Perimenopause. When you think of this word, you probably think of hot flashes, irregular periods, and maybe even a decreased sex drive. But did you know this time before menopause also impacts you mentally? The hormonal changes cause several emotional symptoms that can damper your mood, affect you cognitively, and even lead to depression and anxiety. Yet the best step to taking care of your mental health during perimenopause is through proactiveness, and you’ll learn several ways to make your health a priority.
What Is Perimenopause?
Perimenopause is the transitional period before menopause that typically occurs in your late 40s and early 50s when your ovaries slowly stop working. Because of this, your body’s estrogen levels and other hormones will be significantly lower, and you will experience more irregular menstrual cycles and decreased fertility. And while it is a natural process, it can feel overwhelming to manage all of the physical and emotional changes.
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Perimenopause?
Perimenopause can last anywhere between 2 to 10 years, with several noticeable emotional and physical signs and symptoms. However, it’s important to note that no two women are alike and their journey will be different.
- Mood changes
- Changes in sex drive
- Problems concentrating
- Hot flashes
- Troubling sleeping/insomnia
- Joint and muscle pain
- Headaches
- Night sweats
- Loss of bone
- Vaginal dryness
- Skin dehydration
- Excessive sweating
- Frequent urge to urinate
- Changing cholesterol levels
How Does Perimenopause Impact Mental Health?
Shifts in your hormones, particularly decreased estrogen, can affect your mood and cause mild to severe mental health symptoms. For example, it’s common for many women to experience age-related concerns, depression, panic attacks, anxiety, stress, and cognitive changes such as memory loss, foggy/slowed thinking, confusion, and trouble concentrating. However, there are several ways to protect your mental health and decrease the severity of your symptoms.
9 Ways to Take Care of Your Mental Health During Perimenopause
1. Awareness
The first step to taking care of your mental health during perimenopause is through awareness. The more you understand what is happening to your body, the smoother it will be to cope. Furthermore, it reduces the stigma and encourages you to seek treatment. Yet, if you try to ignore this inevitable and natural process, it may feel like an uphill battle. Therefore, speak with your OBGYN early, attend support groups, and inform yourself.
2. Normalizing
Similar to awareness, normalizing helps us to understand what is happening through acceptance and self-care. For example, perimenopause can cause severe stress, but the risk increases for those already experiencing life difficulties, low self-esteem, and a lack of support. Therefore, it’s critical to not separate your mind from the body. When you’re open about your mental health, rather than feeling ashamed, you can receive the treatment and support you need to manage your stress and increase your self-worth/self-love.
3. Reduce your stress levels
Stress plays a vicious role during perimenopause. If you have existing stress, the hormonal changes will impair your ability to manage it. And coping with sudden physical and emotional changes will also cause stress. Therefore, make your mental health a priority throughout the day. Follow a morning routine to combat anxiety, mindfully check in with yourself throughout the day to breathe and connect with the present moment, and ask yourself what you need. Maybe reducing your stress levels might look like…
- Reading
- Connecting with loved ones
- Going to the gym
- Meditation and journaling
- Painting, sculpting, or drawing
- Nature activities like hiking, gardening, long walks
4. Soothing music
Why is music on this list? Well, studies indicate that music with 60 beats per minute causes the brain to produce alpha brain waves, the brain wave responsible for feeling relaxed and conscious. So, during this time, listen to free songs on YouTube that stimulate the same while you work, clean, or read. Also, attending sound therapy sessions will lead to improved sleep, fewer mood swings, and better pain management.
5. Massage therapy
6. Prioritizing sleep
Hot flashes and insomnia will certainly impact your ability to receive a great night’s sleep, an important factor in reducing stress. But creating a nighttime routine can condition your brain and body to synchronize. For example, try waking up and going to bed at the same time, eliminating sound and light, using a fan or air conditioner, and completing a bedtime meditation to reduce anxiety or bedtime yoga for better sleep. These changes in your routine will help improve the frustrating cognitive decline and mood swings perimenopause triggers.
7. Balanced diet
Sugar and processed foods are big no-nos during perimenopause. Both boost cortisol, your stress hormone. So, where possible, follow tips to curb sugar cravings and prioritize meal prep ideas and hacks to help you save time to avoid sodium-packed ready meals and fast food. Avoiding toxic flavorings, preservatives, and sugar will help you significantly target stress and improve your symptoms.
8. Connect to your body
Exercise is always recommended to boost your spirits. But you may not have the energy during perimenopause to complete HIIT workouts or run, and that’s okay! Instead, connect to your body and ask what it needs. Perhaps you could go for a long walk, attend a Yoga class, complete an at-home barre workout, or swim. Whatever you have the energy for, fit some exercise into your daily routine. Doing so will release your happy hormones (endorphins) and help you reduce stress.
9. Speak with a mental health professional
During perimenopause, if your symptoms of depression, anxiety, or severe stress last more than a few days, speak with a mental health professional. They will help you cope with this transition more effectively by providing cognitive behavior therapy and other tools to manage your symptoms.
To take care of your mental health during perimenopause, prioritize your sleep, diet, and exercise, and find what brings you joy to reduce your stress. And while all women experience this transitional period differently, it’s important to speak with your OBGYN regularly to discuss how you feel.
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