The Importance of Managing Stress during the Menopause

Let's face it the Menopause often arrives in our lives at a time when we least need it! We're often juggling other priorities such as work pressures, family life, social commitments, caring for elderly relatives and generally dealing with the 24/7 pressures of daily life. It's no wonder we get stressed at this time. Looking back on those first few years of my Menopause journey I was under a lot of stress, especially work related stress, as the company I was working for was going through a very turbulent time and, being in the senior position I was in I was right in the thick of it with a to do list as long as your arm, so the Menopause was the last thing I needed. Reflecting on this time the stress levels I was under was not helping my Menopause and the Menopause was not helping my stress levels.

Stress during this time is a bit of a catch-22 situation, increased stress levels can impact our Menopause signs making them more severe, whilst our changing hormone levels at this time can also make us less resilient to stress. This is why managing stress during the Menopause journey is very important and probably one of the best things you can do to help your journey.

What is stress?

Stress is our inbuilt response to threats or pressure, the fight or flight response, where our bodies ready themselves to either fight a perceived threat or flee in the opposite direction as fast as we can. This fight or flight response is natural and is managed by our sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, who activate certain hormones to ready our body for action (sympathetic) and then return it to balance after the event (parasympathetic). During acute stress the sympathetic nervous system is activated by the release of certain hormones, which then stimulate the pituitary gland and adrenal glands to release hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. This reaction increases heart rate, blood pressure and breathing rate. Once the threat has passed the parasympathetic nervous system takes over to return the body to normal, which can take up to an hour. Acute stress for short periods is not a bad thing and it helps us to form under pressure, but if we continually put ourselves under this pressure we get into the realms of chronic stress.

Chronic stress happens when we are frequently or constantly in flight or fight mode and our parasympathetic nervous system doesn't have a chance to work its magic, so we're constantly on alert. This can have a detrimental impact on the body both mentally and physically, resulting in difficulty sleeping, aches and pains, stomach complaints, frequent illnesses, headaches, irritability, difficulty concentrating, nervousness and anxiety. Chronic stress can impact the entire body and it can also have an impact on our relationships and work life.

It is easy to see why chronic stress can have an impact on our Menopause journey but how does the Menopause have an impact on our stress levels? The adrenal glands, which produce the hormones to help us manage stress, are also going through their own stress with the changing levels of hormones that comes with the Menopause. This makes it harder for us to deal with the day-to-day stress we could handle before the Menopause.

How to manage stress during the menopause

Managing stress is important for everyone, but it is especially important for us during our menopause journey. Here are my top 10 tips to help manage stress during the menopause (or anytime).

Tip #1 - Breathe

Deep breathing exercises can help to calm the body, activate the parasympathetic nervous system and lower blood pressure.

Tip #2 - Take a Break

Even if it is for a few minutes get up and move around. Make sure you take proper lunch breaks and get away from it all for 30 minutes.

Tip #3 - Exercise

Exercise such as yoga can help calm the body and reduce stress levels.

Tip #4 - Delegate

If you find you're doing too much start delegating and get back some important me time.

Tip #5 - Digital Detox

Detox from technology and social media. Turn off notifications and don't check work e-mails out of hours.

Tip #6 - Time in Nature

Any time in nature can be a really great way to de-stress, whether it's a walk in the woods, along the beach or in your local park. Wherever you are take time to really notice your surroundings and be present.

Tip #7 - Enjoy Hobbies

Make time to do more of what you love doing or even take up a new hobby.

Tip #8 - Good Nutrition

When we are stressed we tend to turn to the convenience foods and snacks, which are not great for our bodies. A  balanced diet helps to support our bodies and build our resilience to stress.

Tip #9 - Prioritise Tasks

With a to do list as long as your arm I easily became overwhelmed, which made my stress levels even worse. One of the tools I discovered were Eisenhower grids, which can be used to breakdown tasks into their importance. Just Google Eisenhower grids and you will find loads of examples you can use.

Tip #10 - Natural Support

Herbs that support the nervous system such as ashwagandha, chamomile, lemon balm, passion flower and holy basil are wonderful herbs to use when stressed.

If all else fails then just have a good cry. Crying is one of the ways the body eliminates the stress hormone cortisol from the body. If you often wondered why you felt better after a good cry now you know why, and if anyone asks why you are crying just tell them you are de-stressing.

If you find that your stress is work related then make sure you speak up and seek help. Employers have a duty of care to manage stress at work. The charity Mind has some helpful tips on managing stress at work on their website. https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/how-to-be-mentally-healthy-at-work/work-and-stress/

Next time I share with you how the stress became too much for me, its impact and how I overcame it.