Hot, Bitchy & Sleepy

Do these words relate to you? Welcome to menopause and the world of gentle restorative types of yoga.

Welcome to another adventure of being a woman! First we go through hormonal changes as a teen, then motherhood and then the next step is peri-menopause and finally after a year of not having your moon cycle we enter the next phase....menopause.

I asked my own mother about how she felt during this time and she says she does not remember even having any symptoms. Right! But then again when I was young when I did get my period it was a big moment, but also to be hidden and to leave any feminine products out for my Dad or two older brothers to see was not ok. I am happy to see those times have changed...a little.

I must admit I am not navigating menopause so gracefully. I asked one my friends recently about it. She simply smiled and said. "Why do you feel like killing somebody?" She said this is what her close family doctor asked her when she went in to find out if the hormone therapy is worthwhile to try.

I do feel pretty irritable! Especially when it is least helpful and there is no rhyme or reason for it. I feel tired but I have a hard time sleeping at night, I am having on average hot flashes every 20 to 45 minutes and I have gained extra weight. Oh and of course if you already have depression that become worse too.

Typically I feel cold and love being warm but now after a searing hot flash where sweat is dripping down my back and my face, neck and chest feel sunburnt I then get the pleasure of feeling cold, sweaty and itchy and bitchy. All in all it sucks! I am trying to embrace it. I will let you know how it goes.

My love of yoga does help. Now it is ever so more gentle than ever. Not wanting to spike any more heat in my body than necessary I find it better to keep in calm, cooling and relaxing. It does help and funny enough the sequencing is very similar to yoga for pregnancy! Bring on supported forward folds, slow and gentle movements and a nice long savasana.

It is a time of honouring our bodies that once again feel so foreign to us. It is not time to take on more and grit our teeth through a hot flow class but instead step back and take in the gentler side of yoga.

We all now know, that yoga is known to be one of the most calming forms of exercise and if you are experience symptoms like I am ... hot itch and bitchy you too are looking to make your practice even more soothing, try a Yin Yoga class. Yin yoga is a style of yoga which targets the connective tissue of the hips, pelvis and lower spine through poses which are held for longer periods of time, typically up to three to five minutes, instead of the usual five to eight breaths. Many women find that this practice has a transformative effect on both body and mind. It is simple but absolutely so effective on reducing the effects of peri-menopause and full on menopause.

I send you many hugs dear hot-flash sisters! Know you are not alone. Take time to spend some extra self care for yourself and if you feel guilty do it anyways! Check out my online yin yoga videos and LIVE Stream Yin & Meditation every Thursday Morning at 9:30AM and upcoming yoga series for Hot Flashes.

A Short Home Restorative Practice:

• Supported Savasana with bolster under knees, pillow under your head.

• Supta Baddha Konasana - Reclined bound angle pose with bolster under spine and blocks under thighs.

• Seated forward pose resting arms on your bolster or extra pillow.

• Childs pose with bolster

• Seated bound angle pose fold with head on bolster or block

• Legs up wall with straight legs/ feet in baddha konasana or wide legs.