6 ways to manage menopause symptoms

Menopause symptoms can have a significant impact on your life. We share six ways you can manage symptoms without (or alongside) medication. 

What happens during menopause (and perimenopause) varies from person to person. Menopause affects each of us in different ways. Symptoms can start years before your periods stop, and may carry on after you’ve finished menstruating for good. 

Common menopause symptoms include:

• anxiety
• mood swings, irritability, or low mood
• changes in skin conditions (dryness, increase in oiliness, acne)
• trouble sleeping (night sweats or disrupted sleep leading to tiredness)
• headaches or migraines
• hot flushes/hot flashes
• loss of self-confidence or lowered self-esteem 
• palpitations
• brain fog, trouble concentrating or remembering things
• reduced sex drive (lower libido), vaginal dryness or pain

Dealing with symptoms can be challenging. For some people, symptoms can feel overwhelming, while others may experience them less intensely. Symptoms and intensity can change over time, meaning you may find some symptoms affect your day-to-day life, while others may be less frequent or less intense. 

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is the most commonly prescribed treatment for menopause symptoms. Replacing oestrogen and progesterone (hormones that our bodies produce less of as we approach menopause), HRT can help with common side effects including hit flights, night sweats, sleep problems, mood swings, anxiety and low mood, as well as vaginal dryness. 

However, not everyone can – or wants to – take HRT. While there are many benefits, there can also be side effects. There are other ways to cope with and manage menopause symptoms alongside or instead of HRT. Lifestyle changes, talking therapy, and complementary therapies can all have significant impacts on menopause symptoms. 

How can I help my menopause symptoms?

Lifestyle changes 
Making small lifestyle changes can be helpful in reducing the impact of menopause symptoms. Regular exercise can help to reduce hot flushes and improve sleep. Ensuring you are getting plenty of rest and have a sustainable, helpful sleep routine can help you to feel less tires and irritable. Cutting down on caffeine, spicy food, and alcohol if often recommended, as these have been known to trigger hot flushes. Quitting smoking can also help to refuse hot flushes. 

Menopause diet
Ensuring you have a healthy, balanced diet can help you to keep your bones healthy and avoid weight gain. Working with a nutritional professional can help you to learn more about what to eat during menopause to help ease night sweats and replace vital nutrients your body needs during this time. Find out more about what to eat during menopause and how working with a nutritionist can help you. 

Hypnotherapy for menopause|
Research shows that clinical hypnosis can help reduce hot flushes and night sweats in 74% of people with post-menopausal hot flushes. Hypnotherapy can be an effective way of focusing on the mind-body connection to alter unhelpful thought patterns and beliefs. By putting you in a deep state of relaxation, a hypnotherapist can introduce new, positive suggestions and affirmations. 

If you are feeling stressed by menopause symptoms, are having trouble sleeping, or are worried about how they are affecting you, a hypnotherapist can help. A hypnotherapist can provide the tools to reduce stress-related symptoms, promote relaxation, and help you feel calmer during your menopausal journal.

Work with a menopause coach 
Menopause coaching can help you to better understand menopause, feel more comfortable and confident in managing symptoms, and feel empowered in embracing the changes happening during this new stage of life. Working with a menopause coach, you can find out more about coping strategies, resources, and different ways of approaching menopause.

Many people can find this to be a challenging time, filled with uncertainty and change. It can be scary to go through so many physical and emotional changes. Working with a menopause coach can offer tailored support to help with your individual situation, symptoms and needs. A coach might be able to help you to learn new ways of managing stress, discover ways to focus on your wellbeing, create better work/life balance, and reassess if your career and life goals still match with what you want to achieve. 

Lower self-confidence and self-esteem can be common during menopause. Working with a menopause coach can help you rebuild your confidence, better understand yourself, your wants and needs, and help you to create a plan to meet your goals. 

Talking therapy for menopause
Talking with others who are going through the same thing can be both validating and helpful. But sometimes, we want to talk with someone without any fear of being judged or having to overthink how we are expressing ourselves. Talking therapy can be a huge help in reducing many mental health and emotional wellbeing related menopause symptoms. 

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a type of talking therapy which has been shown to help reduce menopause symptoms including depression and anxiety. Talking with a qualified, experienced therapist can help you to better identify your thoughts and feelings, learn new coping skills, and have a healthy outlet to talk about your experiences, challenges, and worries. 

Working with a menopause counsellor or therapist can also help you work through sexuality, relationship, and body image-related issues. As hormone levels change, your levels of desire can change too – as can your body. This can make sex more painful or you may have a lower sex drive. This can also lead to feelings of insecurity and rejection within relationships. Speaking with a counsellor can help to work through these feelings and experiences.

Complementary therapies
Complementary therapies can help with a number of different menopause symptoms. Research suggests that therapeutic massage can decrease postmenopause-related sleep disturbances, including reducing insomnia and anxiety. 

The NHS recommends relaxation-based lifestyle changes, including trying yoga, tai chi, and meditation to help promote rest, mindfulness and relaxation. Discover more about yoga poses that can help ease menopause symptoms.

Meditation can help to promote relaxation, reduce stress, anxiety and worry, as well as to increase self-awareness of your mind-body connection. If you are new to meditation, trying guided meditation can be a big help in learning how to avoid distractions and staying present and grounded in the moment.