I Went on a Menopause Retreat — This Is What It Was Like

Experience helped writer make amends with menopause

Susan B. Barnes,

AARP

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Published August 16, 2024

a woman holding a red towel while standing in pool

Seeking a holistic approach to menopause, the writer traveled to Italy for the Women Retreat at the adults-only Preidlhof Luxury DolceVita Resort. The infinity pool beckons.

Courtesy Priedlehof Luxury Dolce Vita Resort

Sitting alone in the sauna, I take a deep breath and slowly exhale, watching the twinkling lights dot the night sky around the village of Naturns in the Italian Dolomites. Surrounded by silence, the only sound my breath, I feel my body relax and inhibitions melt away. The towel falls around me, and I am finally confident enough to sauna as the Europeans sauna — fully nude — especially since I am all alone.

As a woman of a certain age (I turn 53 this month), I have noticed changes in my body over the past few years. They include hair loss, stubborn weight gain that does not respond to diet and exercise, and occasional difficulty sleeping, one of my favorite things to do. It is frustrating to look in the mirror and not recognize the woman returning my gaze, so I turned to the experts for answers.

During my last annual physical, I brought the weight issue to my primary care physician, explaining that I take spin classes and practice yoga several times a week while doing my best to eat mindfully. His reply? “Well, you are at that age.” My gynecologist’s answer was a prescription for hormone replacements. My hairdresser confirmed my hair was indeed thinning, but thankfully, she was happy to report that it is growing back.

Not one to immediately look to traditional medicine such as hormone replacement therapy for solutions, I did something I rarely do — I turned to the internet. There is plenty of information out in the world about menstrual cycles and pregnancies, but I found precious little about menopause and women’s health as we move into our more mature years. Googling “menopause” produces results of myriad supplements and low-impact exercise programs aimed at maturing women. However, I was looking for insights from real experts, not the so-called experts on Instagram or TikTok who look to be quite a way from that season of their lives.

Coming up short, I searched for menopause retreats. Many I found did not appear to have much in the way of substance, focusing instead on shopping, candles and creating a hygge vibe. I am all for being cozy and comfortable, but I was looking for more. It was only when I looked to Europe that I found the types of retreats I was thinking of, blending holistic practices and traditional medicine to address menopause symptoms.

aerial view of Priedlehof Luxury Dolce Vita Resort

Preidlhof Luxury DolceVita Resort is in South Tyrol in the Italian Dolomites.

Courtesy Priedlehof Luxury Dolce Vita Resort

That is how I found myself in the wine sauna at the adults-only Preidlhof Luxury DolceVita Resort, journeying from Florida to the Italian Dolomites for a weeklong retreat intended to help women adjust their mindset in the second half of their lives. Rather than a one-size-fits-all program involving a group of women, my retreat was a solo experience, tailored just for me and my needs.

The first step in my menopausal wellness retreat was a heart rate variability (HRV) session with Alexander Angerer, M.D., Preidlhof’s in-house doctor who specializes in complementary medicine, phytotherapy, homeopathy and acupuncture. HRV monitors changes in our hearts, from beat to beat, and reflects our bodies’ abilities to adapt to stress. After a 25-minute session with sensors attached to and monitoring my body, I reviewed the report with Angerer.

It was not good.

The report’s graphics showed my sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems were severely out of whack. Ideally, parasympathetic activity, or “rest and digest,” balances the stress of sympathetic activity, or “fight or flight.” My figures were staggering: a stress index of 445 (a normal range is 10 to 100) and a parasympathetic activity level of just 1 percent. On top of that, my gerontological curve showed a biological age of 59 when I was 52.

The focus of Preidlhof retreats ranges from weight loss to sleep, but they all endeavor to balance hedonic and eudaemonic well-being, or pleasure and happiness. My HRV report proved I had a long way to go to gain some semblance of balance.

Whether my HRV reading was impacted by stress, a long day of travel or my being menopausal, the bottom line was that I had work to do. After our review, Angerer shared the report with the Preidlhof team working with me throughout my retreat. This would enable staffers to further tailor experiences to meet my specific needs.

Writer Susan B. Barnes taking a hike on her retreat

Susan B. Barnes took a hike during a retreat tailored just for her and her needs.

Courtesy Susan Barnes

Over the week, I followed my personalized plan, a combination of massage, sound, water and acupuncture therapies interspersed with one-on-one holistic coaching sessions and classes. As part of the customized plan, we implemented movement and breath work classes such as yoga (which I practice regularly at home) to work on my HRV report. The team delivered a basket to my room that included things to help me achieve a better night’s sleep such as an aromatherapy candle, tea, lotion and even an iPad with soothing music.

My schedule allowed for plenty of time to reflect on my journey, whether I was practicing solo yoga in a yurt, leaving the resort for a walk in the gorgeous countryside, going for a swim or letting the toxins flow in one of the saunas in the resort’s six-floor Sauna Tower. Guests participating in their own retreats, like me, enjoy nourishing, healthy meals in a quiet, serene space.

I felt the benefit of slowing down and listening to my body and mind as they relaxed, courtesy of the therapies and classes throughout the week. Two moments have lingered with me. The first was when one of the longtime therapists looked at my HRV report and said he had never seen one as severe as mine. The second was when another therapist asked what I do solely for the fun of it. I took a beat, and when I could not come up with anything that I do purely for fun, I teared up. That realization was a true wake-up call in so many ways: I need to tune in to myself more and meet my unique needs.

Did I find all the answers I sought at my menopause retreat?

Honestly, no.

But I did come away with a better sense of myself as I move through menopause. I have a better understanding of my body and continue to do the work to feel more comfortable in it. I strive to give myself more grace and know that there is not a quick panacea for the symptoms I experience.

Since my return home from the Dolomites, and perhaps because I am more attuned to the subject, I have seen more stories in mainstream magazines and news sites about menopause. It makes sense: According to the Global Wellness Summit, more than 1 billion women worldwide will have experienced perimenopause by 2025. According to the Mayo Clinic, an estimated 6,000 women reach menopause daily, which equates to more than 2 million women going into menopause annually.

Other menopause retreat offerings

The Women Retreat at Preidlhof lasts seven nights and costs about $1,675 per person for all programming and treatments, excluding accommodations. Rates begin at $231 per night, including breakfast, lunch and a seven-course dinner.

I also have come across more substantial menopause programs. Six Senses Vana’s Mindful Menopause Journey launched on International Women’s Day (March 8) this year. The 10-night retreat ($940/night, single; $1,550/night, double; includes program, accommodations and meals) in the Himalayan foothills of India provides women with a holistic approach to wellness during this phase of their lives.

For a taste of a menopause retreat without going all in, Miraval Arizona (overnight rates, including meals, from $799/person for double occupancy; $899/person for single occupancy) in Tucson’s Sonoran Desert offers sessions such as Better Sleep in Menopause & Beyond (an additional $109); Menopause, Mocktails & Mimosas (an additional $159); and Menopause & Midlife ($250 private, $195 semiprivate). All the sessions are intended to help women understand what is happening in their bodies.

Though not a menopause retreat per se, Mountain Trek’s weeklong hiking programs ($6,700 all-inclusive) in British Columbia, Canada, are geared toward women in their 40s, 50s and 60s and specially designed to balance hormones, which certainly benefits women in perimenopause or menopause.

Menopause is a part of every woman’s life. It is important for us to know that we are not alone in our journeys, and there are holistic and homeopathic resources available to help us navigate our way.

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