Stress and perimenopause

Stress. Probably one of the most used words in the English language. For good reason: we have stressors coming as us fast and furious in this world we live in. Our bodies really weren't wired to cope with the never-ending stressor buffet provided by modern life.

So what is stress? Basically it is what happens when we feel we don't have enough resources to handle the demands placed on us. This feeling triggers physical and behavioral responses in the body via the fight-or-flight response, releasing hormones like cortisol and adrenaline to increase heart rate, blood pressure, and muscle tension.

Over time, chronic or poorly managed stress wears down the body's coping systems, increasing the risk of depression, cardiovascular disease, cancer, metabolic syndrome, dementia and Alzheimer's disease, and biological aging.

Chronic stress can cause irritability, sadness, anxiety, and feeling overwhelmed.

It can also lead to unhealthy behaviors like increased substance use, poor eating, less exercise, and social withdrawal.

Enter perimenopause.

Women tend to experience more stressful life events than men, and these events hit them harder. Midlife is an especially stressful time for women. In a large study of over 3,000 women, more than half reported moderate to high stress levels in the previous week, and half had gone through at least one major life event in the past year, such as divorce, serious illness or loss of a loved one, or financial difficulties. To pile on here: stress makes perimenopause symptoms worse.

Research shows that women who receive education about menopause, including stress management, end up better informed, have more realistic expectations, and experience less discomfort during menopause.

So let’s look at what you can do to reduce stress.

Tackle day to day stressors

• Areas to work on: time management, delegating tasks, setting priorities, saying no (people pleasing)

• Midlife women often juggle multiple roles need “me” time

Change shame/blame to self compassion

• Areas to work on: perfectionism, rigid expectations, catastrophic beliefs about perimenopause

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): challenge unhelpful thoughts and set more realistic expectations

• Mindfulness exercises: focus on positive experiences

Control your body's stress response directly

• Quick relief strategies: breathing techniques, distraction, social support, enjoyable activities

If you are experiencing chronic stress in perimenopause and you want to reduce it, there are many ways to start. I am happy to share some of my favorites. Put your questions in the comments, email me at kristyn@menopauser.com or book a free 30 minute session with me to see how coaching can help you feel better: https://www.menopauser.com/free-call

Citations

• Stute P, Lozza-Fiacco S. Strategies to cope with stress and anxiety during the menopausal transition. Maturitas, 2022; 166, 1-13

• Vélez Toral M, Godoy-Izquierdo D, Padial García A .Psychosocial interventions in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women: A systematic review of randomised and non-randomised trials and non-controlled studies, Maturitas, 2013; 77, 93-110.