Meno matters
Perimenopause can be a time of heightened anxiety for some. Mindset and fitness coach Sue Tetley looks at ways to stay calm and in control.
ANXIETY IS A common symptom affecting women, especially during perimenopause and menopause, yet it is often not recognised as being directly linked. Mental wellbeing can be hugely impacted during this phase of life, with women experiencing an increase in both anxiety and depression. Disturbingly, women aged 45-55 also have the highest suicide rate of all female age groups – an age range that coincides with the average onset age of perimenopause and ending just after most women have reached menopause.
Anxiety is a state of worrying, self-doubt and a feeling of being overwhelmed by a perceived threat. Symptoms can include poor sleep and concentration, irritability, rapid breathing, sweating, trembling, stomach pains, panic and fear.
Some women first experience anxiety first during perimenopause, whereas for others, existing anxiety symptoms worsen. The causes of increased anxiety are multi-faceted; however, hormones play a large part.
THE ROLE OF HORMONES
Your body has a finely tuned system of hormones that are meant to be in balance. When the perimenopause hits, this system is disrupted, creating anxiety in some. The production of oestrogen, testosterone and progesterone starts to decline in an irregular way, whilst follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) rises to get your ovaries to produce more oestrogen.
Oestrogen has a big role to play in mood, and has been dubbed “the feel-good hormone”. It rises during the first half of your menstrual cycle and declines during the latter half. Lowering levels in the second half of your cycle can lead to irritability, anger and anxiety.
With the fluctuation in hormone levels during perimenopause, symptoms of pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) and low mood can worsen.
Another important hormone is progesterone, which helps enhance your mood and relieves anxiety, acting as a natural antidepressant. It helps your brain and body relax. A drop in progesterone during the second half of your cycle can lead to PMS, mood swings and cravings. With further hormone fluctuations and declining levels of progesterone in the run up to menopause, these PMS-like symptoms are exacerbated.
Testosterone also plays a significant role in mood regulation. Low levels have been associated with increased anxiety and a feeling of impending doom that can lead to panic attacks.
CALMING THE CORTISOL
Stress hormone cortisol, responsible for the fight or flight response, gets thrown out of balance during perimenopause. While you need a certain level to get you up in the morning, you don’t want it to be high late in the day, when your body needs to unwind
