I’m Not That Stresssed
Menopause stress is real and yet many of us don’t recognise it. This was me in perimenopause, I was busy and puzzled by why I was irritable, less focused and lacking sleep. Hormones certainly played a part they directly affect our brain chemistry read more here. But stay here if if you’re thinking you don’t fall into the ‘I’m stressed enough to be making myself ill’ category. Don’t be fooled.
Everyday Stress is Bad for Your Health
The drip-drip-drip of everyday stress can be as damaging as major life incident-related stress (such as death and divorce). As women we neglect to manage our stress. We often multi task, caring for others and assume we are managing. Please don’t wait to take action. Managing stress levels is important for your health in the long term because stress is implicated in so many different chronic diseases, including heart disease, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, depression, gastrointestinal problems and asthma. Did you know that stress makes it very hard to lose weight, and you’re much more likely to store it around the middle. This is because when we are in fight or flight mode the body stores extra energy where it is easily accessed you guessed it round the middle. On top of this the hormonal changes at menopause direct excess fat to store round out tummies wheres pre menopause it was hips to protect reproductive organs.
Top 6 Ways to Keep Menopause Stress Under Control
The 10-minute mind trick:
Simply sit down in a quiet room with your back supported and eyes closed. Try to clear your mind of all worries. Don’t worry if thoughts bubble to the surface, as this is completely normal! The more you resist the more they persist. Simply bring your attention back to your breath and continue until the time is up. It is meditation and I know calling it that may put some of you off. I was one of these people until I found how much it helps. There are guided meditation apps and on youtube.
Eat regularly:
Erratic eating times and skipping meals can lead to stress! Stress isn’t always psychological a dip in blood sugar levels, triggers the release of the stress hormone cortisol. So Try to stick to three meals and no snacking. Have your sweet treats after a meal instead. Base all your meals and any snacks on protein (meat, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, beans and seeds), and vegetables, with smaller amounts of complex carbs (brown rice, wholemeal bread or pasta). Some fruit is fine alongside protein like nuts is better. Red berries are low sugar too who knew!
Cut back on alcohol and caffeine:
I know it’s hard, especially at Christmas when socialising revolves around drinking, but try ditching or significantly reducing alcohol and caffeine intake. Caffeine affects blood sugar and so triggers stress hormones too!
Alcohol might seem to help relax you but its actually a stimulant making you feel good initially but it quickly becomes a depressant. It’s also quickly metabolised to sugar that can lead to a restless sleep.
Prioritise sleep:
Get into a sleep routine that includes relaxing practices such as taking a warm bath with Epsom salts, light reading or stretching. Introduce a digital detox at least an hour before bed (that means no phones, no TV, no laptops or tablets), so as not to disrupt melatonin production (the sleepy hormone).
Eat magnesium-rich meals:
Magnesium relaxes the nervous system and muscles so eating foods rich in this mineral, such as leafy greens, avocados, sesame seeds and spinach can help reduce stress.
Finally Get to the cause:
Look at the root cause to any stress in your life, think about how you respond to it. I’s worth taking the time remember there is no judgement. Find some pointers here
If the effect of stress or just general business of life gets in the way of your efforts to stay healthy and you’d like to do something about it, I’d love to chat thing over and help you find a way forward. Your food and lifestyle have a huge affect on your mood and the menopause because they are all linked.
You can arrange a FREE 30-minute Health & Energy Review to help you decide if nutritional therapy one to one programme is right for you.
