Anxiety, rage, mood swings, loss of confidence, forgetfulness & brain fog are all common symptoms of menopause. But unless you are aware, these symptoms can leave you feeling worried for your wellbeing and feeling like you are going mad.
I thought I was going mad.. or maybe I was developing dementia
Essex Menopause Coach Client
Research shows there are changes to our brain as we progress through menopause. This is mainly brought about by the general downward decline in oestrogen. But the good news is, many of these changes are only temporary. If you would like to explore this in more detail, I recommend you read The XX Brain: The Groundbreaking Science Empowering Women to Maximize Cognitive Health and Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease, by Lisa Mosconi
In the meantime, there are small adjustments you can make to your diet and lifestyle to help with these types of symptoms.
Diet & Nutrition
There are strong links between what we eat and our brain health. Previous studies have demonstrated how powerful improving our diet can be on improving anxiety and depression in as little as 12 weeks.
Generally speaking you should be aiming for a Mediterranean style diet, rich in plant based foods and healthy fats. Making sure you are drinking enough water is essential too.
- Good quality olive oil
- Fish. Particularly oily fish like salmon, mackerel & sardines
- Seeds and nuts
- Lean meats, eggs
- Vegetables, herbs and spices
The omega 3’s from the oils and antioxidants found in the fruit and vegetables all contribute to supporting your brain health and fight age related decline.
Forget counting calories & weight loss, your focus should be on quality and getting the nutrition your body needs. Anyway, once you find your mojo you’ll find that weight management will become easier (should that be a concern of yours).
Things to avoid: alcohol, caffeine and smoking.
Movement
Keeping active is important during this time, but this doesn’t have to mean sweating it out at a gym. The main thing is to find an activity you enjoy. Walking, dancing, running, anything that gets your heart pumping a little faster.
This can also be part of stress reduction for you. If you are walking, taking time to observe what is going on around you, notice the sunlight, hear the birds singing, feel the warmth on your skin. Being in green spaces has a beneficial effect on both our physical and mental wellbeing.
Including some resistance based training is great for midlife generally. This doesn’t have to mean lifting heavy weights, unless you want to! Think Pilates, body weight and light dumbbells. There are lots of PT’s out there that offer support and understand what you are going through right now and will make sure you have a plan that meets your needs. Try Kate from Your Future Fit to get you started.
More recent research has demonstrated that in terms of brain health it’s not the amount of exercise you do, but how consistent you are that makes a difference. It also didn’t matter when you started, an inactive person could also reap benefits.
being physically active at any time in adulthood, even if participating as little as once per month, is linked with higher cognition,” .
Study Researchers
Sleep & Stress Reduction
OK, I know this might be easier said than done, however if you can work on improving this aspect of your wellbeing, you will quickly see improvements in your cognitive symptoms.
Lack of sleep can be one of the single most frustrating aspects of menopause and one that I struggled with in the beginning. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) can be a quick win here. If you already take HRT and still experience symptoms you may need your dose adjusting, or may want to consider the addition of testosterone. Discuss this with your GP or other health practitioner.
Breathwork can have huge benefits here. By learning to use particular techniques, you can learn to engage your parasympathetic nervous system encouraging a deeper, more rested sleep and also provide a tool to help you drop off again should you wake in the night.
Eating a well balanced diet can support good sleep, as can having a decent sleep routine in place. Switching off technology an hour before bed, reading a book, going to bed and waking at the same time each day, keeping your room cool and dark and creating a relaxing environment with aromatherapy.
How do I do this when I can’t think straight?
One thing at a time is the simple answer. Which aspect of the above are you motivated to do? What would be easy for you to do? This is where you start. Keep to baby steps, so you can FEEL what actually works for you.
From both a personal and professional perspective I have found stress management to be the key to alleviating most symptoms of perimenopause and menopause, with breathwork being my tool of choice. If you would like to learn more about this maybe you would like to join one of my online sessions (first session free).
In the end, it will be a combined approach that leaves you feeling the best. There is no magic bullet. Taking a slow and steady approach to changing your lifestyle, where you are kind and go easy on yourself will get you where you want to be in the long term. If you need a helping hand with this, you might want to consider getting the support of a coach that understands where you are now.
References
Jacka FN, O’Neil A, Opie R, Itsiopoulos C, Cotton S, Mohebbi M, et al. A randomised controlled trial of dietary improvement for adults with major depression (the ‘SMILES’ trial). BMC Med. 2017;15:23.
James S, Chiou Y, Fatih N, et al. Timing of physical activity across adulthood on later-life cognition: 30 years follow-up in the 1946 British birth cohort. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry Published Online First: 21 February 2023. doi: 10.1136/jnnp-2022-329955