Yoga does not replace hormones BUT it does help you feel cooler and calmer, even when your hormones make you feel like everything is turned upside down and the symptoms of a prickly cactus! More importantly, it creates a community of support when more serious symptoms of suicidal thoughts arise.
Listen here if you do not have time to read or want to hear how I planned Menopause Yoga: Click picture below or copy and paste: https://music.apple.com/ca/playlist/the-anchored-heart-talks/pl.u-vxy66r3TXjgaE
I used to love a power yoga or hot yoga class, but times have changed. I am now fifty-two years old and in post-menopause. I do not recall when the "peri-menopause" began but it was many years of discomfort and confusion.
It used to be that menopause was not spoken of, similar to what it was like when I started my period at twelve years old. It was to be hidden like it was dirty and I remember thinking that it was something to be ashamed of. I don't think my Mum intended this to be the way I felt but the whole experience in those early years was so awful.
However, I have found so much useful information, especially through the yoga community. In yoga and its sister science Ayurveda, it is considered your second spring once you are into post-menopause. I love this because I have also heard that it can be called the time in your life which is winter.
In Kate Codrington's book called Second Spring, the first part of her website states this;
You’re not going mad, you’re becoming sane.
~Kate Codrington ~
"Second Spring offers a new vision for menopause, mapping the psychological phases and showing how this period in your life can be a time of personal growth. Like your slightly sweary best friend, guide you through managing physical challenges with lifestyle changes and understanding what might be causing them." (https://www.katecodrington.co.uk/second-spring-the-self-care-guide-to-menopause/)
This is a blog about yoga and menopause. For the past four weeks, I have been teaching Self-Care Series and I included menopause as one of these. Oddly enough when taking Therapeutic yoga training, menopause is not considered one of the "illnesses."I completely disagree with this, there are so many symptoms that are relinquished upon us during this time. Worry and anxiety increase through peri-menopause and menopause, depression, cognitive impact, struggle in relationships and a feeling of being lost.
More seriously, mental health and sadly suicidal idealogy and thoughts can also be a reality during this time. This last and serious symptom is not widely discussed but it is more common than I realized. Once again I felt alone in this journey and began to seek more information on what the hell was going on with my mind, body and overall well-being. Data show that menopausal women experience mental health issues, including suicidal thoughts, but too many stay silent. On the website Fiesty Menopause data shows the following;
Last October, The Independent reported a research exclusive based on a survey of 2,000 women ages 46 to 60 in the UK that found that nine in 10 women going through the menopausal transition experienced mental health problems. One in ten experienced thoughts of suicide. More than a third of them said they hadn’t sought help for their symptoms. Eight out of 10 said they didn’t discuss their mental health issues with their partner or spouse.
Suicide rates are much higher than many people realize. It is a leading cause of death in the U.S. with nearly 46,000 people dying by suicide in 2020 alone. Millions of people contemplate suicide and women in the menopause transition are particularly vulnerable. The CDC reports that among females, the highest rates of suicide are among those ages 45 to 64. Similarly, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in the UK reports that among females, the age-specific suicide rate was highest in those aged 45 to 49 years. Australian data echo these findings with the highest age-specific suicide rate being in women ages 45 to 49 and the second highest rate in those ages 50 to 54.
Read more about this by going to (https://www.feistymenopause.com/blog/mentalhealthandmenopause)
On the yoga front, you may begin to notice your hot yoga and power yoga class does not feel great anymore. Or do so you feel super angry and irritated after a hot and juicy class that used to leave you feeling energized and relaxed? Maybe you feel angry just in general? Lack of motivation, brain fog and fatigue that is there when you wake up in the morning and carries on throughout the day.
It can feel exhausting and lonely and I have firsthand experience of how it feels to feel ashamed of not feeling happy when I have so much to feel happy for.
Many of you know that I am an advocate for mental health. Mental health is now the new pandemic and crisis all around the world. My journey with this has intensified with menopause as well as the harmful effects of the pandemic and being ill from Covid-19. I am advocating hard to see a more positive change in the types of treatments and resources to be more readily available but this is a whole other blog post.
But I do have good news!
Yoga is healing. Yoga heals us on a cellular level and can help us with a transformation that many other treatments do not always cover. Yoga is wonderful for balancing your hormones which will alleviate and manage uncomfortable symptoms for peri-menopause, menopause and also andropause for men. How can I help?
I am offering a Menopause Yoga class online with a Karma donation where you can pay what you can afford. The cost can be as low as $5 to $20 and you can practice from the comfort of your own home. In the new year, I will be offering an ONLINE Menopause Weekend Retreat and you will automatically receive 50% off the fees as a gift of my appreciation.
What is Menopause Yoga?
Menopause Yoga Online Class Description
Menopause is a time in a woman's life when yoga can be very healing. Yoga does not replace hormones BUT a well-thought-out yoga sequenced with a focus on menopause than helps you feel; cooler, calmer, less irritable and increases energy.
This class is a therapeutic-focused class that will heal, release tension, and help balance the endocrine system. You do not have to be super fit to do this class. First, we will focus on cooling the body, second release tension in the lower back and adrenal glands and third mindfulness that will nourish the body, mind and spirit. The class will begin with a short meditation initiative to initiate the relaxation response and end with restorative postures and a guided mindful savasana.
You can access a free ONLINE Recording here:
LINK: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/NKmxMksJkucnAjJcjWsBaKaBwXEodstnwZwSHW5DXZYU9Eq0N-RCDylZtaRbOFo7.22l6akTfLLHXn2EA
Passcode: gR$W3C+u
Join the next class on DECEMBER 13th by going to:
As always if you have any questions or comments please add and I will take the time to get back to you. I do appreciate your feedback, and your comments and would love to invite you into our small but heartfelt yoga community at The Anchored Heart. Learn more about gentle yoga for mental wellness by going to www.georginakylloyoga.com.
Are you interested in a FREE Yoga Consultation? Go to this link to book your appointment here: https://www.georginakylloyoga.com/service-page/free-yoga-consultation?referral=service_list_widget
RESOURCES:
Second Spring Book by Kate Codrington https://www.katecodrington.co.uk/second-spring-the-self-care-guide-to-menopause/
Suicide Rates Are Higher in the Menopause Transition by Fiesty Menopause. https://www.feistymenopause.com/blog/mentalhealthandmenopause
Yoga for Harmones by Yoga with Kassandra: https://youtu.be/18mnOUa482Y