Menopause and The Brain – 5 Natural Remedies for Menopause Symptoms
Menopause can be a very different experience for each woman.
Some experience intense symptoms that cause them discomfort in their daily lives, while others only feel the relief of not having to deal with their menstruation anymore. Either way, all experiences are valid and important.
Beaverton Neurofeedback is an advocate for the health of menopausal and postmenopausal women, and neurofeedback training can be a great remedy for menopausal symptoms and their impact on brain function. Read on to find out more about the best natural remedies for menopause!
Let’s Define Menopause
We’ve all heard of it, but it’s still good to define it clearly in more medical terms. After all, issues related to feminine health are some of the most misinterpreted and misunderstood.
Menopause is a normal stage of aging for women and is neither a sickness nor a problem.
Menopausal symptoms may not bother some women, and they may even feel relieved when they are no longer concerned about having period pain or getting pregnant. Other women may have hot flashes, weight gain, insomnia, bone health issues, sex pain, mood swings and irritability, anxiety, or a mix of these symptoms during the menopausal transition.
Most frequently, the menopausal transition starts between ages 45 and 55. It typically lasts seven years, although it can last up to fourteen years. The length of time can vary depending on lifestyle factors including smoking, the age at which it starts, and race and ethnic background. The body's production of the ovaries' two hormones, progesterone, and estrogen, varies significantly throughout early menopause.
Each woman is affected by the menopausal transition differently and in different ways:
- You may gain weight more quickly due to changes in fat cells and how the body uses energy.
- Your body's structure, composition, physical function, or bone or heart health could alter.
The Connection Between Menopause and The Brain
As evidenced by many of the classic signs of menopause, namely forgetfulness, sleep difficulties, mood swings, and hot flashes, menopause is also a neurological alteration. As a result, women's ovarian and brain health are intricately linked.
Therefore, if you are experiencing menopause and feel like it has taken a toll on your mind, don’t panic – it’s completely normal, given the changes your body is experiencing.
Women report changes in their capacity to reason clearly, make judgments, and maintain good mental function during the early phases of menopause. Some people call this "brain fog." They can have trouble absorbing and applying new information.
The cause is connected to the female brain's response to fluctuating hormone levels. Progesterone is typically the first hormone level to fall, and this can contribute to irritation, mood swings, and brain fog. Sleep disturbances may also result from progesterone decline. Sleep disruption by itself is enough to impair the brain's capacity for efficient operation.
5 Natural Approaches for Your Menopause Symptoms
Whether you want to reduce hot flashes, night sweats, or any other menopause symptoms, there are plenty of natural remedies out there to help. We’ve compiled a list of our favorite natural remedies for menopause according to complementary and alternative medicine, particularly for brain function-related symptoms.
Eat Healthy Fats
A healthy diet should always be maintained for cognitive function. Due to the presence of omega-3 fatty acids and unsaturated fats in the Mediterranean diet, these nutrients have been widely praised for their ability to protect the brain.
According to empirical evidence, consuming a mostly Mediterranean diet is associated with a decreased risk of cognitive impairment and a slower rate of cognitive aging. This can help in preventing and also ameliorating the symptoms of menopause-associated brain fog.
Work Out
Menopause symptoms, especially those related to cognition, can be effectively managed by engaging in regular exercise. High-intensity exercise may enhance information processing speed, whereas moderate exercise may promote cognitive flexibility and working memory.
Going to the gym may not be for everyone – some don’t have the time, and others don’t have the motivation. Try to find something that you enjoy, such as running, playing different sports, dancing, or even long walks, in order to keep your body moving regularly without feeling like it is a chore or a burden.
Rest Appropriately
For optimal cognitive performance, getting adequate sleep is also crucial – it’s one of the most important natural remedies for menopause symptoms.
Yet another reason to prioritize your sleep hygiene is the fact that many menopausal women often have insomnia as a result of fluctuating hormone levels.
Give yourself enough time to relax before bed because stress and anxiety can make sleeping problems worse. You can think about doing yoga, deep breathing exercises, meditation, or taking a hot bath.
Make sure that the temperature in your bedroom is lower, dress comfortably, and stay away from heavy blankets to keep night sweats from interfering with your sleep. This can also help in reducing hot flashes.
Finally, try to avoid consuming heavy meals, coffee, nicotine, or alcohol right before bed because these can interfere with your ability to fall asleep and the nature of your sleep.
Try Neurofeedback Training
Neurofeedback improves brain function by instructing the brain to operate peacefully, enabling the brain to resume regular functioning.
Menopause-related mood problems, such as feelings of worry and depression, are intended to be eliminated with neurofeedback sessions. The brain only needs a little additional assistance learning how to adjust due to all the hormonal changes taking place in the body, which neurofeedback can give.
Through neurofeedback, women can monitor and train their brains to produce favorable brain waves, thus learning how to better their neural function. This is 100% non-invasive and natural, relying on just the brain to self-regulate with the help of some curated triggers.
See a Naturopathic Doctor (ND)
While an average time you expect to spend with a traditional medical doctor is 13-16 minutes (hardly enough time to dig deep into your individual health concerns and all the underlying reasons), Naturopathic Physicians (or NDs) are much more generous with their time, often spending a full hour or longer listening, asking questions, trouble-shooting your health puzzles. This can make a huge difference on whether you walk away from the doctor’s office feeling fully understood or simply carrying out another prescription that only covers up the symptoms.
I have the previledge of working in a collaborative wellness center that has a couple of great NDs.
Care For Your Body With Neurofeedback
This change in a woman’s body is a natural step in the aging process, and there are plenty of natural remedies for menopause symptoms.
At Beaverton Neurofeedback we aim to make the transition to menopause as seamless as possible. Brain fog, insomnia, mental health issues, and other symptoms of menopause can be ameliorated with the help of neurofeedback training.
If you want to start your journey toward a more harmonious relationship with your body and mind during this time in your life, contact us, and let’s start planning your neurofeedback sessions!
