January blues...Menopause blues ...or both?
- Ruth Devlin
- Mar 15, 2022
- 6 min read
Updated: Jul 19
Happy New Year everyone and welcome to January - for some of you it’s easy, you just throw yourselves back into life with gay abandon but for others the darker months of January and February are a real battle to get through. Whether it's January blues, menopausal blues or a bit of both they are a real 'faff' and get in the way of everyday life, so here are some practical tips to help you cope that don’t involve sticking your head in a light box all day!
Mind you if that’s what you need here is a link for (SAD) Seasonal affective disorder.
Motivation is a key word when trying to combat low mood swings, especially when you've got hormones going all wonky and fluctuating.
So what are your options...
Lifestyle choices: having a good look at what you're eating and drinking. Are you getting in enough movement and exercise throughout the week, getting good quality sleep and managing to fit in some rest and relaxation.
Nutrition: no I’m not going to advise you to start some crazy diet that isn’t sustainable, just be more aware of what you are eating, especially after Christmas. Once you’ve finally got through the last mince pie, chocolate and sticky toffee pudding really look at what you are consuming. There is a saying 'you are what you eat' and it's true - look into getting a really nutritious diet one packed with variety...protein, fibre and foods which will help your gut. Don't exclude any of the major food groups, it might take a bit more organising on the shopping front but your body will love you for it. Another saying...'you are what you absorb'...
Incorporate lots of healthy greens like spinach, green beans, broccoli and asparagus - if you don’t like them individually do what I did with my teenagers last night - chop them up more finely and toss them into a stir fry…quite amazing the range of veg one of my sons unknowingly consumed last night!
Fruit wise, again variety...try chopping up a big bowl of fruit salad which can last all week, add to every helping a dollop of natural yoghurt (one with live cultures always good for your gut) and shake on a handful of seeds & nuts on top.
Eat more fish, especially oily fish and white meat.
Combine that with drinking plenty of water throughout the day, cut down your caffeine intake and try switching in other drinks throughout the day.
Alcohol, ah…some will have consumed a tad too much over the festive period. Try and have alcohol free days. Some people head into January full tilt on daft diets and attempting dry January, which is fine, but maybe a staggered approach can be more successful with drastic changes being harder to sustain, so do a level of abstinence that you know you can cope with!
Exercise & movement: definitely a must especially in the darker months - releasing endorphins has a wonderful effect on the body and the mind alongside getting that cardiovascular system going and looking after your bone and heart health. It's so hard though isn't it to get motivated when it’s usually dark setting off to work and then returning home. Look into a variety of options...swimming, gyms, activity classes...finding the head torch to go for a run is not terribly appealing - but hats off to you if you do manage. Alternatively you could try short sharp bursts of exercise within the confines of your own home - like running up and down stairs, or how about online yoga and pilates.
One of the best buys I made last year was a skipping rope...yes a skipping rope. As a woman in her 50s I naturally hadn’t done a lot of skipping in recent years but then by chance tried a friend’s the other day. Oh my goodness I forgot how fabulous it is! Plus, not only was I out of breath within a short space of time, but my pelvic floor was challenged taking on the appearance of someone who might have just been for a 10k run!
Advantages of skipping...
The obvious...exercise & movement
Challenges pelvic floor - remember to lift and squeeze before commencing skipping or do intermittently!
Balance and co-ordination - no not as easy as when you were 12 years old is it!
Releases endorphins and so helps you not only physically but mentally.
Skipping is just one form of exercise that can be done in a confined space within the comfort of your own home - there are so many other things you can do without having to get changed into appropriate attire (always off putting after Christmas usually a little tight and lycra is always unappealing when it’s cold!) and drive to gyms and other sporting venues. Ever tried a weighted hoola hoop or a space hopper?!
Another way…dancing round the kitchen - have you ever realised why every single contestant enjoys Strictly come dancing so much every year and claims that it’s the best thing they’ve done - they are exercising & moving (probably some parts they haven't moved for a while!) every day and releasing those endorphins … lucky ducks!
CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy)...an extremely beneficial complementary therapy to look into. Renowned for helping to manage stress and anxiety levels CBT has long been known to be a good way to help with mood swings and depression. One book to recommend if you have never tried it or don’t have access to clinical therapists is ‘Managing Hot flushes and night sweats’ by Myra Hunter & Melanie Smith a brilliant self help guide to CBT — the same principals adapt to low mood swings. Also worth a read is one of our blog posts written by Dr Becky McCormack on CBT.
Medication...understanding the cause of people's symptoms is very important so they can be treated correctly. Often there can be several contributory factors, ranging from hormone imbalance while transitioning through the menopause, stresses at home & work, problems with relationships...the list is endless. When associated with the menopause The NICE guidelines clearly state :-
1.4.5 Consider HRT to alleviate low mood that arises as a result of the menopause.
1.4.6 Consider CBT to alleviate low mood or anxiety that arise as a result of the menopause.
1.4.7 Ensure that menopausal women and healthcare professionals involved in their care understand that there is no clear evidence for SSRIs or SNRIs to ease low mood in menopausal women who have not been diagnosed with depression
Sleep: not getting a good nights sleep, having disturbed, irregular sleeping patterns can contribute to mental health problems. Being woken up by night sweats, palpitations, needing to go to the loo can be very disturbing. Finding ways to manage these symptoms through either lifestyle choices or considering HRT if required is paramount. Have a look at another post on sleep we've written and a good place to refer to is the
https://www.sleepfoundation.org/ to find out more about sleep cycles & practical ways to help...very interesting.
So why did I start this post by saying that motivation is a key word — because all of us have to do it for ourselves.
We have to somehow motivate ourselves to buy the right foods, get out of our weekly rut of always doing the same meals, we have to make more educated decisions when it comes to alcohol and we have to find that extra 10 mins in a day to fit in some form of exercise & movement.
Absolutely no-one is going to do it for you, which is the same for managing your menopause — it is up to you to get as much information as possible on board yourself so you can make more informed decisions, keep a note of your symptoms and then, if they require help from primary care, going and communicating with your GP/practice nurse.
Importantly when going to see any health care professional, so they fully understand why you are there, it's so important to have information to hand — remember they are not telepathic, they can only react to what you have told them...taking along notes can be helpful for both of you!
It might sometimes feels like you're trying to climb Everest but just try tweaking & nudging small amounts every day — your body will love you whether physically or mentally not to mention the impact it will have on those around you.
Useful links :-
Any information is as accurate as possible at time of writing and is for information purposes only. The information and support that Let's Talk Menopause provides is for your own personal use. It is not intended to replace or substitute the judgement of any medical professional you may come in contact with. You should always seek advice from your healthcare professional regarding any medical condition.
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