Addressing Perimenopause and Menopause at Home
Perimenopause is the time when your body naturally starts to adjust to producing less estrogen. Your periods become less regular, and you may even skip them, and eventually, they will stop completely. Once you have had a year without a period, menopause takes place. On average, women have menopause at 51 years old. During this time, they can go through many symptoms like hot flashes, weight gain, low sex drive, and vaginal health issues. Addressing menopause at home is equally important as talking about it at work because you need to be completely comfortable with your own body.
Talking about Menopause at Home
Menopause is a natural event in your life, but that does not make it easier to handle. For some women, symptoms of this transition can be severe and quite interrupting for their everyday lives. No wonder that sometimes you may find yourself feeling as if you are a different person. When these episodes happen at home, you may leave your partner or your children perplexed by what is going on. But talking about it will make you feel more hopeful and even empowered, so do not wait long.
Some women only see menopause as the time of life they have to suffer through until it is over. And even though the view on menopause has changed over the years, some people still see it as a negative thing, something they do not want to talk about. This can happen because women are shy or do not know that the symptoms they have are a result of menopause.
Many women end up dealing with their symptoms without help or support from their families or doctors. But if you feel that your symptoms make your daily life much more difficult than it used to be, it is time to talk it out and make some changes in your life to help you get through. Talking openly about your menopause symptoms with your family goes a long way for helping you come to terms with this stage in your life.
How Changing Your Lifestyle Can Help Deal with Menopause at Home
In the past, Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) was the most common therapy doctors suggested to women who found it hard to deal with their symptoms. Now the risks of this therapy were found, so women try to avoid it unless there is no other available option. But starting with natural ways to find relief seems like the best and the safest option for any woman who wants to take control of her body and mind in menopause. There are several things you can start doing now to address the symptoms of menopause at home.
Control Your Hot Flashes
Having a sudden hot flash during a family dinner is an embarrassing experience for many women. And the first step to preventing it is to try and take control of your hot flashes. Wear layered clothing so you can take off the top layer when a hot flash comes. Also, try to lead a healthy lifestyle. Eat a balanced diet, exercise regularly, and avoid the foods and other things that trigger hot flashes. Some of those are hot drinks, spicy food, alcohol, and warm conditions indoors and outdoors.
Get Enough Rest
As women approach menopause, many of them have sleep difficulties, with symptoms so severe that they interfere with their daily functions and are diagnosed as insomnia. But if you do not take action to cure your insomnia, this can be potentially bad for your physical and mental health long-term. Not to mention that it leaves you tired during the day and unable to function. Get plenty of sleep, and if you cannot sleep well at night, nap during the day. Avoid caffeine in the afternoon and exercising shortly before bed for good sleep.
Eat Healthily
As you grow older, proper nutrition becomes more and more important. Make sure to have plenty of fruit and vegetables, whole grains, and foods rich in calcium. Apart from that, keep track of what you eat and think about your meals ahead of time. If you want to have a balanced meal, keep in mind that it should have lean proteins, carbs, and healthy fats. Proper nutrition is all about keeping things in balance and being consistent about it.
Exercise
Regular physical activity is perfect for many aspects of your physical and mental health. Apart from that, exercise was seen to improve insomnia, quality of sleep, and depressive symptoms in women. And it is essential because working out helps you deal with several symptoms at once, also with mood swings and hot flashes. Exercise is also one of the best tactics to prevent diabetes, heart disease, and other age-related conditions.
Take Care of Your Vaginal Health
Some women have vaginal dryness in menopause, and this has a substantial impact on their daily activities, sexual function, and overall quality of life. Using moisturizers and lubricants can help women with mild to moderate severity of vaginal dryness. It can especially help women who cannot or chose not to use estrogen. Lubricants act as a helpful solution for improving their body image and quality of life.
