The hot flushes they are the best known symptom of menopause and the transition to it. But many women between the ages of 45 and 55 encounter insomnia problems, irritability and little stamina, anger and rage, anxiety, reluctance and sadness, trouble concentrating on simple tasks or remembering simple facts, lack of desire and sexual enjoyment, mental and physical fatigue, and they don't know that these are often the other symptoms of perimenopause, the time before, during, and shortly after menopause.
Menopause is defined as the permanent cessation of the menstrual cycle for more than twelve months, secondary to the loss of hormonal activity in the ovary.
The transition stage to menopause, or premenopause, it is characterized by an intense variability in the concentrations of these hormones, which can cause the appearance of neuropsychological symptoms. The most important of these are:
All this symptomatology is directly linked to hormonal changes, that is, it has an organic basis. However, the appearance of any of these symptoms varies greatly between women, as does their intensity once they appear..
Although produced by organic causes, its impact can also be increased by psychosocial factors specific to this stage of life, such as changes in the woman's work or family roles.
This is the stage that in English has been called the "sandwich" stage and is when the woman still has children at home or in her care, while also beginning to take care of older parents, often while continuing to work outside the home.. The level of physical fatigue and the stress that accompanies this situation can intensify and complicate perimenopausal symptoms..
In the same way, if the woman is exposed at the same time to a lot of stress due to other vital circumstances, such as her own illness or that of a relative, or being unemployed, she suffers these symptoms with more intensity..
And finally, ignoring the organic origin of this type of symptomatology can increase its intensity and impact on the quality of life of women. By not knowing its origin, the woman looks for psychological and interpersonal reasons to explain her discomfort, often producing problems in her relationships and worsening your level of self-esteem and body image.
Each woman is different and what helps one person does not benefit the other. Some suggestions to try to remedy these neuropsychological symptoms are the following:
Learning and understanding from a biological point of view the processes of perimenopause and the changes in your own body, allows you to take the appropriate measures on the one hand and helps to maintain a most appropriate psychological perspective for the other.
Keep blood sugar levels constant eating low glycemic carbohydrates such as whole grain rice and pasta, oatmeal and legumes and combining them with some protein. Sugar spikes can drastically influence mood, the more erratic the sugar level, the more variable the mood
Eat oily fish, cereals, and nuts. The omega-3 fatty acids found in these foods aid in proper brain function and have been found to help improve mood.
Increase your intake of magnesium and B vitamins, that can help combat low mood and anxiety, consuming green leafy vegetables, legumes and nuts
Eat foods rich in phyto-estrogens such as tofu, edamame, soy milk, chickpeas, and other legumes
The Daily exercise burns stress chemicals, can help balance hormones, and can improve mood by causing the release of endorphins and enkephalins
Do yoga and meditation can help to better control stress, as well as the practice of mindfulness techniques.
Rearrange your time, prioritizing tasks and delegating to others are guidelines that help reduce stress
Consider HRT, hormone replacement therapy. In addition to calming hot flashes and night sweats, this type of treatment can protect against sudden mood swings and anxiety symptoms. Consult your doctor if there is an indication in your case
Individual psychotherapy can help better manage mood swings, anxiety and other symptoms of perimenopause, as well as avoid or moderate their consequences on a woman's quality of life.
It has been found that the antidepressant drug treatment is effective in many cases to remedy anxiety and depressive symptoms, in addition to the cognitive symptoms of difficulty in concentration and memory, and in certain cases it helps with hot flashes.
Why do some women go through menopause without problems and others suffer so much? The difference is in one's genetic sensitivity to normal fluctuations in hormone levels. If a woman has suffered from PMS or postpartum depression, she is more likely to experience mood swings with menopause as well..
The estrogen normally raises serotonin levels which improves mood, and progesterone increases the substance GABA in the brain which has calming effects. So it is the falling levels of estrogen and progesterone that cause anxiety-depressive symptoms. The progesterone and estrogen they also help sleep, and then when your levels drop during the menstrual cycle or menopause, the quality of sleep worsens, a fact that also affects your mood.
Stress can make it all worse. Not only does it increase the perception of symptoms, but it also increases the levels of the hormones adrenaline and norepinephrine which in turn increase anxiety. Stress can also directly affect the brain's serotonin levels. So being stressed at the time of a hormonal change makes the change in mood more noticeable.
Finally, the testosterone Made in small amounts by the ovaries, it is important for libido, mood, and for strong muscles and bones. While estrogen is responsible for lubrication and its lack makes sexual intercourse difficult, it is the testosterone that is behind sexual desire and when its levels begin to drop, it is easy for libido to decrease.
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