Yoga & The Menopause

Every woman at some point will experience the menopause and every woman will have a unique experience of it.

Before the onset of perimenopause, a woman’s menstrual cycle is regulated each month by the hypothalamus, a small structure at the base of the brain that regulates many bodily functions, including appetite and temperature. The hypothalamus signals the pituitary gland to produce important hormones for reproduction, and those hormones in turn stimulate production of estrogen and progesterone in the ovaries. During perimenopause, the ovaries and pituitary gland engage in a kind of tug-of-war. The ovaries decrease hormone production, while the pituitary gland, sensing low hormone levels, continues to spur on the ovaries. This frenetic struggle causes erratic hormonal fluctuations—too much estrogen, which revs the body’s motors, followed by spikes of progesterone, which slows the body. So, it’s no wonder that we feel this conflict and unease, which then manifests in an array of symptoms from hot flushes and night sweats, to anxiety and insomnia to name a few.

With increased life expectancy, today, women spend one-third of their life after menopause. Thus more attention is needed towards peri- and post-menopausal symptoms. Estrogen replacement therapy is the most effective treatment, however, it has its own limitations. (read my blog on HRT)

The present need is to explore new options for the management of menopausal symptoms. Yogic life style is a way of living which aims to improve the body, mind and day to day life of individuals.

Having spent 4 years in peri-menopause, I’m now offering workshops and regular yoga classes to help women navigate through the challenges and changes that peri and menopause present. Keeping things simple is a theme I encourage in my life and very much a part of my teaching style. We are bombarded with information and imagery, conditioned to do more and have more, available 24/7 on umpteen communication platforms, so it’s no wonder that our hormones are in a state of imbalance. Then the menopause arrives and we simply feel overwhelmed with a fatigued system ! You may be lucky enough to sail through, however there’s no shame in reaching out and saying I NEED HELP ! Yoga has been know to balance the body mind systems and has been around for thousands of years. I therefore believe it can assist us with many of the symptoms of menopause such as anxiety, mood swings, hot flushes, fatigue, insomnia, low libido and so on.

My classes and workshops offer breathing / paranayma techniques to bring us back to neutral, into the sympathetic nervous system of calm and rest. Yoga postures focus on squeezing, stretching and massaging the endocrine glands, especially the ovaries, adrenals, thyroid and pituitary, keeping them healthy and nourished. To slow down and take on less is key so that we’re not flooding our system with the stress hormones of adrenaline and cortisol. Better to encourage the production of the sex hormones of oestrogen and progesterone and limit stress levels.

An alkaline based diet of plentiful vegetables, quality protein and good sources of calcium will help, limiting stimulants like caffeine and alcohol. Moderation and balance. Exercise is also of key importance and finding something that suits you without exhausting the body.

A regular meditation practice will also help soothe the mind. Your lifestyle choices are important.

If you’d like to arrange a 1-1 or small group session, please press ‘contact’ at the top of this page.

Yoga can offer powerful relief from menopausal symptoms. Book an initial session with me here to find out more.