Anxiety

Many women these days have to balance their careers, home life, caring for children and aging parents – on top of the changes in their bodies due to perimenopause or menopause. It’s no wonder we feel overwhelmed, stressed and anxious at times!

In addition to the external pressures, some of the changes brought on by perimenopause can increase anxiety levels. Very similar to the hormone fluctuations that can cause mood swings and irritability during menopause, anxiety can also be impacted by changes in hormone levels. The most common ones include:

• Serotonin: (our happy hormone) fluctuates with changes in oestrogen and age;
• Oestrogen: declines are a normal part of the menopause transition, and lower levels of oestrogen = lower levels of serotonin;
• GABA (a neurotransmitter): a key chemical that helps to reduce stress, anxiety and sleeplessness, has been shown to work less effectively when progesterone levels drop (like they do during menopause);
• Progesterone: (a calming hormone) impacts how the brain uses GABA and progesterone levels drop during menopause, can lead to increased feelings of stress and anxiety.

Putting this all together, it makes for the perfect cocktail of hormones and brain chemicals that don’t work as effectively as they used to, and can lead to increased feelings of anxiety.

Here are a couple of things that you can do to help manage anxiety during menopause.

• Eat your way to a healthy brain: There’s a strong link between the healthy eating habits found in the Mediterranean diet and lower levels of anxiety and depression. This way of eating includes foods like dark green leafy veggies, virgin olive oil, berries and raw cacao. It is low on carbs and meat products, limits refined sugars and artificial ingredients, and high in all the good-for-your-brain necessities like healthy fats, fibre, Vitamin B and antioxidants.
• Be kind to your mind: Spending time doing things that increase mindfulness and allow you to process the things that are causing you to feel anxious, and then refocus on positive things – can help in dealing with anxiety. Mindful practices such as yoga, meditation, conscious breathing, or journalling, can all go some way to calming the mind and relieving anxiety.
• Prioritise time out: Stepping off the treadmill of everyday life, by spending quality time with loved ones – and with yourself – is an important way to refuel your batteries. Self-care is really important and something that many women struggle to do. So many of us are conditioned to put the needs of family, children, and even colleagues, before our own needs that we deplete our internal resources – which can lead to anxiety and depression.
• Exercise, even just a little bit: You are probably wondering where to fit another “to-do” item onto your already overfull list? It might even make you feel more anxious about not getting out there to do the exercise you know you should be doing! Take a deep breath and start with just 10min. Exercise is one of those things you can do during menopause (and every other time of your life) to help alleviate the impact of many of the most common symptoms. Its not a quick fix. It will take time to build up strength and fitness – but you will thank yourself in the coming years, for making the time to exercise now.
• Consider supplements: There are some supplements that have proven benefits for helping alleviate anxiety. You should speak to your healthcare provider before starting a new supplement regime, as some of these ingredients can interact with other medications you may be taking. Here is a list of ones you can consider:
  • St John’s wort – has proven efficacy in treating mid anxiety and depression (caution: this can interact with medications and may not be suitable for everyone, so please check with your healthcare provider before taking it).
  • CBD (cannabidiol) – this is an extract from the Cannabis plant. While there are many products available on the market, we strongly recommend that you look for one with proven efficacy and safety. Speak to your pharmacist who may be able to advise you on the right CBD product for your unique situation.
  • L-theanine – an amino acid that is known to help reduce stress and anxiety.