Mindfulness and Stress Relief Techniques for Managing Menopause Symptoms

It’s no secret that your body goes through a lot of changes during menopause and the years leading up to it. As hormones like progesterone and estrogen gradually decline, it’s common to experience a variety of unwanted symptoms. These may include dreaded hot flashes, increased weight gain (especially around the midsection), and increasing anxiety. Many women discover that they can no longer endure the same stressors they used to handle with ease.

Fortunately, there are various tools and techniques available to help you get through menopause. Keep reading to learn how to manage anxiety and stress associated with menopause so you can get back to enjoying your life.

Understanding Menopause

Menopause is a natural biological phase of life that hits most women in their 40s or 50s. It occurs when the female body goes through hormone changes that cause menstrual cycles to stop. The arrival of menopause also marks the end of a woman’s childbearing years. During menopause, the ovaries produce fewer female hormones and the ovaries stop producing eggs.

A woman isn’t officially diagnosed with menopause until she has gone 12 consecutive months without having a menstrual cycle. However, a woman can go through perimenopause (the stage right before official menopause) for up to eight years. During perimenopause, women can develop symptoms similar to those associated with menopause.  

Mindfulness and Stress Relief Techniques During Menopause

As progesterone and estrogen levels decline, the body responds by experiencing a cascade of symptoms. These are normal physiological responses to the changes happening within the body. However, some women experience symptoms more severely than others, and they can interfere with everyday life.

Increasing stress and anxiety levels can be particularly disruptive and make it difficult to function normally.  Fortunately, these mindfulness and stress relief techniques can minimize symptoms and help you enjoy your life through menopause and beyond.  

Give Your Body Adequate Nutrition

Good nutrition is crucial for optimal brain and body health throughout all phases of life. However, it’s especially important to give your body the nutrients it needs while you’re going through menopause. The foods you eat during this time can either minimize undesirable hormone-related symptoms or make them worse.  

Choose foods rich in vitamins, minerals, protein, healthy fat, and fiber to balance your hormones and mood. Suggestions include vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, calcium-rich dairy products, and whole grains. Minimize or avoid your intake of processed meals and foods high in saturated fats, sugars, and chemicals. These types of food can further disrupt hormones and exacerbate unwanted symptoms like anxiety. Caffeine can also make anxious feelings worse, so it’s best to limit your intake during menopause.

Supplement As Needed

It can be hard to get all the nutrients you need from your diet alone. If you’re still experiencing out-of-control symptoms despite eating healthy, consider adding supplements to your routine. The right supplements can improve your health and reduce menopause-related symptoms like anxiety, musculoskeletal pain, and UTIs.  

Calcium and Vitamin D supplements can improve bone health and may relieve musculoskeletal pain during menopause. B vitamins and black cohosh may improve mood and boost mental health. A quality UTI supplement may help you avoid developing chronic urinary tract infections (which are common during menopause). If you’re taking prescription medications, talk to your healthcare provider about any potential interactions supplements could have with your medications.

Identify and Minimize Stressors

Increasing cortisol levels during menopause can make everyday stressors seem more overwhelming than usual. Additionally, reduced estrogen levels can trigger plummeting serotonin production. Since serotonin is so important for stabilizing mood, its decline can lead to increased anxiety and mood swings. All of these changes can make chronic stress feel like an inevitable and formidable companion throughout menopause.

Identifying and minimizing stressors in your life can boost your physical and mental health. Common stress triggers include work deadlines, daily demands, and social expectations. Set clear boundaries in each area that’s currently overwhelming you to reduce your anxiety and avoid burnout. You might need to start telling people no when they ask you to take on more than you can handle.

Meditate to Increase Mindfulness

Mindfulness and meditation can help reduce stress and anxiety by helping you focus on the present moment. Though they aren’t the same thing, they complement each other and one is conducive to the other. Mindfulness is a relaxed mental state that often involves deeply reflecting on your own feelings and thoughts without casting judgment. Meditation is a mental exercise that helps you train your awareness to create a focused and calm mental state.

Meditation and mindfulness are powerful tools for combatting anxiety and stress. Some people prefer meditating with the help of a guided recording. Others find it easier to meditate when they’re left completely alone with their thoughts. Experiment until you discover what works best for you.

Engage in Regular Physical Activity

When you’re feeling anxious and overwhelmed, exercising may be the last thing you feel like doing. However, once you get your body moving, you may be surprised to discover how much better you feel. Physical activity can reduce anxiety by diverting your attention away from the thing that’s worrying you. It also releases endorphins throughout your mind and body, which promote a sense of well-being and can improve your coping abilities.

According to Harvard Health Publishing, exercise can also reduce muscle tension and help the body react more appropriately to daily stressors. Some excellent stress-relieving exercises include yoga, walking, swimming, Pilates, running, and HIIT. The next time you’re overcome by anxiety, take a break to go for a walk or participate in your favorite physical activity. These activities become even more effective when you practice mindfulness while doing them.

Conclusion

Menopause can be challenging, but it doesn’t have to ruin your life. Use these strategies to keep anxiety and stress low and your quality of life high through menopause and beyond.