Menopause and Anxiety: What's The Connection?

If you are experiencing increased feelings of anxiety in menopause, you’re not alone. A 2022 study of perimenopausal women aged between 45-54 in Brazil, found that 58% experienced increased anxiety, with 62% reporting symptoms of depression. Coming out of the blue for many, anxiety in menopause can bring a debilitating loss of perspective and self-confidence, affecting relationships and often performance at work.

Whilst it’s natural for eveyone to feel anxious at times, fluctuating hormone levels can drive these feelings of anxiety, sending them into overload. When oestrogen levels are up, you’re up, and when they’re down…well you get the picture. Less progesterone also means less feel-good hormones, and more ‘not feeling like yourself’. Plus, your adrenal glands are now more sensitive to stress hormones produced during menopause, adding to your risk of panic attacks and anxiety.

Perimenopause anxiety will more than likely present itself when you are at work. Anxiety is a menopause workplace concern that needs to be carefully managed, if you are unaware that it is hormonally driven then you are unlikely to seek support when you most need it.

Physical symptoms of menopausal anxiety

Physical symptoms of menopause anxiety may include an increased heart rate, difficulty breathing, sweating, and stomach problems. It can be hard to unpick the cause of menopause anxiety.  Is it a standalone symptom, or the brain’s response to the combination of other changes taking place? Other menopause symptoms such as interrupted sleep, hot flushes, and brain fog may be the root of your anxiety, or it may be the external life factors at play bringing new feelings of anxiety or aggravating pre-existing anxiety but whatever the underlying cause you want to know how to manage your anxiety in menopause

What can trigger menopause anxiety?

Just some of the prime suspects that can trigger menopause anxiety:

Self Neglect

From staying up late, self-medicating with alcohol, eating badly or missing meals, not taking care of your needs and struggling with stress, can trigger anxiety

Processed foods
Step away from the biscuit tin. That chocolate cookie may give you a blood sugar boost but for every up, there’s a down! Processed foods cause blood sugar surges and drops, which will increase those feelings of anxiety.

Anxiety and alcohol don’t mix
Alcohol is a depressant, and although we sometimes use it to help us relax, in reality, it may exacerbate anxiety.

Caffeine
Caffeine a number one trigger, is a stimulant that can make you feel jittery and anxious. It’s not just coffee - Bblack and green tea, cola and energy drinks all contain caffeine. Drink naturally caffeine-free herbal teas instead, such as peppermint, camomile and ginger.

Sleep

Lack of precious restorative sleep, is linked to many a mental and physical health issue, including anxiety. Routines, good sleep hygiene - cutting back on tech before bed, stopping doom-scrolling - and not having the phone in the bedroom can help get you get back on track with sleep.

Medical treatment for anxiety

If this sense of worry, dread, and panic is impacting your life, you should talk to your doctor. A 2022 survey by the Fawcett Society carried out for the Channel 4 Davina McCall programme, found that 69% of respondents said they experienced difficulties with anxiety or depression due to menopause, yet only half of respondents had consulted a doctor about menopause, so they weren’t getting appropriate support. This can be a tough time - but there are medical treatments that may help with menopause-related anxiety, including prescription medications and talking therapies - psychotherapy - and evidence-based Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) shown to be effective treatments for menopause.

And then there’s always HRT…
HRT may treat the cause of your menopausal, hormonal imbalance. It will only work if your anxiety is linked to menopause. You need to talk to your doctor about your options. As always the Positive Pause caveat, there are pros and cons to taking HRT. We don’t take a view. It’s for you to decide whether it’s for you or not.

How you can deal with anxiety in menopause?

Wherever, and however, menopause anxiety is impacting on your life, the airplane analogy, ’Should an emergency situation occur, you need to put your own oxygen mask on first, before attempting to help those around you’, is on message. Whilst it may seem selfish and counter-intuitive, we need to prioritise self-care, it' becomes increasingly necessary.

We need to find steps that work for us in a life often made more difficult by family, financial, relationship and workplace pressures. Take a look at our blogs below to see what can help to relieve menopause anxiety - will you follow the natural approach, make lifestyle tweaks, or look to complementary and alternative medicine?