Mindfulness practices have become increasingly popular in the past few years, with many of us turning to these calming techniques to reduce stress and anxiety and boost our wellbeing.
At its core, mindfulness is the art of being present in the moment, so it is no wonder that so many people find it the perfect antidote to their busy modern lives. While this is a practice that can have benefits at any stage of life, we’re particularly interested in how mindfulness techniques can support women in perimenopause and menopause.
We know from our own experiences that mindfulness can be a great addition to any menopause toolkit – and many of you have told us the same. So, in this blog post, we’ll explore the art of mindfulness in a little more detail.
We’ll look at the benefits of mindfulness during menopause and then give you some ideas for practices you can incorporate into your own daily routine.
What is mindfulness?
Before we get stuck into the benefits of mindfulness for menopause, a quick look at what mindfulness actually is.
This term is often associated with practices like meditation, yoga, and tai chi – all of which can be great options to try. But mindfulness is less about a specific practice and more about a state of mind.
Most of us spend our time living in our heads. We go through our lives distracted by our thoughts and rarely stop to ground ourselves in the present moment.
Mindfulness is the opposite of this busy, distracted mindset. It is about full immersing ourselves in the present and connecting with the world around us.
Essentially, mindfulness is about paying attention. It encourages us to tune into the physical sensations our bodies experience; the sights, sounds and smells of the world around us. And it is also about noticing our thoughts and feelings with a sense of curiosity and acceptance, instead of judgement.
Easy to say, harder to do! Many of us struggle to cultivate this sense of awareness and non-judgement at first. But with time and practice, anyone can make mindfulness part of their daily lives.
The benefits of mindfulness in menopause
Mindfulness is often recommended to people struggling with anxiety and depression, both of which are common symptoms of menopause. So, it is perhaps no surprise that there’s plenty of interest in the benefits of mindfulness during perimenopause and menopause.
Research suggests that mindfulness practices can indeed reduce the psychological impacts of menopause, including depression and irritability.
However, this isn’t the only benefit of mindfulness during menopause – studies indicate that a regular mindfulness practice can also improve other symptoms, including insomnia and night sweats, the impact of hot flushes, and overall quality of life.
Mindfulness practices to try during menopause
Since mindfulness seems to improve a wide range of menopause symptoms, it is a great option to support you through your menopause journey. But how do you get started?
One thing to emphasise is that cultivating mindfulness doesn’t always need to be about setting time aside for a specific mindfulness practice. You can also incorporate it into your day-to-day life.
Whether you are walking to the bus stop, cooking a meal, or brushing your teeth, you can get in the habit of bringing your full attention to the moment. Notice how your body feels as you move. Take note of what is around you – what you can see, smell, feel, and hear.
Notice too what you are thinking and feeling. Try to simply name and acknowledge the thought or feeling, instead of making any kind of judgement about whether it is good or bad. You could even say it out loud; “this is a feeling of irritation”, “that thought was a worry about how much I need to do today.”
The trick is to notice and accept these feelings without trying to make them go away. It takes practice, so don’t worry if you struggle at first.
As well as these simple moments of attention, there are specific techniques you can use to help you incorporate mindfulness into your everyday life.
1. Meditation
Meditation is probably one of the first things you think of when you hear the word mindfulness. It has a ton of benefits and doesn’t require any special equipment or materials, so it is one of the most accessible options too.
However, many of us find meditation daunting, especially if we’ve not tried it before. The good news is that you don’t need to leap straight into sitting still for hours – and you don’t need to be able to do lotus pose either.
We recommend starting small – perhaps just five to ten minutes at first. You can always build up to longer as you become more familiar with meditation.
Find somewhere you are unlikely to be disturbed and get comfortable. You can sit on the floor, on a chair, on a bed, or lie down – whatever is most comfortable and lets you find a position you can stay in for the duration of your meditation.
Consider setting a timer, which can help you let go of any preoccupation with time.
Find a focus for your attention. Some people like to just focus on their breathing, others find it easier to do a body scan, or focus on an object – a candle flame is the classic choice often used in yoga. You could also listen to a guided meditation – there are plenty of free options on YouTube or you can download an app like Headspace or Calm.
When your mind wanders – which it will – don’t try to stop it. Instead, simply notice the thought or feeling and then let it pass by. Then, bring your attention back to your focus point.
2. Mindful movement
One of the benefits of mindfulness is that it increases your mind-body connection, helping you to feel grounded and present in your body. And one of the best ways to do this is to incorporate mindful movement into your day.
Yoga, tai chi, and Qigong are classic examples that emphasise the connection between brain, body, and breath, using movement to bring your attention to the present moment and cultivate a sense of mindfulness.
