Perimenopause Mood Swings
How to Manage Menopause Mood Changes
Changes in mood, anxiety and depression are all common factors during perimenopause and menopause.
At this stage of your life, it is often a time of reflection and questioning. We often find ourselves asking, have I achieved what I wanted from my life? Why am I so tired / stressed / overworked etc?
As your body experiences fluctuations of estrogen and progesterone, this can give rise to many symptoms, which can become overwhelming and get you down. Many of us assume that we should have much more energy than we do. We look around us and see people who seem to have the things we wanted to achieve and reflect on where we are currently at in our lives, and question if we are really where we want to be.
Whilst traditional medicine may be quick to prescribe anti-anxiety and anti-depressant medications, we explore more holistic ideas into managing mood swings, anxiety and depression during perimenopause and menopause.
Why Goal Setting is Important
Ask yourself, what is it you want? Where do you see yourself in 12 months time, 5 years time and 10 years time? Many people I speak to about goal setting state they can’t see past next week. They drift through life without a plan, any real goals and are usually a slave to their jobs, husbands, children, grandchildren, you name it.
A current day may look something like this:
Work 8-9 Hours
Commuting: 1-2 Hours
Lunch Break: 30 Minutes
Everything else: ~5 Hours
Sleep: 6-7 Hours
In the average of 5 hours a day of free time you need to fit in getting ready for the day, cooking, cleaning, laundry and somewhere in there some free time for tv watching, socializing and exercise. Sound familiar?
How Does Goal Setting help with Menopause Mood Swings?
Getting clear about your goals will help your mindset immensely. Knowing what you want to achieve each and every day will help to keep your energy levels up, keep you focused and on track.
When you get interrupted, distracted or pulled in every direction possible and start to feel overwhelmed, this is when your mood can shift suddenly. By setting goals and working to achieve them, you will feel a sense of clarity in your life. Interruptions happen, but knowing exactly what you want to achieve helps to keep you on track and your mood stable.
Yoga – A Natural Remedy for Mood Swings
In yogic tradition, ailments such as mood swings, depression and anxiety are referred to as blockages to the flow of Prana. Prana is the flow of life force through your body and strong emotions can cause blockages to this flow.
Your breathing is very closely linked to the flow of Prana. Have you ever noticed that when you feel anxious your breaths are shorter and faster? By practicing yoga, you can learn to deepen and extend your breathing, which can then be utilized when you are feeling anxious or stressed.
When you mind is racing, with jumbled thought patterns and a lack of clarity it can be very quick to turn from stress, to overwhelment, to disconnection, to depression. This is where yoga will help.
You don’t have to turn up to an 90 minute yoga class 3 times a week to utilize the practices and teachings of yoga. If you break it down, yoga is a connection between the body and the breath over a series of movements and poses held for around 5 to 10 seconds each. The next time you feel your mood start to swing, stop, close your eyes and breathe… then see what the next breath brings. You can build on it from there.
Yoga on Demand
We love yoga on demand sites such as here or click on the image below to head over to the Movement for Modern life website.
Other Important Reminders
Practice a gratitude mindset. Be thankful for the things you have in your life now and your ability to attract what you want into your life in the future.
Take time out for yourself. Whether it be 5 minutes a day, or a whole day once a month, take time out for yourself and enjoy doing whatever it is you like to do.
Keep setting goals. If five and ten year goals feel too far off for you, start with tomorrow, next week, next month and build up from there. Writing your goals down is also very effective and we suggest you do this and revise them regularly.
