Yoga might just get you “through the week”
This week a new yoga student said to me at the end of the class, “this will get me through the week.” From what I can gather she is a young mum with a lot on her plate so it was wonderful to know that the class I offered might help her manage her stress.
I remember when I went to my first yoga class back in 1998. My dad had just died, and while I was in Albany for his funeral my friends had moved all my stuff from one apartment to another in Sydney. I had planned to move, but hadn’t planned for dad dying, so not only did I have to manage my grief, I also had to get used to living in a new home with new housemates in a new area.
Luckily, right across the road from my new apartment was a yoga studio. Back in 1998 yoga studios were quite mysterious and unknown. It was before the boom of yoga capitalism in Australia. My flatmate and I would go to a class on a Tuesday night (we both liked savasana best), then we’d dash across the road again and up the street to the local bottle shop, buy some wine, and get home in time for Dawson’s Creek to start on the telly. Looking back on that time, I no longer remember the grief, but I do remember the weekly yoga ritual. You might say it helped to get me through the grief.
Even now, while I’m dealing with anxiety and brain fog from menopause, yoga gets me through the week. The three hours a week that I teach are the three hours that I feel the most confident, clear headed and relaxed. I feel so lucky to have found this gift.
Anxiety and depression are very common for women in the menopause years. In fact, about 25% of women will suffer from these mental health issues. There are several reasons for this. Estrogen is linked to the feel good hormones that regulate the mood so when estrogen drops, so can mood. Also, hot flushes can impact mood and confidence as well as sleep. And then the lack of sleep can impact mood too. Its a viscous cycle!
If you are in this place too, talk to your GP about how they may be able to help. Changes in lifestyle like diet and exercise can help and so can mind-body practices like yoga. You don’t have to put up with these symptoms!
And if you want some help right now… download my free self-compassion meditation and give yourself a few minutes of calm.
Yoga Pose of the Week
Triangle Pose - Stand with your legs wider than shoulder width. Point one set of toes to the wide edge of the mat and the others to the short edge of the mat with the body facing the wide edge. Take your arms to shoulder height and lean the top half of the body to the short edge of your mat. Take the closest hand to the shin and the other hand reached to the sky. Great for balance, stability & strength!
Yoga Philosophy of the Week
I’m not sure if I’ve told you this, but I’ve been documenting a year of yoga on Threads (a social media platform like Twitter). There are many ways to practice yoga and it’s not always in the physical sense. If you are interested, follow along there so you can learn more!
Mindful Moment of the Week
While I’ve been dealing with my cognitive issues and anxiety, I have also been working on my self-compassion. I try to be kind to myself in the moment when I forget something or feel unexpectedly stressed. I also tell my friends & colleagues what’s happening because I often find they have experienced something similar and then we can find compassion for each other too.
Body Love Menopause Tip
It’s extremely important to manage stress as part of a plan to support your physical & mental health during menopause. I have recently started a Saturday morning ritual of reading rather than rushing. I can feel the stress leaving my body while I take some time to fully relax. Can you start a weekly ritual to help you fully relax?
