Menopause and mental health: a professional view

Menopause and mental health are inextricably linked. Perimenopause and menopause can be a challenging time for women as hormone levels shift, leading to feelings of anxiety and depression.

These symptoms are common and often temporary, but this doesn’t mean they must be endured. Join us to explore the common mental health challenges faced during menopause and identify ways to find relief from symptoms.

Anxiety is linked to menopause and mental health

Is defined as worry and agitation or a feeling of being overwhelmed, along with physical symptoms such as shortness of breath and palpitations. Experiencing anxiety from time to time is normal, although some life situations may contribute to this, for example, giving a presentation, worrying about the outcome of surgery, waiting for results, or your child starting to drive on their own.

Sometimes anxiety can be helpful, that little push to finish a project or complete a task, however, there can come a point when it ceases to be motivating and switches into dysfunction. High levels of anxiety can impact your ability to concentrate, carry out ordinary tasks and sleep.

Anxiety is a regular symptom experienced at the intersection of menopause and mental health. The reason anxiety changes or becomes more prominent through perimenopause and into menopause comes down to how oestrogen and progesterone interact at brain level. To put it simply, progesterone has a calming effect on the brain. On the other hand, oestrogen plays a role in how your brain utilises sugar and also impacts serotonin, our happy, stay-calm brain chemical.

How can I relieve anxiety?

If anxiety is impacting your day-to-day, it’s time to discuss it with your doctor. Although, there are things you can start to do to reduce symptoms:

• Mediation and yoga
• Talk to a therapist
• Ensuring you are getting enough sleep
• Move a bit more: research shows exercise improves mood
• Reduce stimulants such as coffee

Understanding how anxiety works

To manage anxiety it is helpful to understand what is behind it. For example, if you notice memory, concentration or word finding becomes a challenge, and consequently this makes you anxious about presenting at work, then focusing on memory would be more helpful than focusing on anxiety. If you are anxious about flushing in team meetings, then focusing on improving flushing can be helpful. If you are anxious about not sleeping well, then pivoting to more sleep support will be helpful.

Depression and low mood: another symptom of menopause and mental health

Clinical depression is defined as a feeling low with a loss of interest that lasts for weeks or months. If this is your lived experience, now is the time to have a conversation with your GP or psychologist.

There is, however, a whole spectrum of lowered mood that is not clinical depression, particularly as fluctuating levels of oestrogen have an impact on our brain chemicals.

What can I do to reduce these symptoms?

In the context of menopause, there are many factors to consider. Identifying what is going on is extremely helpful in working out what your next steps should be. It is usually a difficult time, often made more challenging by balancing the needs of children, ageing parents, health and making time for loved ones while trying to stay on top of life and manage a career.

Beyond hormones, mood change can come from:

• Poor quality sleep
• Memory and cognition impacting your work and life
• Anxiety
• Social withdrawal
• Changes in body shape

Sleeping more and moving more can make a big difference. Professional help can also give needed support.

Difficulty concentrating or menopausal brain fog

Although “brain fog” is not a clinical diagnosis, it is a common term that many women use to describe how they are feeling.

Menopausal brain fog refers to the symptoms that most frequently involve memory, attention, difficulty encoding and recalling words, names, stories or numbers, keeping a train of thought, being distracted, forgetting intentions (reason for coming into a specific room), and the ability to switch between tasks.

These changes are linked to hormonal changes, vasomotor symptoms (flushes and night sweats), sleep and mood.

What can I do get relief from brain fog?

Making changes when you have brain fog is hard. Think about which of these you could focus on:

• Hydration: 2 litres per day
• Focus on good sleep hygiene
• Eat a diet that supports stable blood sugar levels – more protein, less sugar and carbs
• Practice mindfulness 
• Reduce alcohol
• Talk with friends or colleagues about how they can support you throughout the day
• Reach out to a health professional if you feel you need help… Schedule a call

Mood swings and irritability

Mood swings and irritability are a part of the hormonal journey of many women. From puberty, through ovulation and the premenstrual window to perimenopause and into menopause.

Fluctuations in oestrogen and progesterone levels impact brain chemicals. This can cause symptoms like anger, tearfulness and irritability. We often say, “it’s like you have no tolerance for idiots, and everyone is an idiot!”

What can I do about mood swings and irritability?

• Talk, talk, talk. To a friend. To a health professional. It all helps
• Reduce caffeine alcohol intake to reduce hormone peaks and troughs
• Think about your sleep routine
• Moving more and getting out into nature has been shown to greatly improve fluctuations in mood

Premenstrual tension 

Premenstrual tension is a shift in mood in the weak lead-up to a period. The intensity of this can increase during perimenopause as a result of increased hormone fluctuations.

What can I do to relieve PMT?

• Reducing caffeine and alcohol will reduce hormone spikes
• Moving more and being outdoors, particularly in the morning sun, helps with sleep, mood and hormone levels
• Mindfulness practice and meditation are free and easy ways to ease stress
• Can you improve your sleep routine?

Summary – Menopause and mental health

• Many women experience changes in mood during menopause
• Anxiety, depression, difficulty concentrating, mood swings, irritability and premenstrual tension are common symptoms
• There are a range of treatments and lifestyle changes that can assist
• Meditation, yoga, better sleep and more exercise help
• Hydration, a diet with more protein, less sugar, caffeine and alcohol can ease these symptoms and reduce brain fog
• Speaking with your GP can also provide you with some alternative solutions, such as hormone replacement therapy

Metluma provides evidence-based health and wellbeing support for women at all stages of life. Learn how to live longer, be healthier, and optimise your health during menopause.

Book a free consultation today.