Coping Mindfully With Menopause

Menopause comes with a series of hormonal changes that lead to a significant number of emotional and physical symptoms. Around your 40s or 50s, you begin to experience hot flashes, poor sleep, and mood swings amongst others. These symptoms might disrupt your everyday life and make you feel overwhelmed and distressed. Many women opt for hormone replacement therapy (HRT), which is the main treatment for menopausal symptoms. However, you can take simple measures to balance your mental, physical, and cognitive health during this time.

Mental health

About 75% of women experience mood swings in the years leading to menopause. They are most common during **perimenopause **(when the body is transitioning to menopause) as hormonal fluctuations are highly erratic. As a result, you go through all kinds of emotions in a roller coaster of drastic ups and downs. It’s common to experience irritability, impatience, lack of motivation, stress, and depression.

In addition to hormone-provoked mood swings, many women struggle with the many changes that menopause brings. This is quite common as menopause remains taboo and associated with the end of femininity (which cannot be further from the truth!). As such, women going through menopause struggle with their identity and mental health, dreading this transition. Some mechanisms to preserve your mental health during this stage are:

• Monitoring your mood

Keep track of your mood fluctuations and note which kind of emotions you typically feel. Is it anger, sadness, irritability, or euphoria? If your ups and downs seriously disrupt your everyday life, get in touch with a health professional.

• Relaxing

By “relax”, we don’t mean “sleep on it”. There are hundreds of self-calming and stress-reducing techniques that help you preserve your well-being. You should consider a 20-minute meditation, breathing exercises, yoga, or visualization.

• Talk it out

You don’t have to keep it to yourself! Whenever you are feeling stressed, sad, or simply overwhelmed, reach out to a friend, family member, or counselor. Having a strong support network will surely make a difference.

• Set goals

Many women believe that menopause is the end of youth or life as they know it. This is not the case at all! Set goals and engage in creative activities that give you a sense of purpose and remind you that you are full of potential.

• Treat yourself!

This is a period of rapid change. Not only do you experience physical symptoms, but also might lose your confidence. Dedicate time to unwind and give yourself some love. You can do this by engaging in activities you love, or by pampering yourself. For instance, treat yourself to a relaxing massage or a fancy dinner.

Physical health

On top of the emotional challenges listed above, menopause comes with several physical symptoms. You might experience hot flashes, vaginal dryness and pain, night sweats, headaches, joint pain, palpitations, weight gain, and reduced libido. If you find these symptoms troublesome, don’t worry! There are plenty of treatments available, just make sure to get in touch with your healthcare provider. In addition to these conventional methods, you could try the following tricks:

• Drink plenty of water

Keeping yourself hydrated in all stages of life is crucial. But, when it comes to menopause, drinking plenty of water can help you regulate your internal temperature and reduce bloating. It might also aid weight loss by slightly increasing your metabolism. Simply make sure to drink around 10 glasses of water per day.

• Dress in layers

Hot flashes are sudden, unpredictable, and uncomfortable. If your menopause comes with hot flashes, consider dressing in layers. This is practical as you will be able to remove clothing layers as soon as the flashes kick in.

• Stick to a balanced diet

Certain foods and drinks trigger hot flashes and mood swings. Try to limit alcohol, caffeine, spicy food, refined carbs, and sugar consumption, for example. You should also add plenty of fruits and veg to your daily meals as they are rich in calories and make you feel full, helping you maintain a healthy weight. Protein-packed foods like eggs, fish, lean meat, nuts, and dairy also have a similar effect and prevent muscle mass loss.

• Take vitamin E and use lubricant

During menopause, estrogen levels drop. As a consequence, vaginal tissues become thinner and easily irritated. This is known as vaginal dryness or atrophic vaginitis. Vitamin E supplements or creams can help you feel relief. Using lubricant during sex prevents damage and pain, which is super helpful.

• Consider weight training

Losing and maintaining a healthy weight becomes progressively more difficult with age. Putting on weight during menopause is fairly common. That’s why it’s the perfect time to consider weight training instead of cardio. If you haven’t done weight training before, take it one step at a time, and ask for professional guidance if you are unsure about how to proceed.

Cognitive health

Between 60% and 80% of women experience “brain fog” or poor memory through perimenopause and menopause. Of course, this is not exclusive to women as memory issues are a typical consequence of getting older. However, an estrogen dip during menopause might contribute as well. If you find yourself misplacing your house keys or forgetting what you were about to do, make a few lifestyle changes. These can be following a healthy diet and exercising regularly, as discussed above. You can also:

• Do “mental workouts”

It’s not just your body! Your mind benefits from some exercise too. Engage in stimulating activities like crossword puzzles, sudoku, learning a new language, or playing an instrument.

• Make things easier for yourself

Leave your keys, phone, and valuables in the same place. Keep important information on your phone. And you can also come with your own strategies to remember people’s names or relevant addresses, such as acronyms or rhymes.

• Prioritize sleep

Sleep deprivation makes brain fog even worse. If you have issues with sleep, try to follow a healthy sleep hygiene routine. This normally entails some of the strategies listed above, including cutting out caffeine and avoiding spicy meals before bedtime. You can also dedicate 20 minutes to unwind in the evening, away from electronic devices.

Menopause comes with many health and wellness symptoms that might be stressful and anxiety-inducting. Fortunately, there are many ways to overcome these challenges and enjoy this beautiful era. From exercising to eating a healthy diet and prioritizing sleep, all of these hacks will make your life much easier! If you are struggling, remember to seek professional help as soon as possible.

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