In the U.S.A. approximately 2 million women per year go into menopause. And more than 70% of them aren’t able to do their NECESSARY menopause self care, for whatsoever reason. What’s necessary to understand about women’s bodies is that they keep changing. Menopause is a natural process where a woman’s fertility period comes to an end and she stops having her monthly menstrual cycle. The duration of 12 consecutive months is observed to diagnose menopause. Women can experience various physical and psychological symptoms before or during menopause (listed in the infographic below):
These symptoms are the ones that are common but we shouldn’t forget that every woman and her experience is different. One can also experience hair thinning, tender breasts, muscle aches, etc. However, the major concerns for women going through menopause or women who are going to start menopause in a matter of time are the long-term health effects as menopause increases the risk of Osteoporosis, Heart diseases, and Urinary Incontinence.
In this blog, we have brought up some ideal ways by which you can take care of yourself and lead a healthy life while dealing with the changes in your body.
In this article
5 ideal Ways for menopause self care
As already discussed, we know menopause brings tons of changes not just physical but psychological also. Almost 20% of the American workforce undergoes menopause every year. The following tips will assist you in maintaining both your physical and psychological health (especially if you’re working with menopause).
Depression Is More Than At This Time Than You’d Imagine
Women going through menopause might experience anxiety and depression due to sudden weight gain causing body image issues. It is important to prioritize your mental health. You can practice techniques like yoga, meditation, breathing exercises, or anything that calms your mind, along with talking to a mental health specialist for professional help.
Get your diet right!
One must make necessary changes in their diet during menopause, consuming a well-balanced diet will help you alleviate menopause symptoms. Add vitamin D and calcium-rich food to support your bones as their density decreases when menopause hits, making you prone to osteoporosis. Omega-3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation while helping with hot flashes. Fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and keeping yourself hydrated are the mantras to support your overall health and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
Sleep. A little more than you’d need.
Good sleep is essential for women going through menopause as your sleep is already disrupted due to hormonal fluctuation and quality sleep helps in regulating mood, reducing anxiety, managing hot flashes, and night sweats. To get good quality sleep, make a sleep routine and stick to it, make sure your sleeping environment is cool, and manage your stress levels. You can even try white noises and scented candles to make your sleeping environment more comfortable.
Let’s not skip that workout!
Maintaining your weight even before your menopause starts will give you a heads-up during menopause. However, even if you have started workout sessions during menopause it will give you immense benefits by enhancing your quality of life and overall health.
Routine workout helps in managing your weight building your muscle strength and reducing the risk of osteoporosis and heart diseases. Engage in activities like aerobic activities (such as walking or swimming), strength training (to maintain muscle mass), flexibility exercises (like yoga or stretching), and balance training can contribute to better physical function and overall quality of life during the menopausal transition
Try Going Natural
Natural remedies like herbal supplements and acupuncture can soothe your menopause symptoms like hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and night sweats. Herbal supplements like Black cohosh, Red clover, and Ginseng might help you in your menopause journey but the effectiveness of such herbs varies from person to person. However, you should always consult with your doctor before consuming them in conjunction with other healthy lifestyle practices/already present allergies or medical history.
Menopause and Your Daily Life
When menopause first hits you, you can feel yourself in a very uncomfortable position as your body undergoes a drastic but natural change. You may experience hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, weight gain, and mood swings.
27 million women who undergo menopause every year are between 45-65. So, you can imagine 20% of the workforce comes to the office in very vulnerable years of their life feeling insomniac, fatigued, brain fog, and whatnot.
Menopause self care may also improve your sexual life. This change of sexuality is primarily due to hormonal fluctuation but other factors can also lead to low libido. Estrogen and testosterone are two hormones responsible for sexual desire in women and during menopause both decrease. The reduction of estrogen leads to vaginal dryness and thinning of vaginal tissues due to which women may experience discomfort in intercourse.
Many women gain weight at the time of menopause which might cause body-image issues resulting in strained personal and professional relationships. However, all this can be overcome with the right type of consultation from your doctor, your self-awareness about menopause, and a self-care routine to keep your body healthy for any changes that may befall it.
Sometimes your health professional also suggests Hormone Replacement Therapy(HRT). It involves taking estrogen with progesterone when your body stops producing estrogen. HRT helps in soothing menopause symptoms like hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and mood swings. HRT includes different forms like pills, patches, creams, gels, and vaginal rings. However, it should not be taken without the consultation of a health professional because it is suitable for everyone.
Note from AspireAlive
Menopause is a natural aging process that every woman has to go through but it depends on you how much it affects you. Keeping your body healthy and living an active lifestyle will always help you in this transition. For emotional support as a part of your menopause self care, you can always join support groups where you can find many women going through the same condition as you.
A healthy menopause doesn’t just end with your body but also your mind. Self-awareness about menopause and its symptoms will always come in handy once you reach that age. AspireAlive always promotes healthy living as nothing is more important than your health, to keep up with upcoming blogs stay tuned.
