Are the signs of menopause starting to complicate your daily life? Maybe your moods are shifting, leaving you irritated with those you love far too often. Maybe the hot flashes have you opening the windows while everyone else is cold. These symptoms and many others are uncomfortable, but there are things you can do to manage them with the help of your Bloomington, IL, OB-GYN. Let’s start right now with some tips from Dr. Dele Ogunleye, Dr. Lisa Emm, and Dr. Angela Baja at Advanced Women’s Healthcare.

Managing Hot Flashes

Hot flashes are an issue for many women in perimenopause as well as menopause, so they can impact your daily life for years. The first line of defense for severe hot flashes is often non-hormonal medications prescribed by a doctor. You can talk to your Bloomington, IL, OB-GYN to discuss the best prescriptions for you.

Lifestyle change can also help, especially if you don’t want to take prescription medication. Start by improving your diet and increasing your daily activity level to help maintain healthy body weight. Simply eliminating some of those unneeded pounds can reduce the frequency and intensity of hot flashes for many women.

From there, you may want to carry a compact fan during the day. Dressing in layers allows you to strip off clothing to accommodate those occasional body temperature fluctuations.

Managing Mood Swings

Managing mood swings often comes down to managing your overall mood. Focus on turning negative thoughts into positive affirmations in your mind. Practicing yoga or downloading a guided meditation app like Calm can help you get through some of those mood swings without lashing out at your loved ones.

Sleeping Comfortably in Menopause

Night sweats can make it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep. Many women also experience insomnia and other sleep issues. Layering is one of the best ways to handle these issues. If you dress your body and your bed in layers, you can quickly add or subtract layers of clothing and bedding as your body temperature changes.

You may also want to learn mindfulness meditation techniques to get back to sleep faster. For example, you can focus on relaxing your body one small part at a time. First mentally relax each of your toes. Then move up to your head. You may not make it to your hair before falling back to sleep.

Relieve Your Menopause Symptoms  

For additional help relieving menopause symptoms before they further interrupt your daily life, schedule an appointment with a compassionate OB-GYN in the Bloomington, IL, area. Call (309) 808-3068 for a prompt appointment with Dr. Baja, Dr. Ogunleye, or Dr. Emm at Advanced Women’s Healthcare.