Meditation and Menopause: Simple Steps to Getting Started on Your Mindfulness Journey!

Menopause is a major hormonal transition that we women face, bringing changes like weight gain, sleep disruption, brain fog and hot flashes. The good news is that while these symptoms may seem overwhelming, some simple wellbeing strategies can help you balance out these changes! One of my favorites is meditation - I recently began to meditate after my daughter, Kelly, a Trauma Informed Spiritual Psychologist, taught me how. Ever since, it has become part of my daily routine, and I have found it to be a wonderful way to balance my body and mind. I even love meditation so much I created new Walking Inspiration Meditations for my new Vitality For Life Program, and my daughter Kelly leads a variety of Mediation Wellness Sessions, too - sign up today and get the first four weeks of this amazing, transformative program for free!

Regular meditation has so many benefits - it can:

• Help reduce stress - during menopause, your estrogen levels fluctuate, which can lead to an increase in cortisol. This can cause an uptick in mood swings, anxiety and even belly fat!  
• Regulate your hormones - which in turn can minimize hot flashes
• Improve sleep, for longer, deeper rest - so important for our physical and emotional health!
• Minimize brain fog and improve mental clarity
• Promote a healthy heart and blood pressure - important for all women!

Now that we know the benefits that meditation can give us during menopause, let's talk how to set up a practice! Choosing a meditation style is key - it should be one that you feel at ease with and that targets an area you want to focus on. Some examples include:

• Mindfulness Meditation – Here you focus on your breathing and body sensations; mindfulness is good for reducing stress. 
• Guided Meditation – You can use a variety of apps to follow structured sessions based on the outcomes you want.
• Body Scan Meditation – A great one to try before bed, essentially you start at the top of your head and work your way down, focusing on relaxing each body part. 
• Mantra Meditation – Here you repeat calming phrases such as "I am at peace" to foster positive emotions.
• Loving-Kindness Meditation – This helps you improve self compassion when are feeling down or being hard on yourself.

Regardless of the type of meditation, a comfortable, calm space is key - you want an area free from distraction, that you feel at ease in, and where you can ideally have a cushion or chair. I sometimes light a candle for even more relaxation. Wearing comfortable clothes that allow you to focus on your meditation is also a good idea!

As you dip your toe into meditating, you will want to start your practice slowly but consistently - try 5 minutes a day, then when you feel comfortable, move to 10 minutes, then to 20 minutes. Use a timer to help you stay on track. 

A common reason many people start meditation but don't stick with it is stressing out about "clearing the mind" - this happens to everyone! If you find yourself getting distracted, just refocus on your thoughts or words and you will get back there. Breathing exercises help me to calm and refocus if I get distracted, so give that a try if that happens to you!

I truly think meditation can help women as we get older to feel better about themselves and accept and even embrace this time in life - it CAN be a wonderful period if we let ourselves feel that way! For more guided meditations, join my Vitality For Life Program - the first four weeks are free!

Denise