Still today, in the twenty-first century, Menopause is a taboo subject for many. Menopause is part of the natural cycle of a woman’s life. The same way we go through puberty, and the fertile period, we go through the process of Menopause later in life. For many, Menopause is simply the lack of a menstrual period; but Menopause is much more than that, and men and women should be well informed about this natural phase of life.
Traditionally known as “the change,” for many women, this process is still obscure. For some, Menopause is comparable to a “disease,” or at the very least, something negative. My blog’s primary goal is to help women in their 50’s lead happy, abundant lives. You are the one who decides whether to consider this decade as the end of youth or fertility or a “change” for the better. If you haven’t done it yet, now is time to take full control of your life and work to make it productive, satisfactory, and full of joy.
What is Menopause?
According to the Mayo Clinic Website, “Menopause is the time that marks the end of your menstrual cycles. It is diagnosed after you’ve gone twelve months without a menstrual period. Menopause can happen in your 40s or 50s, but the average age is 51 in the United States.
Here we are in our 50s, in the middle of the decade of perimenopause and menopause, a natural biological process. It is important to note that besides the typical physical symptoms: irregular periods, vaginal dryness, hot flashes, chills, night sweats, sleep problems, weight gain and slowed metabolism, thinning hair, and dry skin, all women experiment with an array of emotional symptoms as well. All these symptoms can disrupt sleep, lower your energy, and affect your emotional health. This post is going to focus on the emotional impact of Menopause.
Can Menopause affect mental health?
The short answer, most definitely. Specific changes in the body can also prompt concerns about attractiveness and body image, while contemplating midlife, in general, can lead to more significant questions about one’s place and purpose in life (I refer you here to my “life purpose” blog posts). It can also be a time of gaining wisdom and confidence, and the latter is my approach to this life’s period.
Changing hormone levels can interfere with sleep and mood, causing tiredness, anxiety, irritability, and depression. Decreased sex drive or inability to enjoy sex can also lead to loss of self-esteem and intimacy. Additional emotional changes experienced with Menopause are aggressiveness, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, mood changes (moodiness), and tension. This emotional upheaval can cause frustration and stress and can last for up to five years post-menopause. There are valid reasons for these emotional issues, and, thankfully, there are self-care strategies to help you through them.
How can you manage menopause emotional side effects?
This roller coaster of emotions is another result of the hormonal imbalance. When estrogen is lowered (besides impacting our bone density and skin’s clarity), the mood-regulating transmitters in the brain also may experience erratic drops and risen. Although very different, this phenomenon can be compared with the hormonal “explosion” of puberty; if you don’t remember, your growing children can remind you-tell me about it; I deal daily with a thirteen-year-old boy-.
Many mild emotional symptoms of Menopause can be managed through lifestyle changes, such as finding ways to relax and reduce stress (I will dedicate a full blog post to the benefits of meditation). Each woman is different, and each of us needs to find the best and the healthiest ways to unwind and decrease anxiety and stress.
A way to deal with negative feelings through Menopause is finding a creative outlet for your emotions, which will foster a sense of achievement. You could write down the way you feel in the form of a short story. You can also start a journal or simply write a list of all the things that make you happy each day or all the things you are grateful for. You don’t need to write a novel unless you want to do that. You can also paint or draw images that reflect how you feel, or perhaps you can take on photography as a way of expression—anything creative to channel your energy in the right direction.
Are there any natural ways of reducing physical and emotional symptoms of Menopause?
The following everyday habits not only apply to reducing the symptoms of Menopause; these are universal practices for good physical and mental health at any age and men and women. I highly recommend these eight patterns:
- Eat foods rich in calcium and vitamin C (dairy products, leafy greens, citrus fruits, daily sunlight-vitamin D-).
- Achieve and maintain a healthy weight (I will elaborate on weight loss and maintenance in future blog posts).
- Eat lots of foods and vegetables. This eating habit is paramount.
- Exercise regularly. Depending on your physical shape and circumstances, you can always design your exercise routine to adapt to your lifestyle and particular needs. There is no need to go to the gym daily; a daily walk can suffice, although strengthening exercises are highly recommended for women our age and older.
- Drink enough water. Hydration is crucial; besides water, you can also get hydrated by drinking tea or homemade juices made with real fruit.
- Reduce refined sugar and processed foods to a minimum. These two are your enemy.
- Don’t skip meals. Depending on your needs, you can have three big meals a day or eat five smaller meals throughout the day. A healthy, robust breakfast is recommended, but if breakfast is not your thing, you can have a hearty lunch or even eat most of your calories for dinner. As far as your diet is healthy, it doesn’t really matter how you spread out your calories throughout the day.
- Eat protein-rich foods (nuts, legumes, dairy, eggs, fish, lean meat).
Perimenopause and Menopause are a natural part of life’s cycle, and we should approach them as such. There is no way to avoid them; it will affect all of us women physically and emotionally to a certain degree. It is up to each of us to manage and deal with the symptoms. Positive thinking, healthy habits, and a significant amount of sense of humor can take us very far. Some of the symptoms are not fun, and for women going through additional life challenges, Menopause could be tough to deal with. Still, with enough information and willingness, we can get through it and come out more confident, healthier, and wiser. Let’s all get inspired!