I want to improve mental disorders of menopause | Effective measures for depression, depression, and anxiety

It is common to hear that menopause causes sweating and hot flashes. However, there are many people who have depressive symptoms and are depressed by little things. There are many people who are troubled by themselves without being able to talk to their family and friends, or who see blogs of the same generation because of mental anxiety.

While checking blogs on my smartphone at night, I wake up feeling more and more anxious in the morning.

We also introduce measures to eliminate mental disorders, so please start with what you can and spend a healthy menopause.

Find out in this article

• Causes of Menopausal Menopause
• Coping strategies for relieving mental illness
• How to socialize with SNS and blogs of the same generation

Menopausal mental disorders

Menopause refers to the 10 years before and after menopause1). During menopause, the secretion of estrogen, one of the female hormones, drops sharply, and physical and psychological symptoms may appear. Menopausal mental disorders include insomnia, irritability, anxiety, and depressed mood1).

Menopausal women undergo major changes in their bodies, and their living environment also undergoes major changes such as work, childcare, and nursing care. Menopausal mood swings are similar to symptoms of depression. Some people worry that they might be depressed due to stress and anxiety, and their symptoms worsen.

Causes of menopausal mood swings

Why does menopause cause mental health problems? It has a lot to do with the secretion of estrogen, the female sex hormone. However, it is said that the cause is not only the rapid decline of estrogen with aging and the increase in its fluctuations, but also social factors such as human relationships and psychogenic factors such as original personality. 2) .

For example, if there are factors such as stress in the work or home environment, disordered lifestyle, and an inherently angry and irritable personality, it is easy to exacerbate mental disorders.

hormonal imbalance

First of all, the main cause of depression is hormonal imbalance. Estrogen, a female hormone, is secreted from the ovaries in response to commands from the hypothalamus in the brain. However, when the ovarian function declines, it becomes difficult for estrogen to be secreted no matter how much the brain issues instructions. Furthermore, when the command from the brain exceeds a certain value, estrogen is suddenly secreted from the ovaries and increases. Then, when the brain senses this increase, it suddenly stops issuing commands, and estrogen plummets again. It is well known that hormonal imbalances occur during menopause.

In addition, it has been reported that estrogen secretion decreases when stress is applied3). Up until now, estrogen has been secreted properly and the balance that has been kept is broken, which is the cause of malfunction.

Disturbance of the autonomic nervous system is likely to occur

The lack of estrogen causes disturbances in the autonomic nervous system, causing mental disorders .

The autonomic nervous system regulates body temperature and breathing.

Disturbances in the autonomic nervous system lead to sweating, palpitations, and shortness of breath, and over time, mental symptoms such as fatigue, depression, and insomnia develop2).

Feeling tired and tense in body and mind

When you are under stress, your body goes through a mental and physical defensive reaction to protect yourself from the stress. Whether you're avoiding stress or coping with it, your body is geared up for combat. Continuing excessive tension increases the level of arousal and makes it easier to react to small things. That leads to frustration and depression. Continuing tension due to defensive reactions to relieve physical and mental fatigue can trigger menopausal mental disorders.

How to relieve depression and anxiety

Menopausal mental disorders have various causes such as hormonal imbalance, autonomic nervous system disturbance, and stress. Symptoms of menopause vary greatly from person to person, and coping methods may not be suitable. We will introduce 6 ways to relieve discomfort and anxiety, so please try the coping method that suits you.

Adjust your posture and the environment and space of the room so that you can relax

It is very important to create a relaxing posture and environment to relieve stress. You can take in new energy by properly recovering from fatigue while resting. Getting a good quality sleep is especially important.

Therefore, it is necessary to turn off the lights early at night. Before you go to bed, turn off your smartphone and TV. It has been reported that blocking blue light from artificial lights such as smartphones before going to bed increases the secretion of a hormone called melatonin, which induces sleep4).

Make time to relax

Busy modern women are working so much that they have no time to breathe due to childcare, nursing care, etc. It becomes commonplace, and it is easy to miss the signs of stress that your body emits, which can make your symptoms worse.

Give yourself time to rest, even if it's only for five minutes a day. For example, it is good to relax at a cafe or take a walk on a sunny day. In addition, aroma and stretching will heal your fatigue. If you haven't slept well at night, taking a 20-minute nap is also effective in relieving fatigue.

