Menopause and peri menopause are often regarded as an inevitable process a women will go through that is dreaded and feared for its physical symptoms while misunderstanding or dismissing the impact on one’s mental health and relationships. While hot flashes, night sweats, and hormonal fluctuations are commonly discussed, the profound effects on mental health often remain overlooked.
So many times, I've had ladies into my office who feel like they are losing their minds, going crazy, questioning everything from their career choice to their choice of husband! Women have often been managing all the things life throws at them and then begin to feel like they are losing their grip.
Perimenopause & Menopause
Menopause typically occurs in women between their late 40s and early 50s, but perimenopause can begin up to 10 years before menopause, which is defined as one year without a period. A blood test can’t determine where you are at but listening to your collection of symptoms and understanding them can!
Common symptoms can include hot flashes, mood swings, brain fog, sexual changes, bladder problems, fat in places there was never fat before (hello back fat!) and difficulty sleeping. Sleep is crucial for good mental health and this absolutely a foundation for managing all the other #$@#% coming your way.
Less known symptoms can include heart palpitations, joint pain, dry/itchy skin, dry eyes, light-headness and constipation- just to name a few.
These can all add up to cause a lot of discomfort, stress, confusion and shame. Additionally, we are usually dealing with tweens and teens (IYKYK!) as well as often times our career changes, parents health issues or other family drama. Compiled together this can lead to us not feeling like the wild wonderful women we are!
What can we do to navigate the hormones?
Due to the many competing components mentioned above, the fluctuating hormone levels can also wreak havoc, leading to heightened irritability, anxiety, and feelings of depression. The abrupt hormonal shifts can leave women feeling like they're on an emotional rollercoaster, with mood swings ranging from euphoria to despair. It's essential to recognize these fluctuations as impactful to feelings of wellbeing while validating women's experiences and providing support and interventions when needed.
If you are someone who has struggled with a sensitivity to hormonal fluctuations before, think horrible PMS or PMDD, you are at a higher risk for bothersome symptoms during perimenopause and menopause. It is important to be aware of the symptoms of anxiety and depression from increase worry, dread and apprehension to ongoing sadness, loss of interest and inability to make decisions.
Cognitive function can also be impacted with difficulty concentrating, memory lapses, brain fog and indecisiveness.
While research continues, many of the symptoms of peri menopause and menopause are related to a decrease in estrogen. A hormone almost every system in our body relies on. It makes sense then that when it declines, we see a myriad of symptoms pop up that often look like a different collection of symptoms for each woman. Unfortunately, in the past women were told it was something they just had to deal with or were dismissed altogether! Well not today!
While I encourage you to speak to your doctors about your symptoms it can be helpful to meet with a mental health professional that can help you prepare for that appointment while also learning non-pharmalogical strategies for managing many of these symptoms. Through education, therapeutic interventions and empowerment we can support women to advocate and manage their mental health and physical well being at every turn of this tricky maze. Guidance and validation go a long way to acknowledge you stepping into your most powerful and confident season!
Start with Sleeping Better
Sleeping is the foundation of good mental and physical health! Here are my top tips for a great sleep to promote wellness through your perimenopause and menopause journey:
1. Eye mask (reduces stimulation from all light-even a little light can disrupt your sleep)
2. Brain dump exercise
3. Camomile tea (check with your doctor/pharmacist to ensure it is safe for you)
4. Learning CBT strategies to support sleep
I am hopeful that our cultural view of perimenopause and menopause will continue to be more comprehensive and empowering, until then trusting your body to know when you need help is the first step. Therapy can definitely help manage some of the symptoms but also provide strategies for self-advocacy while challenging our limiting beliefs around our minds and bodies as women.
I hope to promote dialogue around the complexities of this season of life and acknowledge the multifaceted factors that make this time challenging but also enlightening!
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