Yoga and Menopause
Hot flashes. Sleepless nights. Inexplicable anxiety. Mood swings. Complete mental and physical exhaustion.
Do these symptoms resonate with some of you, ladies? If so, you're probably going through that wonderful time of life called menopause - or perhaps peri-menopause, the transitional phase that leads to menopause.
Ask any woman of a "certain age" and she'll tell you there's nothing wonderful about it. Emotionally and physically, menopause is exhausting. Apart from having to accept the fact that you have reached the end of your reproductive years, you also have to deal with changes in your body and mind resulting from erratic fluctuations in your hormone levels.
While menopause is a natural transition in a woman's life, it is often approached with trepidation and even fear because of the accompanying discomfort that can go with it.
But what really happens during menopause? From a medical standpoint, menopause is the phase in a woman's life when her ovaries cease to function and stop producing hormones such as estrogen. As the ovaries gradually lose their function during peri-menopause, this causes hormone levels to become erratic and the menstrual cycle to become irregular. These constant fluctuations in hormone levels often lead to the aforementioned mood swings, sleepless nights, and hot flashes, to name just a few symptoms.
Since a woman's body chemistry is shifting during this phase in her life, her metabolism begins to slow down, which can often result in weight gain. In turn, gaining weight can impact severely on other health issues, such as the condition of the heart. Loss of estrogen can also cause a woman's bones to become more brittle, and osteoporosis can occur. And, since estrogen contributes to the functioning of the brain, thinking and memory capacity can be affected. This hormone imbalance often leaves women feeling helplessly unable to cope, emotionally and physically.
But what can be done to alleviate these symptoms and assist women in going through this transitional phase in their lives with more ease and a sense of well-being?
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is one of the options that the medical field has been recommending to women over the years. But while there have undoubtedly been many positive reactions to HRT, there have also been concerns raised. A detailed study conducted over several years by the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) indicates slightly higher risks for women to develop breast cancer and heart problems, including strokes and blood clots in their lungs. However, the study also determined that HRT could reduce the risk of colon cancer and hip fractures.
The decision on whether or not to go on HRT is a personal one that should be made in conjunction with your physician, who should carefully assess you and your family's medical history and provide you with the pros and the cons of HRT.
On a less invasive note, a regular exercise regimen has also proven to be highly beneficial for women going through menopause. In particular, yoga has been shown to be one of the best ways to manage peri-menopause and menopause. A regular practice of yoga can help women regain control of their bodies and restore physical and emotional balance.
Pranayama - the breathing techniques taught in yoga - can go a long way toward cooling down and relaxing your mind and body. By focusing on deep, relaxed breathing, you can calm your mind and body, which will result in a sense of peace and rejuvenation to your system.
Yoga stretches can restore energy through increased blood circulation, and assist in strengthening the bones and muscles, thereby improving your agility. By practicing specific poses, you will also be able to prevent heart diseases and improve your cardiovascular health.
Menopause can be a traumatic time in a woman's life but, by carefully considering your options and taking control of your own health, you should be able to find an easier way to alleviate the symptoms and adapt to the changes in your mind and body.
To find out more about how yoga can help you cope with the effects of menopause, check out the following informative articles from HealthWorld and Yoga & Movement.
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