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Singing the Blues? Try These Tips to Change Your Menopause Tunes

From the Menopause and Hormones Articles List

If you’re over the age of 5, you’ve probably felt stressed at least a time or two ... or more. It might have started with a test in school, who would ask you to the prom, or which college to attend. These days, it might have more to do with work, health issues, finances, and family problems. And just when you don’t need it, menopause may step in to make things worse.

That’s right. A few of menopause’s closest companions are stress, anxiety, and depression – each of which can bring out the worst in the other. Throw in annoying hot flashes, night sweats, and the brain fog menopause drags along, and it’s no wonder you may feel at your wit’s end and singing the blues. Not what you need with your plate already full of stressful life situations.

Mind over matter doesn’t work when it comes to stress, anxiety, and depression, but there are some tips to help you cope with them during menopause.

1. Know that it’s real.

It can be hard to admit that you’re stressed out, anxious, and depressed. But the first step to recovery is admitting there’s a problem. And you’re not alone. Many women experience those symptoms during menopause. It’s the result of chemical changes in the brain, thanks to a lack of estrogen. You’re probably also trying to manage annoying menopause symptoms, all the while trying to cope with what life throws at you during this stage of life. Things like kids going off to college, aging parents needing your help, feeling creaky and sore each morning, and so on and so forth.

2. Manage menopause.

Reducing menopause symptoms can make life a bit more manageable and less hectic. After all, if you’re drenched in sweat, exhausted, and sore, it’s not going to make anything any easier. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) might be a place to start, and it can help many common menopause symptoms including stress, anxiety, and depression. If HRT is not right for you, your doctor may be able to recommend some alternatives, such as Brisdelle, supplements, avoiding hot flash triggers, and more.

3. Exercise, exercise, exercise.

If you aren’t feeling up to par mentally and emotionally, exercise might be the last thing on your mind. It can feel too hard to change your clothes and put on some tennis shoes so you can go out and purposely sweat. But it can be worth the effort. Exercising produces endorphins, a feel good chemical. Endorphins also act as a natural painkiller and help you sleep better, both of which can reduce stress. Exercising can also give you an energy boost, increase alertness, and relieve tension so you’ll feel less stress and anxiety. As it boosts your overall health, you can also feel better physically which can help you feel better mentally and emotionally. Regular exercise can also lead to weight reduction which can boost self-esteem and overall mood.

4. Eat healthy.

Menopause may have you craving unhealthy snacks and carbs, but resist. A poor diet can contribute to anxiety, stress, and depression. How you might ask? Several ways. One, you might gain some weight, decreasing your self-esteem, zapping your energy, and making you less healthy. Two, a poor diet and too much sugar may cause more fluctuations with blood sugar which can lead to more mood swings. While caffeine and alcohol might give you a temporary boost, they can then interfere with sleep, cause dehydration, and set off a chain reaction in your body that exacerbates stress.

5. Assess your lifestyle.

Without realizing it, your lifestyle choices could be contributing to your stress, anxiety, and depression. Smoking, excessive alcohol, recreational drugs, and not managing chronic health issues can all worsen anxiety, stress, and depression. If you let yourself get overloaded with too many tasks – at home, at work, with volunteering – you can increase your anxiety and stress levels. Being involved in a negative relationship, a bad work situation, or financial strain may worsen your symptoms, too. A healthy lifestyle is important for mental and emotional health so assess your day to day life and health to see if you can make some changes for the better so you can better mange stress, anxiety, and depression.

5. Get help.

Trying to ease your symptoms with lifestyle changes and healthier habits is great, but you should also talk to a medical professional if you are dealing with symptoms of anxiety, depression, or chronic stress. Long term, they can be detrimental to your overall health. There’s hope and there are options, including HRT, antidepressants such as SSRI’s (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), other medications , therapy, and more. Your doctor can help assess your specific situation and recommend the best option for you. Don’t suffer alone – get help now.


This content was written by staff of HysterSisters.com by non-medical professionals based on discussions, resources and input from other patients for the purpose of patient-to-patient support.



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