Mental Health Awareness Week - Menopause, Movement & Mental Wellbeing
Mental Health Awareness Week - 13-19 May 2024
"Movement: Moving more for our mental health"
5 minute read: Menopause, movement and mental wellbeing
This year, Mental Health Week highlights the importance of movement and links it to improved mental health and resilience. In one of our 5 mini-blogs based around the theme of “Movement: Moving more for our mental health” Imagine independence has chosen to focus on the menopause. As a charity that provides a range of support for people experiencing mental health issues and over 300 staff, conversations and support for women experiencing perimenopause and the menopause are on the increase.
Menopause is a normal part of a woman’s lifecycle where hormone levels decline with age. All women experience menopause differently. Symptoms of both perimenopause and menopause can impact significantly on a woman’s daily life. NHS Inform: “Changes in your hormones during menopause can impact your mental health as well as your physical health. You may experience feelings of anxiety, stress or even depression.” NHS Inform.
Menopausal symptoms may include:
Anger and irritability
Anxiety Forgetfulness
Loss of self-esteem
Loss of confidence
Low mood and feelings of sadness or depression
Poor concentration – often described as ‘brain fog’ and/or lost words.
Exercise has been widely hailed as important to having good mental health: physical exercise is encouraged for young and old alike and can actually be prescribed by a GP “exercise on prescription”. Not only does exercise increase positive “affect” (or emotion), it decreases negative affect, equating to a double hit of good feeling.
Dr Lindsey Thomas – GP and Menopause Specialist says: “A third of the average woman’s life will be lived beyond the menopause. Having a regular exercise routine, starting in the perimenopause can really impact, and enhance how these years will be lived. Exercise can also be a really useful tool in helping to reduce menopausal symptoms themselves”. The NHS guideline for adults recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity of exercise per week. This particularly applies to women experiencing menopausal symptoms. Your weekly exercises can be broken down to small sessions, a mixture of both or all in one go.
Self-care takes many forms; this excerpt from Mental Health UK relates to movement and exercise on many levels; there are plenty of ways you can look after yourself during this life-stage such as:
Getting plenty of rest and try to keep regular sleeping habits
Eating a healthy diet, replenishing vitamins and minerals that might be depleted during this stage such as calcium and vitamin D (bone density)
Regular exercise will help to prevent weight gain, improves your sleep, lifts your mood and strengthens bone density
Relaxing activities such as yoga, meditation or tai chi.
From an employee point of view, employers have a duty of care to support staff during menopause. ACAS state that “It's important for employers to be aware of all of the people who might go through the menopause and menopause symptoms and to support them all equally”. In order to do this, employees can use the resources provided by Employment Support Programmes, develop support champions within the workplace and provide information and training to managers.
Imagine Independence is developing a series of webinars for staff and managers so they can improve support and knowledge around the menopause. Dr Louise Newson has developed a range of resources - here’s the workplace leaflet: Menopause and the Workplace that isideal to share around your workplace.
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