Being kind and patient with yourself at this phase of life is important. Stress can have a negative effect on hormonal balance and impact on getting a good restorative sleep. Often at menopause women are juggling lots of different demands on their time, so knowing when to say no is important. Saying no to things that do not fill your cup is a skill that we often have to learn but it is an important one.
Practising meditation is beneficial for stress management and there are good apps available such as the calm app and Headspace which have guided meditations on them. Meditation can take a while to master but is very beneficial, so keep trying if it does not feel natural at first.
Breathwork, having a grounding breathing technique to hand when everything feels out of control can help you to re-centre and gain calm in the moment. A simple one you can try is: breath in through your nose for a count of 4, breath out for 4 and repeat 4 times.
Getting outside daily, especially in morning light, if possible, also decreases stress, even better if you can get out into nature for some forest bathing.
Feelings of increased anxiety are common at peri menopause and menopause. If you are unable to improve these symptoms with stress management techniques, exercise, sleep and diet do make sure you discuss them with you GP or preferred healthcare practitioner.
Many people use smoking and alcohol as a way to reduce stress, unwind or socialise.
Generally, as we age our bodies become more sensitive to the impact of smoking and alcohol. Stopping smoking is advisable, generally for many health reasons. It can also impact us specifically in our menopause. It was been associated with severe and frequent hot flashes. Smoking also increases the risk of heart disease and osteoporosis and after menopause when those in/past menopause can be more susceptible to these conditions. Smoking has also been linked to an earlier menopause.
Alcohol affects those who have a lower body weight and this is more likely to be someone who has or has had a period. This means they absorb alcohol more quickly. We also have less of the alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) enzymes in their stomach. As a result, their bodies can’t handle alcohol as well. For some, alcohol may make hot flashes worse, with red wine being understood as being one of the most triggering for many. Alcohol can also impact on the amount of settled and deep sleep we get.
However, there are also some positive studies when it comes to the impact of alcohol during menopause. A 2007 study stated that those who drank alcohol at least once a month, in comparison to those who abstained were less likely to suffer hot flashes. A 2017 literature review also found that beer in particular may have a positive impact on hot flashes due to the presence of hops. These benefits may also be seen in non-alcoholic beer.
Limiting alcohol intake can also help with better sleep as it disturbs your sleep. It can also aggravate bladder frequency and leakage and is a depressant so although it may help you to feel better in the short term in the long term it is unhelpful especially when lots of women already suffer with increased anxiety and other mental health symptoms at menopause.
Alcohol also makes you hot, which does not help with hot flashes and it contains lots of calories so can contribute to weight gain.
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