Lifestyle changes for menopause dizziness
Can changes in lifestyle improve menopause balance and dizziness?
It’s estimated that 1 in 4 women experience dizziness symptoms relating to their menopause. When entering into this life phase naturally the first self-help solutions to manage a raft of problems including your perimenopause dizziness or vertigo is to re-address your diet and lifestyle.
Can regular exercise help dizziness?
Stress is one of the main causes of dizziness in menopause. Exercise may help you deal with this, as well as strengthening the muscles that support balance. If dizziness is an issue for you - slow and gentle is the way to go - avoid sudden movements, such as jumping, or quickly getting up from a lying position. Yoga or pilates may be more suitable forms of exercise.
Take warm, rather than hot, showers and baths
Hot showers and baths can cause blood vessels causing blood pressure to drop, resulting in dizzinesss and light-headedness. Turn the temperature dial down.
Get outside & breathe!
Spend time outside filling your lungs with fresh air to prevent dizzy spells. Our increasingly sedentary lifestyles mean many of us spend too long reading, watching TV and sitting in front of a computer screen, all activities that can trigger dizziness as there is insufficient oxygen circulating in the body.
Rest and recovery
Keep energy levels up throughout the day by making sure that you are getting between 7-8 hours of sleep each night. If experiencing sleep problems head over to our sleep section, you’ll find plenty of of sleep solutions.
Stand up slowly!
But if you’re prone to dizziness in permenopause or balance loss, remember not to get up too quickly from sitting, or lying down.
Relaxation techniques
Manage the stress that can cause migraine-type headaches and dizziness by practising a little yoga, tai chi or mindfulness. Controlling your breathing can help calm you down and release tension. Check out our video demonstrating relaxing yoga breathing exercises.
Read the labels!
Some medications, herbal remedies or even Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) can cause dizziness as a side effect. Always check the labels.
Menopause dizziness diet and nutrition
Rule number one is stay hydrated! Drinking water is a menopause must. Try to drink at least one and half litres of water, herbal tea, or non-sugary drinks each day. Juicy fruit and vegetables, full of water, are essential in your diet.
Eating a healthy diet full of vitamins and nutrients may not stop your perimenopause dizziness problem completely, but it certainly won’t do any harm and will benefit your overall health. Addressing your diet to maintain a stable blood sugar level will certainly go a long way to improve symptoms of dizziness.
Low blood sugar levels may cause dizziness and loss of balance. Eat slow release, low GI foods such as nuts, dried fruit, wholegrain bread, wholegrain porridge oats, celery, and peanut butter. For more specific information read our blog by a Registered Nutritional Therapist: How nutrition can help to manage blood sugars in menopause!
Lean Protein can help to stabilise blood sugars, eat more: skinless chicken, fish, quinoa and barley.
Haemoglobin carries oxygen through the body. Low levels can cause dizziness and may be caused by Iron deficiency, eat more: almonds, dates, asparagus, tofu, lentils and leafy green vegetables. Also, possibly caused by Vitamin C deficiency, eat more broccoli, tomatoes, spinach, peppers, and citrus fruits.
Head over to our diet and menopause section to find more info about improving your menopause menu!