Classes run all over the country, or you can also try them out at home using YouTube videos and other online resources.
But if none of these are for you, there are other options too. Walking, for example, can be a great alternative – you can even try a walking meditation, where you bring your attention to the feeling of your feet coming into contact with the ground and then expand out to notice the sights, sounds, and smells of the world around you.
3. Mindful eating
Another daily activity where you can incorporate mindfulness is eating. How often do you grab a sandwich on the go or eat a distracted lunch at your desk? We rarely take the time to fully focus on our food, but bringing mindfulness into eating can help us to develop healthier eating habits, as well as sparking feelings of gratitude and appreciation for our food.
To eat mindfully, start by getting rid of distractions so that you can fully focus on your food. That means stepping away from your desk, sitting down, and putting your phone away.
Take a moment before you start your meal to appreciate the food in front of you. Think of how many people played a part in getting that food onto your plate – those who grew it, harvested it, transported it, and prepared it. That includes you!
Before you start to eat, use your other senses to experience the food. Notice the colours, shapes, and smells.
Eat slowly and with attention, taking small bites and chewing them thoroughly. Note the tastes and textures on your tongue and how these change as you chew. Pause between bites to allow yourself to appreciate the experience of one bite before you take the next.
Bring this same sense of attention to your body’s reaction to the food. How does it make you feel? Are you hungry for more, or are you satisfied? As always with mindfulness, the trick is to notice without judgement.
4. Colouring and crafting
Creative pursuits like drawing, colouring, and painting can also be a great opportunity to practise mindfulness. These activities help you to focus your attention on what you are doing, grounding you in the present moment.
Mindful colouring or crafting can also provide a creative outlet that isn’t attached to a particular outcome – in other words, it doesn’t matter whether you create an amazing work of art or not, the benefits are in the doing, not the result.
Some people prefer to colour abstract images, like mandalas, and there are plenty of adult colouring books out there, as well as free printables (or you could always freestyle).
However, if you prefer to draw or paint something you can see, this can also be a way to practise mindfulness – there is no better way to really notice the details of an object or your surroundings than sketching them.
Other crafts can be a vehicle for mindfulness too – perhaps you could try knitting, crocheting, pottery, photography, or embroidery.
Whatever your creative pursuit, make it mindful by bringing your full attention to the activity and by focusing on the process without judging the outcome.
References
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Mindfulness, NHS, https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/self-help/tips-and-support/mindfulness/, consulted 30/08/2024
Sung, M. K., Lee, U. S., Ha, N. H., Koh, E., & Yang, H. J. (2020). A potential association of meditation with menopausal symptoms and blood chemistry in healthy women: A pilot cross-sectional study. Medicine, 99(36), e22048. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000022048
Carmona, N. E., Millett, G. E., Green, S. M., & Carney, C. E. (2023). Cognitive-behavioral, behavioural and mindfulness-based therapies for insomnia in menopause. Behavioral sleep medicine, 21(4), 488–499. https://doi.org/10.1080/15402002.2022.2109640
Carmody, J. F., Crawford, S., Salmoirago-Blotcher, E., Leung, K., Churchill, L., & Olendzki, N. (2011). Mindfulness training for coping with hot flashes: results of a randomized trial. Menopause (New York, N.Y.), 18(6), 611–620. https://doi.org/10.1097/gme.0b013e318204a05c
van Driel, C. M., Stuursma, A., Schroevers, M. J., Mourits, M. J., & de Bock, G. H. (2019). Mindfulness, cognitive behavioural and behaviour-based therapy for natural and treatment-induced menopausal symptoms: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology, 126(3), 330–339. https://doi.org/10.1111/1471-0528.15153
John, J. B., Chellaiyan, D. V. G., Gupta, S., & Nithyanandham, R. (2022). How Effective the Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on Quality of Life in Women With Menopause. Journal of mid-life health, 13(2), 169–174. https://doi.org/10.4103/jmh.jmh_178_21
Mindfulness exercises and tips, MIND, https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/drugs-and-treatments/mindfulness/mindfulness-exercises-tips/, consulted 30/08/2024
Headspace, Mindfulness, https://www.headspace.com/mindfulness, consulted 30/08/2024
Calm, Mindfulness, https://www.calm.com/mindfulness, consulted 30/08/2024
A Guided Walking Meditation for Daily Life, Mindfulness, https://www.mindful.org/daily-mindful-walking-practice/
Mindful eating, The Nutrition Source: Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health, https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/mindful-eating/, consulted 30/08/2024
