by: Nancybinspired
Table Of Contents
- Intro
- List of Helpful Tips
- Summary
*Disclaimer- This blog is not providing any medical advice.
Intro
Don’t be afraid and no, you’re not going crazy.
I’m going to keep it simple in this blog post, but want to provide you quick actionable perimenopause tips that will help you.
How do I know? I’ve been through perimenopause and menopause, so I have perspective to share although we’re all different.
List Of Helpful Tips
I. Don’t be afraid. Perimenopause is a natural process for your body, so be grateful you’ve lived long enough to experience it.
This may sound cliche, but it’s true. If you get your head around the fact that you can’t stop what’s coming with perimenopause and menopause the easier your experience will be. Everything starts with mindset. Secondly action and you’re already here reading this blog. Congratulations. (I’m clapping for you)
2. No, you’re not going crazy. The things you are noticing in your body are real. Ever so slightly, but real just the same. That’s how it begins, subtle changes, that you will dismiss until you can’t anymore. Like waking up in the middle of the night for no reason.
Take notice when this started and how often you’re experiencing it. Write it down. Log it.
3. Yes, you will get through this and there’s no need to panic. My biggest recommendation for you is to take action, positive action towards your symptoms.
Meaning, if you’ve never experienced before and are waking up in the middle of the night for no reason, start an exercise program. Start walking, start by taking a group fitness class like Zumba. Start by moving your body and see if that helps. I wrote an entire blog about benefits of Zumba here:https://nancybinspired.com/why-zumba-fitness-might-be-the-perfect-fitness/
Try Yoga, stretch labs, club Pilates or gentle fitness if you’re getting headaches and notice you’re irritable. Relaxing your mind regularly can help.
4. It’s a marathon, not a race. Perimenopause lasts a long time, so get used to it. It will come and go like waves, you’ll notice weird changes and then they disappear for a bit, only to return. That happened to me. So you forget about it until it’s back. I.e. waking up in the middle of the night for no reason. Biggest sign.
5. What if your weight starts fluctuating? If you notice a change in your weight, take notice if your eating habits have changed. Seems obvious right? But, what if it has changed? What are you craving? What are you doing differently as it relates to food?
What if nothing? You’re eating exactly the same, well this is an indication of your metabolism changing, so trying adding physical fitness and see if that helps get you back to normal.
The tip is getting ahead of the changes as they occur. Your job is to pay attention to your body and how it reacts. I wrote a detailed blog here: https://nancybinspired.com/how-to-know-if-youre-in-perimenopause-key-signs-your-body-tells-you/
6. Sex drive. Pay attention to this. Are you truly not interested anymore? If yes, ask yourself why? Libido is normal and you should be in a healthy relationship that keeps you interested in physical connection with your partner. If not, get to the root of this. The earlier the better.
I’m not a physician, nor giving medical advice here, just saying you should pay attention to your body, interests and behaviors. If they’ve changed, ask yourself why?
7. Life can be busy and you could be tired, but how tired are you exactly? Have you lost your zest for life? Or losing it? This is another indicator that something is changing related to perimenopause. Nip it early.
If you’re tired, ask yourself this: Am I getting enough sleep? Too much sleep? What is different? Am I stressed? Kids off to college? High school? Getting their driver’s license? What has you tired?
If normal changes in family growing up and new worries or responsibilities, that’s acceptable and once you feel comfortable with the change, this will pass, but if it doesn’t, you should address it.
Get a journal and start writing down your feelings. How are you feeling? What are your thoughts? Keep track in a journal and see if you improve.
8. Seek guidance from a compounding pharmacist. I highly recommend their advice. It helped me. Sometimes all you need to do is add supplements to your life and physical fitness. It could be that simple and could serve you well for many years, until your 50s….
9. Community. Talk to your girlfriends about it. Perimenopause is not a dirty word, once you learn how to manage it, you can embrace it and empower others. Yes, we’re all different, but sort of the same as it relates to perimenopause symptoms. So talking to each other and finding tips on what worked for others, try it yourself and see if it helps.
Just like this blog. I’m offering what I tried and what worked for me.
10. THIS IS NOT MEDICAL ADIVCE, -be wary of lab reports. Find a physician that works with a compounding pharmacy that can help you and your body specifically.
Take action yourself. Seek advice from qualified physicians and pharmacists who understand, truly understand what you’re experiencing. Be really cautious when you’re placed in a category like all the other women. If you’re not being treated as an individual, with your individual concerns and remedies for you specifically, keep moving on until you find someone that “hears” you.
Summary
The biggest advice I can offer you if you’re married is be kind to your spouse. Really seek his support. Talk to him and ask him if he’s noticed a change in you. If so what?
Your life partner is the closest person to you. This person lives with you daily and knows you, your behaviors, moods, cycle, etc.
Ask if you’ve changed. Ask if so how? Compare those answers to how you are feeling. If they align, good. Then you can take action together and see if you improve to your optimal self.
Really that’s the goal. You want to live optimally.
There isn’t anything more powerful than vulnerability and support. If you can trust your spouse to be vulnerable and seek their help, it’s a win for both of you.
This will be the first time for both of you. Your husband doesn’t know a thing about perimenopause. He will learn from you going through it. If you help him understand how you’re feeling, why your libido has changed (if it has), why you’re more emotional, irritable, tired, etc. (any of your symptoms) he can help you.
Men really want to help. It’s in their DNA. They are wired to fix things. Even though he can’t “fix” perimenopause, he can support you.
From his perspective, if you don’t communicate either, “let me know if you see me change in my behavior towards you or in general” or if you stay silent and changes are occurring, he will wonder what’s going on. He will wonder how can he fix what he doesn’t know.
This is how marriages fall apart during this phase in life. We stop communicating. We stop being as intimate. We become irritated, we can shut down.
Maybe this was me and if it’s not you, fabulous. But if it is. Talk to your husband and remember why you married him in the first place.
As the years go by we and we live life with a growing family and responsibilities we can forget why we got together in the first place.
I hope you never lose the fire that ignited a long time ago.
Yes people change. The key is changing and growing together with the same life goals. Perimenopause is not a life goal, it’s a physical change that a female has to experience. It will pass and the best is yet to come.
My best years began in my 50s. Don’t lose heart.
Let this inspired you today!
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