Lifestyle tips to help deal with menopause fatigue
When experiencing menopause fatigue the last thing on your mind would be to get moving. Well, our mantra is that movement in menopause really matters!
Fit 30 minutes of exercise into your day
Getting a move on, helps with mind and body. Thirty minutes of exercise releases feel-good endorphins, and lowers the stress-inducing hormone cortisol. Drawing up an exercise plan and sticking to it will give you a sense of achievement, hopefully show results and raise self-esteem.
Dust off the gym membership,
Try online exercise programmes or yoga sessions.
Take a fast walk during your lunch break, or on a short regular route, walk rather than relying on public transport.
Check out lots of free, online walking programmes such as the US site, www.prevention.com to motivate you.
Go yoga to banish fatigue!
Fatigue is exacerbated by anxiety or stress; yoga will help to manage this. Breathing techniques help you to calm down by slowing your heart rate, stabilising and lowering blood pressure, relaxing muscles and increasing blood flow to your brain. Time spent on yoga is time away from your stresses. If you’re a novice, try a beginner’s yoga class or online programme.
See our yoga relaxation and breathing exercises where Annie introduces you to some basic yoga moves that will help with menopause symptoms.
A trick of the mind
A daily dose of mindfulness as recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) can help to train your mind to change the way you see things, reducing stress and helping you to sleep. Try the Inscape or Headspace Apps for a ‘healthier, happier and more enjoyable life using proven meditation and mindfulness techniques.’ If this isn’t for you, make time each day when you can relax, breath slowly and be still for a few minutes.
You really do need to sleep to crack fatigue
Lack of, or poor quality, sleep may be part of the problem. A US National Sleep Foundation study found that we need between 7 and 9 hours sleep a night. Time to develop good sleep practices to maximise your chances of achieving this.
Try to eat at least four hours before you go to bed. Avoid screens, for at least 30 minutes before bed to help you wind down. Blue light on screens, including the little one on your phone, suppresses our production of melatonin. Use the ‘night shift’ option, if your phone has one, to see a warmer blue light. Better still leave your phone on the other side of the bedroom door.
Take a calming bath, while burning a soothing essential oil such as clary sage or vetiver. Why not try a pillow spray to sooth your senses. Sip a relaxing tea containing Valerian, a natural sedative, e.g. Pukka Night Time Tea. Make sure the bedroom is cool, dark and quiet. Ensure that bedding isn’t too heavy. If you’re still struggling to sleep and fatigue is taking its toll, sneak in a cat nap during the day, but no more than 20 minutes and before 3pm.
Check out our blog on herbal teas, there’s a host to help hormonal woes.