When women start navigating perimenopause, they often come to the realization that nothing could have prepared them for this stage of life. It’s also a time when caring for your wellbeing and overall health become non-negotiables. That said, caring for yourself during midlife doesn’t have to be complicated – but it does have to be intentional. Intentional to a point that it becomes your way of life.
The physiological changes that your body goes through because of perimenopause and menopause can be slightly unpredictable. Even though the symptoms are well-researched, the experience can be different for everyone – there’s no sugarcoating it. It can influence your mood, energy, sleep and so much more.
By adding small daily practices to your day, you can make a profound difference to your happiness and health and stop this stage of life from getting the better of you. Trust us, it only takes a few tweaks!
Prioritize Rest and Sleep
Rest and sleep are vital for your mental and physical health, but as we start to get older, feeling rested can become harder. Some changes can happen due to age. For instance, perimenopause causes night sweats and hot flashes that keep you awake. In fact, up to 60% of women report sleep disturbances during menopause, which shows how common these disruptions can be. This, in turn, also increases your risk for sleep apnea, which has an effect on your sleep quality. When changes like these start to happen, you start picking up bad sleep hygiene habits.
With time, these changes start to catch up. For instance, a cocktail in the evening may make you feel relaxed but has an impact on deep sleep, or caffeine in the afternoon may affect your ability to sleep after the initial buzz has gone away.
Hormone fluctuations and lack of rest also cause vaginal dryness which can make sex painful and women feel moody. Ample rest and an estradiol vaginal cream can provide relief and prevent the onset of frequent UTIs.
You may also feel grouchy in the morning if you don’t have a consistent routine. A consistent bedtime and waking time trains your brain. You also need to ensure that your environment is calm, dark, cool and has no screens.
Pay Attention to Bone Health
It’s imperative that you think about bone health so you can protect yourself from osteoporosis. Strength training and weight-bearing exercises can help ensure your bones stay strong. As we age, the density of our bones can deteriorate. This deterioration can speed up during the years of menopause because estrogen levels decline. After menopause, it continues its slow decline.
Osteoporosis is a disease that mostly impacts older women. It increases the risk of fracture to the spine and hips. These fractures are associated with a heightened mortality rate of 20 percent which is most common in women over 80. But there are ways to combat this problem early on. Get yourself screened for osteoporosis if your family has a history of the disease or if you’ve had multiple bone fractures.
Move Your Body
Fitness isn’t only about looking aesthetically appealing or losing weight. Both are excellent goals to pursue, but moving your body three to four times a week has a much deeper purpose. It acts as a non-negotiable insurance policy for your body! Exercise is also a great way to fight against depression, which is a common symptom of menopause. Simple activities like taking a walk outside can elevate your mood. It can be any kind of physical activity: be it Pilates, dancing, yoga, swimming or running. Walking is the most convenient exercise for most women.
When your estrogen levels drop your muscle mass and bone density take a hit, too. Because of this, weight-training exercises become essential. Resistance is essential, too. Whether you’re picking up heavy gardening tools or lifting weights with the help of resistance bands, putting your body under the right amount of stress can stimulate bone growth.
Exercise and a habit of moving your body can also do wonders for improving your mood. If you’re feeling anxious, aggravated or stressed, low-impact movements like Pilates or yoga can help you focus on your mind-body connection. As a result, you can lower your body’s cortisol levels (the body’s stress hormone). In contrast, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) can increase your body’s cortisol levels if you’re already stressed.
When you prioritize thoughtful movement, rest, sleep and pay attention to bone health, you can see a significant improvement in your quality of life when you’re going through midlife. How long these changes last is a decision that’s yours to make. They’ll start off as small changes, but with enough consistency, you can turn them into lifelong habits.