Don't just check social media and blogs

Wanting to relieve the anxiety of menopause, there are quite a few people who read all the SNS and blogs written by people of the same age. As a hobby, watching SNS and reading blogs is never a bad thing. However, the symptoms that appear during menopause vary greatly from person to person, so they may contribute to feelings of anxiety and depression. It has also been reported that using a smartphone before going to bed reduces the quality of sleep4).

Avoid using your smartphone before going to bed, and check social media and blogs during the daytime.

Let's make something that nourishes the soul

When you have a strong mental disorder, such as feeling anxious, depressed, or crying at the slightest thing, your heart will be full of physical conditions. At times like this, finding a hobby or pastime like exercise, travel, or gardening can help you feel lighter. Set aside at least an hour a week to devote yourself to something you love and try to distract yourself from stress.

In addition, it is said that reviewing daily exercise habits and maintaining a balanced diet and nutritional management will lead to the treatment and prevention of menopausal disorders2).

Taking measures against menopause with herbal medicines and supplements

You can also take measures using herbal medicines and supplements at the time of menopause. Toki shakuyakusan, kamishoyosan, and keishibukuryogan, which are known as the “three major gynecological prescriptions,” are often used for menopausal disorders1). Although it is sold at drugstores, it is safer to consult a medical institution and have a prescription given, as Kampo medicines may not suit you depending on your symptoms and your constitution.

Some supplements use equol, a component converted from soy isoflavone by intestinal bacteria.

You can also prepare for menopausal discomfort while using these herbal medicines and supplements.

▼ You can consult Kampo on LINE
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Moderate exercise is effective in relieving stress. Exercising 3 days a week for 1 hour a day has been reported to improve vitality and quality of life5). In particular, yoga and walking have been reported to increase positive emotions and reduce negative emotions6). Decreased estrogen secretion during menopause makes it easier to gain weight and bones become brittle, but you can avoid these risks by continuing to exercise7).

By reviewing your daily exercise habits and eating habits, you can help prevent menopausal disorders, so let's be conscious2).

Also read the following articles
How to treat menopause depression

summary

Decreased estrogen secretion during menopause causes various physical and mental disorders. Sometimes, anxiety about the symptoms of menopause can lead to anxiety and a vicious cycle that makes mental symptoms worse.

Since menopausal symptoms vary greatly from person to person and the symptoms are diverse, the advice of those who have experienced it often does not apply. Instead of looking at SNS and blogs of the same age and being overwhelmed with joy and sorrow, take time to rest and refresh yourself and stay healthy.

Also, if your symptoms are severe, consider visiting a medical institution instead of putting up with it.

References

1) Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology: “Obstetrics and Gynecology Practice Guidelines – Gynecology Outpatient Edition 2020” https://www.jsog.or.jp/activity/pdf/gl_fujinka_2020.pdf

2) Keiko Miyagami et al.: “Recent Management of Menopausal Disorders” Journal of Showa Gakushikai Vol.77 No.4, 367-373, 2017 https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jshowaunivsoc/77/4 /77_367/_pdf/-char/en

3) Sae Uchida: “Estrogen functions and stress,” International Journal of Anti-Aging Regenerative Medicine, Vol. 2 (11-18), 2019 http://waarm.or.jp/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/ d31b5c12a1f4e69f633ace4fcf5883c7.pdf

4) Masahiko Ayaki et al.: “Effect of blue light in residential lighting on body clock and sleep/wakefulness,” JIST, Research Papers No.42, 85-95, 2015 https://www.jstage.jst.go. jp/article/jusokenronbun/42/0/42_1408/_pdf

5) Jolanta Dąbrowska. Twelve-week exercise training and the quality of life in menopausal women - clinical trial.2016 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27095954/

6) Steriani Elavsky et al. Physical activity and mental health outcomes during menopause: A randomized controlled trial. 2007 https://academic.oup.com/abm/article/33/2/132/4569352?login=true

7) Grindler, Natalia M. et al. Menopause and exercise. 2015 https://journals.lww.com/menopausejournal/Abstract/2015/12000/Menopause_and_exercise.15.aspx