During Perimenopause (the transition to menopause), fluctuations in hormones can disrupt sleep leaving you feeling shattered and wobbly. Levels of the hormones oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone fall and at different rates, affecting neurotransmitters in the brain linked to sleep. This can cause the well documented hot flushes and night sweats, but even those women whoContinue reading “Insomnia during Perimenopause”
Tag Archives: clinical psychology
The best is yet to come…
Feeling disheartened, bored or lost? You’re not alone. During midlife and Perimenopause women often experience a sense of dissatisfaction which can affect mood. During this stage of life, lots of changes are occurring in our bodies, yes, but also in our minds as we adapt to these changes and in our lives. Often our childrenContinue reading “The best is yet to come…”
Setting boundaries in Perimenopause
The term boundaries is bounded around quite a bit isn’t it? What do we mean by boundaries and setting them and why do we need to, plus how do we go about this, especially if it’s something we struggle with? During Perimenopause we are facing a lot of physical and emotional change due to fluctuationsContinue reading “Setting boundaries in Perimenopause”
Little things series….achieving your goals
During Perimenopause our bodies and minds can change so much and it forces us to look at our habits, health and mental health. It is an opportunity to identify what’s not working anymore and what other new things could benefit and nourish us. You might have an idea of something you’d like to change orContinue reading “Little things series….achieving your goals”
Perimenopause and mental health: seeing the whole picture
Perimenopause, or the stage in your life before your body officially enters menopause, can be a tumultuous time of change, ups and downs. I’m there, right now. Still working things out and experimenting with what helps me. As I’m reading around it, I’ve noticed that there are very different perspectives and approaches to managing it.Continue reading “Perimenopause and mental health: seeing the whole picture”
Little things….grounding techniques
Grounding techniques are things that you can do when the world around you seems unreal, if you feel disconnected from yourself or are overwhelmed and distressed. Grounding techniques are especially useful for people who experience dissociation (the brain’s way of coping with high stress, where you switch off from reality and your surroundings temporarily). DissociationContinue reading “Little things….grounding techniques”
Managing the self critic during Perimenopause
You may or may not be aware of your inner self critic but we all have one. It may shout loudly and harshly like a bully or it might simply sound like your own inner voice. It might sound like someone else’s voice… from a long while back, a harsh parent or teacher or bully.Continue reading “Managing the self critic during Perimenopause”
The psychology of the Perimenopause
There are two sides to this; the obvious one being that I am a Clinical Psychologist and so tend to look at things through a certain lens and attempt to develop a better understanding. That lens is a scientific, evidence based lens that looks at biopsychosocial factors that contribute to a situation or issue. It’sContinue reading “The psychology of the Perimenopause”
Little things series: STOPP technique
Over the next few posts I’m going to write about little snippets of things that I and others have found useful and can help to improve the moment. I’ll give some rationale and some instructions but this is not supposed to replace psychological therapy. These things are best couched within a clear understanding of yourContinue reading “Little things series: STOPP technique”
Perimenopause and low mood
For me there was a clear difference between my usual monthly tears and the tears that started to come in my 40s. Tearfulness before my period started as a young teen but it wasn’t until I was in my 20s that I realised there was a monthly premenstrual pattern to it. I’d generally feel veryContinue reading “Perimenopause and low mood”
Sea change 