The Shocking Truth About Peri Menopause and Mental Health
How many peri menopausal women have thought they are going mad? They can’t remember words, or where they put anything. They rage one minute and dissolve into tears the next. They can’t sleep and feel like coffee is life…or wine or both because they are carefully balanced between the 2. Everything they used to do and cope with seems hard. Even holding it together at work is hard.
It’s really no surprise that women going through peri used to be classified as ‘crazy’ and thrown into the old loony bin! Women have not been well treated through history! Surprisingly, even though we know so much more, not a lot has changed. There’s still quite a stigma around the peri menopausal experience with doctors quick to prescribe anti-depressants or sleeping tablets.
And yet, with a little understanding and a lot of self care we can make the journey so much easier!
Here’s 3 ways our mental health is affected by our hormones at peri menopause!
1. Progesterone starts to decline early in peri menopause. This leaves oestrogen taking you n a wild roller coaster ride of anxiety. Progesterone is our calming hormone. The one that balances emotional oestrogen. Once we start to lose it’s effects we really are at the mercy of oestrogen.
2. Oestrogen encourages the body to make serotonin and dopamine, discourages their breakdown or reuptake. These are 2 of our feel good hormone. While this sounds great in the beginning don’t forget oestrogen fluctuates wildly at the start of peri menopause creating moods that are variable to say the least. BUT as we progress to late peri AND menopause we end up with negligible levels so we lose that extra boost from oestrogen. Without proper care we may end up feeling unmotivated and depressed.
3. Progesterone increases the effects of GABA. GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that helps us sleep. And moderates our fight and flight response i.e. anxiety. With progesterone on the downhill run we also lose some of the lovely effects of GABA. Ugh. Cue anxiety and sleeplessness…often together…at 3am. Noice work nature!
Well, that’s all doom and gloom isn’t it? NO, it’s not! It just means we have to work with ourselves differently. We need to seek dopamine elsewhere and make sure our day to day practices support our mental health for our own peace and tranquillity! Just because our hormones influence these neurotransmitters doesn’t mean they are the only way to get them!
Here’s 3 easy ways to support your neurotransmitters without needing oestrogen or progesterone.
1. Gratitude journal because this keeps the dopamine and serotonin flowing. By focusing on what’s good in your life you get a little rush of dopamine AND serotonin in the brain. It’s so cool that something so simple can have this effect.
2. Meditation for GABA (also to improve sleep). I always lose a few the minute I mention meditation lol! But seriously, if you are struggling with sleep meditation can seriously effect GABA. As in increase it by a whopping 27%! Still rolling your eyes at meditation?
3. Inflammation is linked to depression and anxiety. By eating a better balance of veg and protein, eating cleaner foods, exercising more, reducing alcohol and processed foods to low levels you will start to reduce the inflammation and increase your chances of feeling good long term.
See? I told you it wasn’t all doom and gloom! We just need to do things differently. And doing things differently is what I excel at!
If you’ve read this and thought ‘Sounds good, but how do I do this in my everyday life?’ then YOU are the reason I created The Sparkle Method!
The Sparkle Method takes you from overweight, overwhelmed and OVER IT to lighter, in control and positively sparkling in just 12 weeks. It’s different because it is designed to get peri menopausal women to where they want to be- happy in their own skin, coping on the day to day and enjoying life again! Curious? Good! Here’s the website….off you go…have a look and click the links for more info to book in for a short call or just to find out more!