The menopause can be an opportunity for you to take a pause, look at your overall health and lifestyle habits and make some positive changes. Most people know that drinking less alcohol, improving diet and exercising more frequently can have a positive effect on your overall wellbeing but these adjustments are even more valuable during this life phase. Unfortunately, when you are battling the chaos of menopause with its numerous symptoms, many of which interact with each other, it can be difficult to feel positive about the future, but in this blog, I wanted to reflect on some of the opportunities that the menopause has given me
Health Awareness
Once I recognised I was in menopause I also became more health aware. I became mindful of my diet, drinking wine would almost instantaneously trigger a hot flush and lead to a disrupted night’s sleep. Nice, refined carbs would cause my blood sugar levels to spike, bringing with it the complexity of mood swings, increased appetite, lower energy levels, leading to weight gain (and mood swings…ha!) Through research, I am now aware of foods to avoid during menopause, but I make my own choice on when to do so. My healthier diet has led to (some) weight loss, and this has motivated me to become more active again, giving me the confidence that I can make it through this unique journey with my health intact.
Communication With Those Close to Me
It took a while, a few cross words and some trueful conversations for me to learn how to communicate better with those close to me during this stage of my life. Managing my own feelings of vulnerability by having a daily check-in really helped. Being able to share how I was feeling in one or two words; tired, tearful, overwhelmed without justification or judgement was enough for me to feel understood even when I was not too sure what was going on myself.
Changing the Way I Worked
Disrupted sleep, thinning hair, body shape changes and brain fog all led to a lack of confidence that had a real-life effect on how I was coping with a full-time job. Again, being mindful of how this could affect my long-term health I decided to take a pause from work. Moving to flexible, part-time working has had a financial impact that I need to manage but has also built in career longevity alongside my menopause.
Improving my own health awareness, communicating with loved ones and changing the way I worked has also allowed me the space to create PAUSE MY with a mission to share our favourite products, powered by nature, and to build a support network for women navigating the complexities of their hormonal journey.
