Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Ways to Ease the Stress of Menopause Symptoms You Need to Know

There are many symptoms of menopause, some worse than others of course. One thing that is compounded by the other symptoms is stress, which can cause a woman to become a ticking time-bomb if left unchecked.

Coping with the other symptoms such as insomnia, night sweats, and hot flashes is bad enough. But add to it the stress of all of these together? Something has got to give!

There's no doubt about it, menopause can be a stressful age for most women. So to develop a strategy for managing stress can help women cope not only with menopause, but with life and aging in general.

Some of those strategies include relaxation exercises, biofeedback, aerobics, meditation and breathing techniques, and yoga.

These are only a few of the ways to give women tools for dealing with their stressful lives. Find something that is best suited for your likes and dislikes; it can really make a difference in your levels of stress.

There are actually reasons why women seem to have more stress at this time of their lives - first, serotonin is an essential neurotransmitter for handling stress and regulating mood.

Since women do not produce serotonin as fast as men do, any loss of this chemical affects them much more. As a result, when stress start to use up a woman's serotonin, she is then more likely to suffer from a mood disorder like anxiety, or depression.

Estrogen helps to regulate neurotransmitter production, so when estrogen levels begin to decrease, this important chemical is less available to do the job.

Since stress is really a function of your state of mind, you must find a way to get into a "happier place" on a regular basis. This may sound simple, and once you learn to make it a habit it really is.

Finding ways to feel better include exercise, which releases endorphins into the body for a brief but satisfying "high" - such as that felt by runners.

Another important way to help relieve stress is to remember to keep in touch with friends. Having a network of just a few good friends can really make the day seem more pleasurable when you need some down time.

Indulge yourself once in awhile with a hot bath, spa treatment, or even a good massage. Since the mind and body are so connected, stress can really take a toll on the body. Do your best to take care of yourself and keep in mind that if you can manage the stress you will be not only happier but also healthier as well!

By : Doug_Hart

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