top of page

Yoga for Menopause: Support, Self-Care, and Hormonal Balance

hannahlouiselenton

Updated: Dec 19, 2024

Using yoga to navigate transition with awareness and care


The menopause transition can be a time of profound change, bringing a vast range of physical, emotional, and mental challenges. Despite affecting half the population, support for women in this phase of life seems woefully inadequate. Shockingly, there is no compulsory training for GPs on this topic in the UK meaning that many women encounter a lack of understanding or dismissive attitudes when seeking help. With GPs already facing immense time pressures, the nuanced and individualised support needed for menopause can fall by the wayside. Add to this the broad spectrum of menopausal symptoms - ranging from hot flushes, fatigue, and joint pain to anxiety, brain fog, and depression - it’s clear why so many women feel lost and alone.


In these times, we are lucky that we have access to so much information, but knowing that everyone’s experience is going to be different, an unregulated market already saturated with companies looking to profit from the desperation of women in this time pushing untested products, it can be a scary minefield.  Where to start?


For me, knowledge and understanding is the best way we can set ourselves up for a smoother transition. Years of tracking my cycles and getting to know the rhythms and ways of my own body and learning how best to look after its needs has taught me how empowering this can be, at any stage of life.


Understanding what is happening in your body during menopause is one of the most empowering steps you can take. Hormonal changes are at the heart of the physical and emotional shifts. When we understand the biological processes at play, we can approach them with less fear and more confidence.


This knowledge enables us to seek the right support, whether through hormone replacement therapy (HRT), diet and lifestyle changes, or complementary practices like yoga.

Having a robust self-care practice during menopause is even more critical during the menopause transition. The body is undergoing a significant transformation, and nurturing yourself can make all the difference in how you experience this phase. Sleep, nutrition, movement, and stress management all play vital roles in maintaining wellbeing.


Regular self-care practices can:

  • Reduce stress: Helping to regulate the nervous system and mitigate symptoms like anxiety or irritability.

  • Enhance resilience: Supporting both physical and emotional health during challenging times.

  • Boost overall wellbeing: Allowing you to feel more connected and balanced.

Yoga offers a toolkit for navigating the menopause transition with greater ease and grace.


Here’s how:

  • Getting to know your body: Yoga encourages you to tune in, listen to your body’s cues, and develop a deeper connection with yourself.

  • Building resilience: Both mentally and physically, yoga helps cultivate strength and flexibility, reducing aches and pains while improving emotional stability.

  • Balancing hormones: Specific yoga practices, such as restorative poses and breathwork, help to calm the nervous system, which in turn supports hormonal balance and reduces symptoms like hot flushes and insomnia.

  • Improving strength: Weight-bearing yoga poses can help counteract bone density loss, a common issue in post-menopause.

  • Mindfulness and breathwork: These practices teach you to find stillness, better manage stress, and cultivate a sense of inner calm—a crucial skill during the turbulence of menopause.


At 43, I’m beginning to notice subtle changes that signal my own journey toward menopause (until the day my periods actually stop, this is known as perimenopause). Over the past few years, I’ve found enormous value in cycle awareness and in using yoga to support myself through hormonal shifts (as well as life’s other challenges!). Mindful movement, conscious living, and breathwork have been my anchors, helping me navigate periods of low energy or heightened emotion with compassion and strength.


Through my personal experience and ongoing study of this area, I’ve developed a passion for sharing these tools with others.


Menopause is a transition into a new phase of life—one that can be rich with wisdom and self-discovery. I believe that it can be an empowering phase of life when we approach it with awareness and support. While the healthcare system may have its limitations, we have the power to take charge of our wellbeing through knowledge, self-care, and practices.

Yoga, combined with self-compassion and community, offers a powerful way to step into this stage with confidence.


If you’re curious about how yoga can support your menopause journey, I’d love for you to join one of my upcoming Menopause Yoga Workshops.


Together, we’ll explore these themes in a supportive, nurturing space designed to leave you feeling informed, empowered, and connected.

1 view0 comments

Kommentare

Mit 0 von 5 Sternen bewertet.
Noch keine Ratings

Rating hinzufügen

Sign up to e-newsletter

Thanks for submitting!

Hannah Lenton Yoga

  • alt.text.label.Facebook
  • alt.text.label.Instagram

©2023 by Hannah Lenton Yoga. Proudly created with Wix.com

bottom of page