats that can just happen at the most inopportune times,” she said about the hot flashes, one of the most common symptoms of menopause.
Menopause typically begins in the late-40s, though it varies from person to person. Bachelorette alum Katie Thurston was forced into medical menopause during her battle with breast cancer. According to the Cleveland Clinic, the entire process can last 7 to 14 years. However, Gayle King still suffers from nightmare lingering symptoms several decades later.
She opened up about her experience to The Wall Street Journal. “Not everybody has hot flashes, but I do. I still to this day have wicked hot flashes that just come out of nowhere,” she told the outlet. She also has trouble sleeping, though that could be because of her early morning schedule on CBS Mornings.
While most of us hop in the shower as soon as we wake up to get our blood going, Gayle King has a more relaxed routine.
She Opens Up About Morning Bubble Baths
Gayle King sets her alarm for 3:24 a.m. However, she doesn’t jump out of bed immediately. She told WSJ that she hits snooze several times. And when she does get out of bed, she climbs into a relaxing bubble bath. In fact, she requests hotel rooms with tubs when she’s traveling.
The CBS Mornings host has completely embraced getting older, despite the lingering menopause symptoms. “I say aging is living,” she said. Gayle King expressed her gratitude for her life.
“I’ve outlived both of my parents. My dad died when he was 47. My mom died at 60, 10 days before her 61st birthday,” she shared. “But I don’t need menopause to make me feel grateful for the appreciation of a living life and feeling more experienced and more wise. I make no apologies about that. I tell you, I’m grateful to be on the planet.”
Gayle King released The Book of Menopause: Real Talk, Real Science, Real Strategies for Your Next Chapter in October with the help of Oprah Daily editors. It includes tips for managing menopause symptoms and more.
Jennifer Havener grew up in a small town in Upstate New York. She earned her B.A in Writing & Literature from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She always knew watching reality TV shows and soap operas, particularly ‘Days of Our Lives’, would come in handy someday. When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her dogs, Lola and Ruger