5 Steps For Coping With Menopause

How a woman deals with menopause will vary with each woman just as the severity of symptoms will vary. Some women will breeze right through menopause without batting an eye while others will have a difficult time.

How you interpret and feel about menopause will have a large impact on your symptoms and how you deal with them. There are ways to cope with menopause and make the best of your life. Different women may experience many different symptoms or problems, but the most common concerns are:

• Hot flashes • Mood swings • Insomnia • Preventing osteoporosis • Preventing heart disease

Many things can and will bring on hot flashes but once you determine what those are you will have won half the battle. Known triggers for many women are alcohol, smoking, caffeine, snug clothing, and stress. Hormone therapy remains the most effective for hot flashes, however many women aren’t comfortable using HRT unless there is no other choice.

Keep your home at a cooler temperature. Your body will adjust to the cooler temperature and you will be more comfortable. Try deep breathing for a few minutes each day and just walking. Exercise will not only take your mind off your hot flash but also helps to eliminate them. Some doctors may prescribe antidepressants for more severe cases.

Mood swings have to be almost the worst or at least, your family will say they are! You may find that deep breathing or meditation to be very effective. In time you will almost be able to tell when a mood swing is about to take place and so you can go off by yourself and read or just meditate.

Maintain the close friendships you always had in the past. Giving a friend a call will take your mind off your depression or mood swing. If you feel the mood swings or depression is more than you can handle, seek help from your doctor. A mild prescription for antidepressants may help.

It is very important in pre-menopause to remain active during the daytime to avoid insomnia at night. It’s a well-known fact that the more active you are during the day, the more tired you will be at bedtime. Try not to exercise just before going to bed though, or you will still be all “pumped up”.

Try a warm glass of milk or natural tea and avoid drinking alcohol or coffee or anything with caffeine. A warm bath will always relax you as well. If you take sleeping pills, avoid taking them regularly or your body will expect them every night.

Your body no longer has the calcium it needs due to the hormonal changes during menopause. Calcium is extremely important to slow bone loss, decrease fractures, and avoid osteoporosis, which is thinning of the bones. Many women experience fractures without knowing how they got them due to the lack of calcium. Be sure to get at least 1,500 mg of calcium per day. If you are not a milk drinker, there are juices available with the daily requirement of calcium as well as calcium supplements. Vitamin D supplements are important as well to help the body to absorb the calcium you ingest.

Eating healthy is probably one of the most important things you can do for your body to help prevent heart disease. Consume a steady diet of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, cheese and fish. Limit your salt or sodium intake each day. Eating wise will also help you maintain an ideal weight. If you smoke, make every effort to stop. In addition, always take some form of exercise on a daily basis.

Taking these steps will not eliminate all the discomfort you may experience from menopause, but it will help you cope so much better. In addition, it will give you good habits that you can continue throughout the rest of your life.

For Menopause