How can you manage your stress or anxiety in Perimenopause?
Monigho Griffin
Mental Health First Aid Instructor & Menopause Coach, Helping you Navigate challenges more effectively & empathetically, so Well-being, Brand loyalty & Productivity can be improved for individuals & organisations
"I wish I am who I was"
This is a complaint of many who
are going through menopause.
Amongst the many symptoms, there are the psychological symptoms.
They rob you of your confidence, you feel sicker and influence you to step back from things you enjoy.
But what is Perimenopause stress?
Why does stress increase in perimenopause?
How can you manage this stress so you can be yourself again?
What is Perimenopause Stress?
A general definition of stress is ‘any interference that disturbs a person’s; healthy mental and physical wellbeing’ (British Medical association)?
The hormonal changes in perimenopause make you feel unstable and the impact of symptoms can cause a threat to:
Your identity
Health and well-being
Relationships?
and career
Stress exacerbates menopause symptoms, so if you are going through a stressful episode your symptoms will intensify.
But why does stress increase during perimenopause?
Why does stress levels increase during Perimenopause?
There are a number of factors,
?Biological factors.
With the decline of the hormones estrogen and progesterone, it is easier to be inclined to stress.
If a situation is perceived by you to be challenging, the hypothalamus in the brain will send a message to your pituitary glands also in your brain.
This in turn will now communicate with the adrenal glands (which are just above the kidneys)saying that there is danger.?
To fight this danger the adrenal glands will produce cortisol and adrenalin. It is the release of cortisol that will make you feel stressed.
This process is more easily triggered during perimenopause and will occur even if you just perceive a situation to be stressful.
So it is important to develop a more positive ?perspective when it comes to handling pressure
Relationship problems
Low mood, low libido. The feeling of irritability can cause frayed relationships with the spouse
?Lack of awareness about the affect of hormonal changes to you leads to misunderstandings in relationships. ??
I ?have spoken to women who did not know it was perimenopause causing them to feel the way they did about their spouses. ? In turn, their spouses had no explanation as to the change of behaviour towards them or what triggered the deterioration of their relationship.
Divorce?rates?peak for couples aged 45 to49 years old in the UK, with the average age for divorce being 43.9 for women and 46.4 for men (Office of National Statistics)
Family responsibilities cause menopause stress
Perimenopause occurs at the most inconvenient time. You are managing your symptoms as a result of perimenopause, and you also have to look after elderly parents as well as teenage children who are going through their own hormonal challenges.
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Work can cause menopause stress.??
Stress in the workplace is already prevalent.
An estimated 17 million working days were lost due to work-related stress, depression, or anxiety in 2021/22. This is over half of all working days lost due to work-related ill health. (Health and safety executive)
?If you are not treated with patience. Giving options like flexible working, adjustments to the physical work environment and not being heard when you raise concerns about your work or work pressure will contribute to stress.
What can help you reduce your stress during Perimenopause so you be yourself again?
1. Work
Find a trusted colleague/line manager HR to speak about your concerns at work and see if some sort of compromise can be made to introduce more flexibility in your role to improve the situation,
2. Family responsibilities
Express your challenges researching perimenopause and explain to them clearly what you are experiencing. This will help give clarity and context to any change of behaviour on your part and subsequently reduce misunderstandings. This includes encouraging family members encourage them to have a part in supporting by taking on extra domestic responsibilities ?
3. Lifestyle changes lower menopause stress
?Walking is a great way to keep fit and improve your wellbeing. Walking just 4,000 steps a day may reduce your risk of dying from any cause, the largest analysis to date suggests – the more you walk, the greater the health benefits.
It also has other benefits in menopause as it helps to balance the hormones. which in turn reduces the intensity of symptoms like hot flushes
Ensuring you have at least 7 hours of sleep and avoid eating processed food, caffeine and alcohol will help to reduce the levels of your menopause stress.
4. Self-preservation?
These are actions or thoughts that you should adopt to protect and maintain your physical and mental well-being.?
The way you view yourself during perimenopause is vital. If you have more of a negative mindset and are hard on yourself
Avoid the tendency to give yourself a hard time. And say things like
?‘I am stupid’.
?‘ I am useless’ and
?‘I am past my sell-by date.
This is not only untrue but will lower your confidence and increase stress levels
Rather acknowledge yourself for doing your best which may change each day
Support
If you are finding it difficult to manage your stress because of menopause. Please do something and get support! ?I help middle-aged women improve their mental health so they can regain ?their confidence reduce anxiety and stress and lay a healthier foundation ?for their future life
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If you want my help
Email me at [email protected] or DM me and say yes Subscribe to my newsletter here https://mailchi.mp/perimenopausewarriors.co.uk/6-ways-to-help-manage-your-perimenopause-symptoms
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