Mindfulness and Menopause.
Mindfulness through education.
Mindfulness involves paying attention to what is going on inside and outside ourselves, moment by moment.
It is really easy to lose touch with the way our bodies are feeling and to end up living "in our heads" – caught up in our thoughts without stopping to notice how those thoughts are driving our emotions and behaviour. This is especially true around the menopause years when you sometimes feel that you have been taken over by aliens!!
Mindfulness is allowing us that time, no matter how small, to reconnect with our bodies and our minds and to make us aware of our thoughts and feelings as they happen moment to moment.
How mindfulness helps mental wellbeing.
Becoming more aware of the present moment can help us enjoy the world around us more and understand ourselves better.
When we become more aware of the present moment, we begin to experience afresh things that we have been taking for granted.
Mindfulness also allows us to become more aware of the stream of thoughts and feelings
This lets us stand back from our thoughts and start to see their patterns. Gradually, we can train ourselves to notice when our thoughts are taking over and realise that thoughts are simply "mental events" that do not have to control us.
Mindfulness can help us deal with issues more productively. We can ask: "Is trying to solve this by brooding about it helpful, or am I just getting caught up in my thoughts?"
Awareness of this kind may also help us notice signs of stress or anxiety earlier and deal with them better.
How to be more mindful.
“Reminding yourself to take notice of your thoughts, feelings, body sensations and the world around you is the first step to mindfulness.”
Notice the everyday.
As we go about our daily lives, we can notice the sensations of things, the food we eat, the air moving past the body as we walk.
Keep it regular.
It can be helpful to pick a regular time, such as a morning journey to work or a walk at lunchtime, during which you decide to be aware of the sensations created by the world around you.
Watch your thoughts.
Some people find it very difficult to practice mindfulness. As soon as they stop what they're doing, lots of thoughts and worries crowd in.
It might be useful to remember that mindfulness isn't about making these thoughts go away, but rather about seeing them as mental events that come and go. This can be very hard at first, but with gentle persistence it is possible.
Some people find that it is easier to cope with an over-busy mind if they are doing gentle yoga or walking.
Name thoughts and feelings.
To develop an awareness of thoughts and feelings, some people find it helpful to silently name them: "Here's the thought that I might fail that exam" or: "This is anxiety".
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