When you hear people talk about menopause symptoms, physical issues often get the lion’s share of attention. But as you begin to experience the changes of menopause, you might notice more than just hot flashes and night sweats—one of the most common menopause symptoms is anxiety, which can have a serious impact on your quality of life.
Anxiety is a state of apprehension at perceived threats that can cause debilitating fear, irritability, insomnia and inability to concentrate. Anxiety causes the body to boost adrenaline in a fight-or-flight response, which can lead to physical symptoms like sweating, muscle tension, elevated heart rate, rapid breathing, dry mouth and dizziness. Those who suffer from severe anxiety may also experience panic attacks, which can make you feel like you’re losing control or even having a heart attack.
If you’ve started to experience anxiety during menopause, anti-aging therapy may be able to help by bringing your hormone levels back into balance. Though anxiety can feel overwhelming, there are also many things you can do on your own to keep it under control, including:
Breaking Down Your Problems
The issues that cause us anxiety often feel insurmountable. Instead of fretting over how you’ll try to leap your problems in a single bound, start dividing them into more manageable chunks. Make a list of the problems that cause you anxiety, then list smaller steps you can take to overcome each problem by order of difficulty. Start from the easiest step and give yourself as much time as you need to complete each task. Remember that progress will take time and that the symptoms of anxiety, though alarming, cannot cause you physical harm.
Finding New Ways to Relax
For frequent anxiety sufferers, it helps to learn a few techniques that promote a calmer state of mind, both long-term and in the moment.
- Deep breathing is something that anyone, anywhere can do. Though even a single deep breath can be powerful, this practice will help most if you have a quiet spot and a few minutes to yourself. Sit and focus on drawing deep abdominal breaths.
- Yoga is well-known for its ability to foster a peaceful state of mind. It can also be a great workout, which will help you ease stress through exercise. To get started with yoga, it’s best to find a compassionate and informative teacher who can help you learn the basics.
Something as simple as reading a book, listening to music or calling a friend can also help you keep anxiety from becoming overwhelming. If you begin to experience severe and chronic anxiety during menopause, it may be best to seek some help—talk to your Forum Health provider for guidance.
