Are you feeling more stressed, anxious and irritable than usual? Maybe you’re experiencing brain fog, feeling like you’re not coping, or having trouble sleeping?
These are all typical menopause symptoms experienced by many women, including me, and the root cause is often due to stress.
The Stress of mid-life!
By the time we arrive at mid-life, we have often led very busy lives, juggling a multitude of responsibilities including careers, homes, children, teenagers, ageing parents, finances and relationships. We’re often overworked and exhausted by this point. If you’ve ever seen Motherland (one of my favourite shows!), you may remember this being described as Mother’s Load. Sound familiar?
And while we have all this Mother’s Load going on, our bodies are changing as they start to age and hormone levels change. As our bodies try to rebalance our hormone system (the endocrine system) due to falling levels of oestrogen and progesterone, stress hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline, can increase leading to even more stress and anxiety.
The combination of these two life factors can leave us feeling really stressed, anxious and irritable, together with a host of other menopause symptoms. When this happened to me, I barely recognised myself! And to be honest, I thought I was going a little crazy.
As a result, we may be relying on quick fixes such as caffeine, alcohol, tobacco and/or sugar for a quick pick-me-up, or reward to make us feel a little better. But these quick fixes actually make the problem worse, often resulting in fatigue, weight gain, low energy and frequent colds as the immune system becomes overwhelmed. Prolonged stress can cause inflammation, which is truly bad news for our bodies.
Rediscover Your Inner Glow
So, what can we do to get out of this negative cycle and rediscover our inner glow?
First and foremost, we need to prioritise rest. It’s not a luxury, it’s a necessity. As women we often feel guilty for sitting down, putting our feet up and taking some time out. This is your permission to ditch the guilt, and take a break!
Secondly, everyday our goal needs to be to prioritise and practice the habits of Unloading – that is, to focus on the elements of health and wellness that help us reduce stress and are within our control.
These don’t have to be complicated or take up much time, but just little habits we can ease into our daily lives to nurture our bodies and minds.
Daily Habits to Help Reduce Stress
Some habits you can try to include daily are:-
Hydration – depending on which research you read, we are approximately 60% water, so it is essential to keep our bodies, minds and cells in good condition. Dehydration can lead to a number of issues including headaches, fatigue, bloating, dry skin etc. It’s a quick win, and easily within your grasp. Aim for 2 litres of mineral water a day. At first, you may find that you need to go to the bathroom a lot more, but as the body becomes accustomed to being rehydrated, this will ease.
Exercise – over-exercising can actually stress our bodies more. It’s important to find the right level of exercise for your changing body. During our menopause years, 30 mins daily of aerobic exercise is recommended - walking, dancing, cycling, swimming are all good options. And practicing yoga or Pilates in the evening can help reduce cortisol levels to help you sleep.
Relaxation – This is the perfect time to have regular massages, even if it’s just for 20 minutes. It’s a treat, but you definitely deserve it. You could also try a long relaxing bath, or breathing exercises - a calm breath gives a calm mind. And I highly recommend meditation which is one of the best overall habits you can develop for your health.
Take time-out – switch the phone off and go for a walk in nature, which will reduce your stress levels. Take time to stop, take deep breaths and enjoy the sights and sounds around you. You’ll also be getting a dose of valuable Vitamin D which is connected to reducing stress & anxiety. Nature heals!
Stay positive – keeping a positive mind and positive energy can make a huge difference to how you feel. Surround yourself with positive people – you are the company you keep.
Nutrition to Help Beat Stress
The Mediterranean diet is the ideal eating guide to keep you healthy through the menopause as it’s full of anti-inflammatory foods. To help manage stress levels, you could focus on including foods in your diet that contain B Vitamins, zinc, and magnesium. Foods such as salmon, eggs, extra virgin olive oil, beans, legumes, brown rice and a couple of squares of dark chocolate as a treat!
So please, prioritise Unloading daily. Put yourself first, and Rediscover Your Inner Glow.
Stay well
Jules xx
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