Menopause and Relief from Stress

Many women have a difficult time getting menopause relief. And it’s no surprise. It’s easy to get frustrated and stressed. Treating menopausal stress is no different than treating any other type of stress. As a woman moves through perimenopause, she can undergo very heavy hormonal changes. And, of course, these changes affect different women in very different ways. Among the symptoms you might feel are:

• Mood Swings
• Hot Flashes
• Insomnia
• Vaginal Dryness

Obviously any sort of change, be it major or minor, that you might go through can be stressful. Change or loss of a job, the birth of a child or grandchild, relocation, and certainly the painful trauma of divorce can all be stressful situations. By the way, it isn’t really the stress that gets to us so much, it’s our reaction to it. Before we get into treating menopausal stress, let’s ask the question-what is stress? And how can dealing with it give you menopause relief?

Stress is your body’s natural reaction to any challenges or threats. When you encounter this sort of situation, your body just wholesale dumps “stress hormones” into your system. Hormones like adrenaline and epinephrine can really get your heart racing. You might feel hot flashes which in turn causes profuse sweating-just what you need. All of this coming on you like a freight train will make you tense.

Well then, what are some things you can do in treating menopausal stress? Again, let’s go our list:

· It’s a good idea to avoid alcohol, caffeine, and spicy foods when you’re stressed out.

· Quitting smoking is always a good idea. Certainly it’s no easy task but very beneficial in the long run.

· Keeping a positive attitude is key. Mood swings can really cause stress so maintaining a positive attitude can really help.

· Starting a gentle exercise routine, such as yoga or tai chi will help. My wife uses a simple standing qigong exercise I taught her (I used to be a professional tai chi instructor)

· Watching your diet by choosing those foods that really nourish you is another good idea for getting menopause relief..

· Be active. Start a hobby, volunteer, plant a garden. Activities such as these will keep your mind off your symptoms.

So, you see, it’s really not all that difficult to manage your symptoms. Does it sometimes take a little work? Sure, anything worthwhile does. But you have many more years of life ahead of you, and you can live them stress-free if you just take the time to learn how.

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