For women, the time of entering their mid-forties is not always comfortable. In the middle years, some will find there is something amiss in their previously active lives. Children may have grown up and left home to pursue their careers. In some cases, women may have gone through divorce or separation and find themselves in new relationships or living alone for the first time. Physically and mentally, they undergo many changes and confront a number of other health-related issues, such as aging, the passage through menopause, possible physiological imbalances from years of poor lifestyle habits, and specific physical symptoms related to frustrations at a deeper level.
The menopause is a normal biological event, which occurs in every woman’s life, when the ovaries stop producing eggs and begin to secrete significantly less of the hormones, oestrogen, and progesterone. Oestrogen prevents the deposition of fat in the arteries and provides protection against coronary heart disease. After the stopping of oestrogen production, there is the possibility of the development of heart disease, the skin becomes dry, the muscles get stiff, and the body calcium also reduces, which causes osteoporosis. There is also a risk of cancer of the ovaries. It is important to have regular well woman checks. It is important that women understand the workings of their bodies, in order to avoid unnecessary fear, anxiety, and stress at this time. The practice of Yoga during the menopause or times of hormonal change can help to:
- Relieve hot flashes, night sweats and other symptoms
- Alleviate anxiety, mood swings, fatigue and depression
- Strengthen bones and reduce bone loss
- Prevent heart disease and increase cardiovascular strength
- Build your immune system
- Support pelvic health and alleviate common problems like irregular bleeding
- Tone your body and improve your overall health and well-being
The Benefits of Yoga during the Menopause
Achieving hormonal balance during the menopause is essential to good health. Among the many benefits that set Yoga apart from other forms of physical exercise is the effect Yoga postures and breathing practices have not only on the muscles and bones of your body, but also on your organs and glands.
Practicing yoga can help prevent or reduce the common symptoms that affect women specifically during the menopausal years by providing a form of treatment directed at the root causes that result in the breakdown of the healthy functioning of the body.
It's important to bear in mind that all menopausal symptoms are related, and using Yoga to ease the unpleasant effect of one symptom generally leads to better health in the rest of the body. Every Yoga pose has a multitude of effects on all the systems of the body.
The experiences of long time yoga practitioners show that certain poses and sequences of poses act as a tonic for the healthy functioning of certain body systems or organs. Equally important for your health during menopause is the overall positive effect of Yoga on the body as a whole.
The regular practice of all the categories of poses-standing, sitting, lying down, backbends, forward bends, twists and inverted (upside down) poses-stimulates and activates all the glands, organs, tissues and cells of the body. Yoga's inverted poses are particularly important during menopause, as they have a powerful effect on the neuroendocrine system, allowing fresh, oxygenated blood to flow to the glands in the head and neck. In each Yoga posture (asana), different organs and glands are placed in various anatomical positions and are supplied with fresh blood, gently massaged, relaxed, toned and stimulated.
Yoga's approach to health during menopause and beyond is based on the premise that the body should be allowed to function as efficiently, effectively and naturally as possible. Practicing the postures recommended for the menopause transition, in a way that is appropriate for your present physical and emotional condition will gradually rejuvenate your body and remove the causes of unpleasant symptoms that you may be experiencing.
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