A deep dive into menopause

Did you know October is Menopause Awareness Month? Wondering why we need such an event? Swimmer and holistic practitioner Louise Pitman tells us why this isn’t just a topic for women and how swimming can help.

Have you noticed more people are talking about menopause? Once a taboo topic, an almost shameful subject, menopause is now enjoying prominence in the media, in the workplace, in friendship groups, even bringing a glint to marketeers’ eyes. October is Menopause Awareness Month with World Menopause Day celebrated on 18th – why do we need such events, you might ask? Well, even though the conversation has started, given that 50% of the population will experience menopause and those who don’t will know someone who does, menopause is not just a discussion point for women.

Menopause is part of the natural ageing process for anyone born with a womb, and in the western world the average age of menopause is 45 – 52. Some people experience an early menopause – before 40 – and a small percentage will experience an even earlier menopause, a condition known as POI (Primary Ovarian Insufficiency). Trans men (those assigned female at birth) will also experience menopause symptoms as will some people who identify as nonbinary.

I am a post menopausal woman and as a Menopause Coach and Yoga teacher, I had an almost forensic interest in what was happening to me as I started to navigate the choppy waters of menopause.

As a yoga teacher, I invite my students to be curious about how their practice feels in their body. So, it was no wonder then that as my physical and emotional being began to change, I wanted to feel into what was happening. I ‘leaned in’ to each new symptom and took time to understand what my body was telling me. And so began a journey to find a range of natural solutions to support myself, and in turn, my yoga students and retreat guests.

There are said to be 40 common menopause symptoms but, having experienced some not on this ‘list’ and speaking to many women who have struggled with other symptoms, it’s widely agreed there are far more. The first symptom of perimenopause (the time leading up to menopause) I became aware of was intolerance/rage, which as a yogi was an unusual emotion to experience. My career had been in the Criminal Justice System, supporting some of the most prolific and dangerous offenders in society, to make positive change. I’m known for my tolerance. But that changed, I found myself being easily irritated (particularly by noisy eaters) and snapping at people.

Then I noticed recurring headaches, and aching feet first thing in the morning and a heat such that I’d never experienced before. Like an inferno had been lit within me and was raging from the inside out. Brain fog made everyday words disappear from my vocabulary. Then out of nowhere, the desperation of trying to get my key in the front door, all the while knowing that I was just about to pee my pants!

Yoga helped, particularly soothing for my nervous system and helped me to stay calm. Breath work helped too, for the headaches and CBT for the urge incontinence. I had a craving to be outside more and was drawn to water. My outdoor swimming adventure began the day I left my career to teach yoga full time. I just knew I needed to immerse myself.

Swimming outdoors has become a great passion of mine. At the time I lived in Salisbury, the city where five rivers meet, so my first foray into cold water was in the River Nadder. I’d travel to find lakes and make regular trips to the sea. I’d been hosting yoga retreats for a while and always chose venues close to the beach, but it was not until I started to navigate menopause that I had an almost magnetic pull to be in the water. The colder the better and I swim all year round. It has relieved my brain fog, soothed aching limbs, reduced hot flushes, brought a real sense of peace and built a wonderful community

There is a research study from UCL which asked the question ‘How do women feel cold water affects their menstrual and perimenopausal symptoms’. 1,114 women completed the survey. Perimenopausal women reported a significant improvement in anxiety (46.9%), mood swings (34.5%), low mood (31.1%) and hot flushes (30.3%). The majority of women with symptoms swam specifically to reduce these symptoms (63.3% for perimenopause symptoms).

I host yoga retreats for women navigating menopause, inviting them to ‘reframe’ their experience. Yes things change, when menopause was still only mentioned in hushed tones, it was referred to as ‘the change’. But I encourage women to see that this change can be a positive, almost spiritual experience.

During perimenopause oestrogen production reduces. Women have oestrogen receptors all over their body, so it is no wonder menopause is a whole-body experience. Oestrogen is the body’s natural lubricant; it’s why women notice dryness in places and joints begin to ache. It’s also known as the people pleasing hormone and this is often why women become less tolerant; we no longer want to put everyone else first. But, for me this is the magic – a new beginning, a time to follow your passion, a new passion perhaps like cold water and wild swimming has become for me.

I love sharing wild water swimming and, if we’re not close enough to a body of water, cold water immersion in a tub. Whether this is at a group retreat, or now at my home on the Ards Peninsula in Northern Ireland, a swimmer’s paradise. I invite women, on their own or with a friend, to navigating menopause, too, to join me on a bespoke retreat, delivering exactly what it is they need, when they need it. It always includes swimming! One thing is for sure, if you are navigating menopause, you need to move your body and ease your mind. Ensure you are including strength and resistance training a few times a week to promote bone health and prevent muscle loss. Walk every day, include cardio and of course do yoga to improve balance, aid mobility and to support the body and mind. But also do the things that bring joy to your life, like swimming, especially with friends, community is everything.

Louise Pitman hosts bespoke retreats at her home for individuals or small groups who need some support during menopause. For more information visit: louisepitmanyoga.com or find her on Instagram @louisepitman_wellbeing