Smarter Menopause

Category: 30 Days To A Smarter Menopause

  • Ease The Anxiety

    Ease The Anxiety

    Increased levels of anxiety may come as shock to many women at menopause. More celebrity women, such as Carol Vorderman, Mariella Frostrup and Gillian Anderson, have been speaking openly about their own experiences of menopause anxiety and that is helping to raise awareness of this issue.

    The causes of anxiety at this stage of life are complex. It can be the result of hormones changes, poor sleep, low mood and stressful situations at home or work. It can be aggravated by poor nutrition and lifestyle choices.

    Symptoms of anxiety include:

    Panic attacks

    Insomnia

    Poor appetite or over-eating

    Inability to cope with day-to-day living

    Loss of confidence

    Hot flushes

    Avoidance of new situations

    All of this can be difficult to cope with on top of the physical symptoms of menopause. And if you are experiencing panic attacks they can be frightening and exhausting. It can leave you feeling overwhelmed.

    Suggestions for dealing with anxiety

    1 Acknowledge your feelings. The more you try to ignore and suppress your emotions the more they will keep trying to get your attention.

    2 Seek help. It may be that you just need to have an open conversation with a trusted friend. But if the anxiety is impacting on your life and you are having frequent panic attacks you may need to talk to a medical practitioner or therapist.

    3 Talk to your manager. If your anxiety is being triggered by workplace stress it is time to have a conversation with your line-manager before it affects your health.

    4 Create some ‘me-time’. Support your emotional health through regular exercise, meditation and breathing exercises.

    5 Live well. Avoid or reduce caffeine and sugary foods. Cut down on alcohol. Stop smoking. Establish a relaxing sleep routine and bedroom environment. Regular, good quality sleep is essential to easing your anxiety.

    For more help with your anxiety contact me to talk about how I might help you.

  • 10 Top Tips to Clear Brain Fog

    10 Top Tips to Clear Brain Fog

    You know that feeling you get when you just can’t think straight? Your brain is wading through treacle and you can’t make a decision. Your memory is not what it was. You keep forgetting things: people’s names, items on your mental to-do list, something you were going to say, where you put your keys. It’s starting to get you down. It saps your energy and you feel tired all the time. Who knew that would happen at menopause?

    Woman with Menopause Brain Fog
    Menopause Brain Fog

    Brain fog is a common side-effect of the physical changes that occur at menopause. In my late 40s, as I entered peri-menopause, I felt like I needed a new pair of glasses to help me think straight see the world clearly. But it wasn’t my eyesight that was the problem.

    Causes of Brain Fog

    Brain fog is not just a result of the reduction in your reproductive hormones. It can also be related to:

    • Increased levels of stress
    • Lack of sleep
    • Lifestyle
    • Deficiencies in nutrition

    If you’re experiencing brain fog and it is disrupting your life then it’s time to take action and start to think clearer and feel more energised.

    Top Tips for Clearing the Fog

    1. Review your sleep pattern. It is helpful to keep a sleep journal for two weeks to see if there are any patterns that you can identify and take action on. (See ‘Sleep – The Wonder Drug)
    2. Use some basic time-management techniques to help reduce your stress. Create a To Do List every night for the following day. Prioritise the list and do the most important and urgent things first – even if they are not the easiest tasks.
    3. Learn to say ‘No’ assertively so you don’t end up over-committing. Say @no@ as soon as you can in the conversation. Be polite and firm. Suggest alternatives if you can.
    4. Reduce or eliminate alcohol. Alcohol is a depressant that has an adverse effect on your brain function. Find something else that you can drink that you would enjoy.
    5. Stop smoking. The chemicals in cigarettes stress your system and deprive your brain of the oxygen it needs to function effectively.
    6. Eat foods that are rich in Omega 3 oils that help support brain function. such as oily fish, linseeds, chia seeds, walnuts, tofu and avocados
    7. Take a food supplement. Zinc, magnesium and vitamin B6 have been found to be beneficial as aids to concentration.
    8. Stay hydrated. Lack of water to the brain can cause symptoms such as lack of focus, memory issues, brain fatigue, headaches and depression. Drink plenty of water or non-caffeinated drinks during the day.
    9. Take regular exercise. Exercise that raises your heart rate and breathing rate increases the flow of blood to your brain and helps to create new neural connections. If you exercise first thing in the morning it can help you with those first difficult tasks of the day.
    10. When you are tense or worried parts of your brain shut down and you enter the fight/flight/freeze state. Relaxing allows your brain to function at it’s best. You can use simple breathing exercises, meditation, yoga, Tai Chi or Pilates.

     

    There are lots more tips and techniques in the 30 Days To A Smarter Menopause Programme

  • Sleep – The Secret Wonder Drug

    Sleep – The Secret Wonder Drug

    Regular good quality sleep is often the first victim of menopause. It takes many women by surprise as it is not often talked about as one of the common symptoms but it is estimated to affect over half of women.

    Poor sleep can give rise to other symptoms such as brain fog, memory lapses, reduced energy, low mood and difficulty maintaining a healthy weight.

    There are a number of reasons why poor sleep can occur at this stage of life. Menopause is a time of major physical and psychological changes brought about by the reduction in the reproductive hormones, estrogen and progesterone. One side-effect of these hormonal changes is night sweats which can disrupt sleep several times a night.

    A significant number of women experience higher levels of anxiety during menopause. This can be the result of the hormone changes and also the general life pressures of midlife from work, teenage children, older parents and relationship issues.

    Good sleep is essential for your physical, mental and emotional health. There are five areas where you can make simple changes that will help to improve your sleep.

    1 Bedroom Environment. Make your bedroom a sleep haven. Remove your mobile phone and any other electronic devices that might disturb you. De-clutter the room so that the air and energy flow unobstructed. Keep the room cool, dark, quiet and well-ventilated

    2 Bedtime Routine. Create a regular, relaxing routine. Lower lighting levels as the evening progresses.  Watch or read something funny or non-stimulating. Don’t watch the evening news. Have a warm bath or shower. Go to bed at a similar time every night and get up at a similar time in the morning.

    3 Review what you eat and drink. Avoid coffee after mid-afternoon. Notice if there are certain foods that disturb your sleep or cause night sweats. Common triggers are spicy foods, red meat, chocolate and sugar-rich foods. Reduce alcohol because it causes poor quality sleep and hot flushes.

    4 De-stress. Incorporate some basic time-management techniques into your daily routine. Exercise regularly. Attend a yoga or Pilates class. Have fun time with your friends.

    5 Adopt a positive mindset. Before you lie down to sleep, make a note in a journal of three positive things you have noticed during the day. Practice simple breathing exercises to help you to relax when you get to bed or if you wake up during the night. Use a relaxation recording

    Sleep is a natural process. Your body is programmed to rest and recuperate at night. Help it do it’s thing.