Heightened Anxiety During Menopause?
Anxiety among older women is super common!
One of the biggest changes in health and wellness in 2021 has been an increased focus on mental health. For many years it has been the norm to focus on how we look on the outside and not so much how we feel on the inside. It is so important to check in with your mental health from time to time.
As I get a bit older, I find myself becoming more anxious about things that I never used to “worry” about when I was younger. I especially get anxious about my health, which I never used to do when I was younger. I’m thinking this is quite common as we deal increasingly with health issues and lose friends and family as we age.
There are so many factors which affect our mental health, including stress from various causes:
COVID - We’re all more stressed due to changes associated with the pandemic. There are more financial burdens; many of us don’t have access to facilities we need to exercise; how we eat has been affected; some of us have our kids at home 24/7; and then others have been more isolated.
Menopausal symptoms - Menopause brings on many hormonal changes, causing us to get less sleep/not great quality sleep, experience hot flashes, and for some people menopause can even bring on symptoms which can resemble depression.
Empty nesting - As we get older, whether we want to accept it or not, our children get older too. When our children leave home, especially if they go far away, we have to adjust to our new lives without them.
Taking care of others - Again as we get older, many of us also have the responsibility of taking care of our parents. It can be stressful to see the changes that those we love go through as they age.
Societal expectations - Let’s face it, there are many spoken and unspoken expectations that women feel the need to abide by as we age. There is outward pressure put on us to look younger, be at a certain point in our career, have children. Basically with so many things in our lives, there is an external expectation thrust upon us!
Gaining weight - Many women over 40 gain weight as we get older and Covid hasn’t helped this either. Gaining weight can affect our mental health for the same reason as above, we feel stressed to fit in with societal expectations! There are of course health reasons why gaining weight would cause stress, as being overweight is associated with many illnesses.
Lack of exercise - Not moving your body as much as we should can have a great impact on our mental health.
So, what can we do?
Here are some tips from fellow KARIN YOGA LIFE member, psychologist Dr. Kathryn Fraser, on how to support our mental health in peri menopause or in menopause.
Communication - An important way we can support our mental health as we get older is by talking to someone. Whether it’s a therapist or friend, we all need help sometimes and it’s easier to go through hard times when we know we’re not alone.
Seek the support of a community - As above, it helps to talk to supportive family members and friends. Talk to people who you feel really listen to you and will understand how you feel. Nowadays, there are online communities that give us access to resources like never before, so if you want some extra support, you can also seek a virtual community of like-minded individuals. The KARIN YOGA LIFE Facebook community is a great example, where women over 40 come together to talk and support each other through their overall health and wellness journeys.
Surround yourself with positive people - We take in the energy of those around us! It’s simple, if we are surrounded by negativity that is what we will absorb and feel as well. Surround yourself with positivity and you will notice a change in the way you think and feel too.
Move your body - Exercise has been proven to help manage stress and symptoms of depression. Even if you just get out of bed and clean your room/house, you will feel better after you move around. Start slow and work your way up to a steady exercise routine. Regular exercise is even more important for us women as we get older.
Know your signs of stress and find ways to manage them - Everyone is different. It’s important to pay attention to your needs and behaviour so that you can notice when you haven’t been yourself. And like your symptoms, the ways you manage your stress/anxiety can differ for everyone. Yoga, meditation, breathing practices, and spending time in nature are all great ways to manage your stress and support your mental health.
Practice self acceptance/self love - Don’t forget to be gentle and compassionate with yourself. Getting older is not for sissies! 😃
Stay in the present moment - Remember that so many things we worry about never happen. I find I worry about many health related things that just seem to take care of themselves. A doctor friend of mine reminded me that the body is always trying to heal itself.
Find time for yourself/self care - Try and build in mini breaks as much as you can - everyday/week/month. Vacations are important too! Taking longer breaks, having down time to get away and let your brain relax can really rejuvenate you.
Keep a journal - Many people find that writing down their feelings helps to manage them. Writing in a journal at night allows you to take time to reflect on the good things that happened in the day. Writing in the morning can set positive intentions for the day.
Prioritize sleep - This is key to mental health! Sleep affects so many things including our moods and emotions!
What are you eating? - Eating mindfully and well/healthily can also support your mental health. Decaf coffee and tea may help you to feel calmer than drinking tons of coffee. Instead of mindless snacking opt for healthy high protein snacks, like nuts.
Join the KARIN YOGA LIFE Wellness & Yoga private Facebook group community! Our community is all about living healthy, happy and pain free over 40.
We share about how to navigate the changes taking place in our bodies and lives. We talk a lot about yoga, but also about keeping active, eating nourishing food, managing stress, and self care in its many forms!
And we have fun!
JOIN NOW.