Women's Health Doesn't Wait Until You're Ready

Christine Biraro thought she was too young for a major health issue, until her body proved otherwise in her early 30s.

The customer experience manager at Bank of Kigali and certified life coach is now speaking out about a pattern she sees across women's health: we don't miss warning signs, we just normalize them. Heavy periods become "how my body works." Constant fatigue becomes "life is busy." Pain becomes something to push through.

Her story highlights a gap in how we talk about women's health. We hear about pregnancy. We hear about menopause. But the years in between, when bodies change quietly and unpredictably, rarely get discussed openly.

Research backs up how common these experiences are. In a survey of nearly 4,000 women by Ipsos BVA, 60 to 70 percent reported heavy periods that affect both physical energy and emotional wellbeing. Conditions like uterine fibroids affect a large percentage of women, especially women of African descent, yet often go unnoticed because symptoms feel familiar rather than alarming.

Even hormonal shifts can start earlier than expected. While many associate perimenopause with the mid-40s, hormonal transitions can begin in the late 30s or even earlier. Emotional changes, anxiety, sleep disruption, and brain fog can feel intense and disorienting.

Neuroscientist Dr. Lisa Mosconi explains that hormonal transitions affect the brain too, influencing mood, sleep, energy, and cognitive clarity. Neuroscientist Dr. Wendy Suzuki adds that the brain constantly responds to stress, lifestyle, and internal body changes, meaning emotional and mental symptoms often have real physical roots.

The Ripple Effect

Biraro's message extends beyond individual women. When partners, families, colleagues, and communities better understand these phases of women's health, they create more empathy, patience, and mutual support. When women are well, families, workplaces, and communities function better.

Her call isn't for self-diagnosis but for awareness. You can be young and still have a health condition. You can look fine and still be struggling physically or emotionally. When changes in energy, menstrual patterns, sleep, mood, or general wellbeing persist or interfere with daily life, speaking with a healthcare professional can bring reassurance or clarity.

The most important message: your body is not dramatic, weak, or overreacting. It's communicating, and learning to listen without shame or delay may be one of the most important forms of self-care a woman can practice.