Reflexology Perimenopause and Menopause
Menopause is a natural process that all women will go through and anyone who has been through perimenopause will know that symptoms can be both wide-ranging and have a big effect on well-being in daily life.
Thankfully societal attitudes to menopause are changing and people commonly feel more able to talk about their experiences and symptoms and also seek advice and support. It is also true that there is more knowledge and advice available and with this shared knowledge, well-being can be significantly improved.
Perimenopause
During perimenopause, 8 out of 10 women in the UK will experience some symptoms, the most common being hot flushes and night sweats which can severely effect quality of life. Perimenopause generally starts in the 40’s and on average lasts for 4 years but can range from 1-12 years. Hormones start to become erratic with progesterone being the first hormone to decline which can cause periods to become irregular and with extended heavy menstrual flow. Oestrogen levels will then begin to fall, but this can also leave times where there is oestrogen dominance and this is one of the biggest contributors to unpleasant menopausal symptoms.
Typical symptoms of oestrogen dominance include bloating, insomnia, fatigue, anxiety, feeling oversensitive, headaches, low libido, cravings for sweet foods, poor memory. Oestrogen also rises when there is a high calorie diet with little exercise and being overweight, as fat cells can produce oestrone, again showing the importance of life-style choices.
Menopause
Menopause starts when there has been no period for 12 consecutive months. With menopause there may be an increased risk of a number of long-term conditions such as osteoporosis, heart disease, high blood pressure,
high cholesterol, diabetes and stroke, again showing the need for knowledge and advice regarding lifestyle education and choices.
Stress and Relaxation
Across different cultures there are differences in attitudes towards menopause and the physical symptoms. In agrarian non-industrialised cultures menopause is generally an uneventful time with women reporting no symptoms whereas in industrialised countries, such as the UK, symptoms can have a major effect on health. These variances are thought to be due to lifestyle differences and in particular relaxation, or the lack of relaxation.
A study has shown that chronically elevated cortisol increases the likelihood of severe menopausal symptoms, so prioritising relaxation is key. In research we can also see that regular Reflexology has been shown to be beneficial in reducing symptoms.
In my own practice, I have given treatments to many women during perimenopause and have seen the huge benefit it can bring in helping reduce symptoms of migraines, hot flushes, balance of mood and more.
So, if you are looking for something to help support you during perimenopause or when you are at menopause, then Reflexology, alongside a change in life-style choices may be very beneficial in improving symptoms.
- Melissa K. Melby, Margaret Lock, Patricia Kaufert, Culture and symptom reporting at menopause, Human
- Cagnacci A, Cannoletta M, Caretto S, Zanin R, Xholli A, Volpe A. Increased cortisol level: a possible link between climacteric symptoms and cardiovascular risk factors. Menopause. 2011 Mar;18(3):273-8. doi: 10.1097/gme.0b013e3181f31947. PMID: 21037488
- Some of the content in this article has been rewritten from the writing of Sally Earlam in Reflexions, a magazine for Reflexologists; March 2022
