Breezing Through Menopausal Signs Safely With Yoga

There are women who need medical consultation and prescription for hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to deal with the symptoms of menopause. HRT is supposed to help women by decreasing the intensity of perimenopause and its symptoms by raising estrogen and progesterone levels. However, this occurrence has been found to be related to complications like stroke, breast cancer and heart disease among several women, which have resulted in a decrease in the use of HRT for perimenopause.

Menopause is a natural phenomenon that is one of the processes in a woman’s biological make-up, which comes to women from 40 to 60 years old, bringing along with it hormonal and therefore also physical and psychological changes. Not all women exhibit all the indications of menopause. The common ones are hot flashes, backaches, mood swings, vaginal dryness and change in sexual drive.

Several researches have shown that from to 65 percent of perimenopausal women go through these signs. At the onset of menopause, ovarian production of the estrogen and progesterone hormones diminish. This decline in production is immediately recognized by the pituitary gland and it immediately motivates the ovaries to produce more hormones, which destabilizes the body. This destabilization begins about six years before the cessation of the monthly periods and stops within a year after the last period. That is when the body gets to regain its equilibrium when the production of hormones is reduced.

Because of the numerous reports of complications arising from HRT, women have been seeking other means to cope with the pains and other signs of menopause. Studies and actual reports have brought out Yoga as among the best means.

Yoga postures stretch and relax the muscles, which leads to greater oxygenation of cells when blood flow is enhanced. This helps in stabilizing the bodily changes of menopause. Also, since menopause occurs at a woman's midlife, the physical disruptions at this stage, like bone strength and cardiovascular conditions, are well contained by consistent yoga practice.

The optimal benefits derived from yoga are best manifested if and when it is performed in conjunction with the proper diet, healthy way of living and regular exercise or physical activity. The Bridge Pose, or Setu Bandha Sarvangasana and the Shoulder Stand or Sarvangasana both work to put the body at a state of rest. Therapeutic poses, supported by a chair or bolster provide calm to the nervous system and improve the functioning of the endocrine system.

Hot Flashes are the first and usual signs felt by almost 80 percent of menopausal women. These disappear almost as quickly as they appear but are usually triggered by stress, fatigue and over-exertion. This symptom can be dealt with by the Bridge, Shoulder stand, Half Plow, Bow, Locust, Pump and Pelvic Arc postures.

The erratic production and loss of hormones which bring about heart palpitations and disturb your digestive system further result in stress and irritability. To avoid or minimize this symptom, the Standing forward Bend, Wide standing forward bend, the Bow, Sponge, Dollar and Child's Postures are encouraged. Mental distractions are removed so stress is minimized and the body resumes its normal operations.

For stress-induced Insomnia, inversion poses ending with restorative postures ease this condition by stimulating a state of rest.

Fatigue is also a usual symptom, again set off by the fluctuations in hormone production, and can bother you for a short period or even as long as several weeks. You can cope with this condition with easy back bends like the Supta Baddha Konasana and other supported poses which improve your blood flow by opening the chest and heart areas.

Like hot flashes, the more common signs are mood swings, especially depression. These may be due to mid-life stage but hormonal fluctuations are definitely among the causes. The opening of constricted areas and loosening of stiffened muscles and joints by yoga postures are certifiable evidences of yoga's efficient handling of these conditions.

Hormonal imbalance brings on memory loss too, becoming an additional cause for anxiety. Poses like the Downward-facing Dog and those used for mood swings are good for mind clearing and memory enhancement. The Corpse allows the nervous system to calm down, giving a state of serenity.

When doing yoga for menopausal symptoms, always remember to support the body. This will make the postures less difficult, and help avoid unnecessary additional stress and come up with the desired results.

By: Linda Adams

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Linda Adams enjoys all things health related. One of the most excellent yoga websites Linda has found is Kamloops Yoga Studio, which is an exceptional mix of yoga and exercise. For more information, have a look at Speed Up Your Upward Growth with Regular Yoga one of the finest Yoga blogs.