Menopause PT

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-59088557

Menopause: HRT prescription cost cut welcomed by campaigners Women will only pay once a year for the menopause treatment in England and a taskforce will be set up.

SLEEP AND PERIMENOPAUSE

Is this you? Waking up at 1 or 2 or 3am and that's it for hours you are fully awake, just nodding off right before the alarm.
Maybe that is accompanied by nightsweats or hotflashes?

Typical for perimenopause and menopause... and then you lack energy for working out and you kinda feel hungry all day as well.

There's a few things to consider to improve these symptoms but it may not be enough on its own

🍷 Avoid alcohol, it may make you feel relaxed but does not lead to good quality sleep

☕ Avoid caffeine too late in the day

🥘 Eating to close to bedtime can also disturb sleep

🌶 Avoid spicy foods -> nightsweats

🏃‍♀️ Avoid working out too close to bedtime, it may leave you wired rather than tired

😴 Go to bed at a regular time.

🤓 Understand your sleep habits. How much sleep do you need and are you naturally an early riser or more of a nightowl

🤔 Magnesium supplements can help

🧘🏼‍♀️ Do something relaxing before bedtime, read a book, meditate, journal etc rather than scrolling through your phone.

🤐 Dark, cool and quiet sleep environment, sleep mask and ear plugs if necessary

Start with one or two of the above and see how you get on.
REGULAR BEDTIME CAN BE A MASSIVE GAMECHANGER ON ITS OWN

Any other tips and tricks?

Pillar 3 Cardiovascular health and (peri)menopause.

As our estrogen diminishes the cardioprotective effects that estrogen has naturally also falls away (plaque build up in arteries).

It's therefore also important to think about cardiovascular fitness.

Of course, there's lots of different opinions about which cardio is best and why.

I believe it is most important that whatever you do is something you like doing, and therefore you will continue to do it.

🚶‍♀️walking/brisk walk, nordic walking

🧗‍♀️hiking

🚴‍♀️🏊‍♀️ cycling, swimming are great and cause little impact on joints

🏃‍♀️ Running and endurance training is great to, but especially if you aim for longer distances your perimenopausal body may not always play game and fatigue and levels of exhaustion need to be monitored and recovery and sleep between training efforts may need to be emphasized more so than when you are younger.

🥏 HIIT and intervals, classes are ✅ to, however if you suffer from nightsweats and hotflashes quick bursts of cardio like this can actually make your symptoms worse

What is your favorite form of cardio? 💃🏄‍♀️⛹️‍♀️🤸‍♀️🤾‍♀️

STRESS MANAGEMENT & PERIMENOPAUSE

Studies have shown that from the mid to late menopause onwards cortisol levels increase gradually with age.

Stress management can be important at any age but when you hit perimenopause and menopause it can become even more important.

Chronically elevated stress hormones can contribute to anxiety, feelings of overwhelm, sleep disturbances, difficulty losing or maintaining weight, difficulty in managing stressful situations.

All these are typical symptoms women have with (peri)menopause.

It is important to understand that even activities we love doing such as training can elevate cortisol levels, especially endurance training, stress accumulates and the body cant distinguish between enjoyable and less enjoyable stress.

A couple of things to look at is:

🔖Prioritize what needs to be done and learn to say no!!

🏷 Make rest, recovery and fun part of your weekly schedule

🧘🏼‍♀️ Mindfulness practices like yoga, meditation and breathing exercises can be useful.

☕ Limit caffeine consumption if it makes you feel wired

🍷 That relaxing glass of wine actually increases cortisol levels and doesnt help you manage stress.

🍅 Prioritize foods that your body finds easy to digest, that don't cause bloating and indegestion another stressor. Fresh foods over highly processed. Don't forget some healthy fat sources as they support hormone production

2nd PILLAR OF DEALING WITH (PERI)MENOPAUSE

🏋🏽‍♀️Strengthtraining🏋🏽‍♀️

Yesterday was and the theme this year was Bone Health

This is a major reason why women should strength train with weights.

🏥As we age and estrogen levels drop and this affects our bone health/strength and is why women are more prone to osteoporosis once we have hit menopause.

🦵Exercising whilst putting load through your body therefore is so important, whilst swimming and cycling are great this is one thing they don't do and they are therefore not helping to prevent osteoporosis.

💪Other benefits of strength training is to help our bodies to maintain more muscle mass, as we age we naturally lose muscle mass every year, and yes this starts in our early 30s but speeds up as we get older.

🏋🏽‍♀️Maintaining muscle mass helps you stay active and independent for longer.

😅Maintaining muscle mass helps to keep your metabolism higher and can help with combatting the midlife spread (weightgain around the belly which often starts with hitting perimenopause).

🤯Not to forget lifting weights and strength training has been shown to reduce the risk of mental decline

🏋🏽‍♀️.... and it can make you feel a bit like a badass🤣🤣

Don't know where to start, comment here 👇 or DM me

Menopause - EMPOWER YOURSELF

Knowledge is power so this is key.

Luckily there is more and more information you can find online and on social media

Some good IG resources to start with amongst many:







Online resources:

The British Menopause Society
www.thebms.org.uk

www.menopausedoctor.co.uk

www.menopauseandme.co.uk

By far not all GPs are yet very knowledgeable about perimenopause and menopause and especially if you are in your early 40s and you start experiencing symptoms they may get dismissed as general anxiety or depression etc and treated that way.

It's your health!
If your GP is not knowledgeable enough ask to see another in the practice or consider getting a referral to a menopause clinic (listed on the British Menopause Society website).

Don't take no for an answer as there are ways in which we can get through menopause just a bit easier.

Also, empower yourself by learning to say NO and starting to carve time out for yourself and do things that feel great and you enjoy, despite everyone making a claim for your time and attention.

Empower yourself by sharing stories and information with friends, it is helpful to know that others go through the same and you aren't actually going mad

Lastly, despite all the potential doom and gloom you can feel during menopause, are there things you can identify that have changed for the better.

WHAT ARE THE AREAS TO PAY ATTENTION TO WHEN DEALING WITH (PERI)MENOPAUSE?

October is Menopause Awareness month

I will cover the 6 pillars I mention in more detail over the next 3 weeks

There are many different menopause symptoms and it can help to be more knowledgeable about why and how

😴 Stress & Sleep management

🍓Nutrition management

🚴‍♀️ Aerobic &

🏋🏽‍♀️ Strength training

🤛 and learning to empower yourself

can be superimportant to navigate your way through perimenopause and menopause

I will also answer questions on my stories so feel free to drop any questions here 👇

Any type of physical activity if you enjoy it is important as we go through perimenopause and menopause.
Why is considering doing strength training so important as we get older? Why should you consider it?

It maintains bone density and may help prevent osteoporosis.

It maintains or builds muscle, which makes you

Stronger

Less dependent on help

Keeps you more independent as you age

Improves your metabolism
Protects your joints

May lower risk of dementia as you age ( leg strengthening specifically)

And strength training can give you a great sense of feeling EMPOWERED.
Have you ever considered doing strength training?

If not what has held you back?

I train (peri)menopausal women online and normally also in person, ensuring safe and appropriate exercises and proper form and technique are being used.

Perimenopause amd menopause is real for the majority of women.

Depending on your healthcare system your GP may not take you as serious as they should.

Be informed, advocate for yourself, find your own solutions, exchange your experience with other women and you'll realize they go through similar symptoms and emotions.
EMPOWER YOURSELF