Better Mental Health in Midlife: Perimenopause Resources to Help
There are plenty of taboos and unspoken topics surrounding women’s health and perimenopause, and today, we want to shed light on the big impacts that fluctuating hormones can have on your mental health so you can best support your needs.
Women as a population are hit particularly hard when it comes to mental health struggles — they are twice as likely to develop depression than their male counterparts.
Perimenopause has 34 recognized symptoms (although there’s likely more to the list) that all can impact your overall quality of life and put a strain on your mental wellbeing. Symptoms like hot flashes and joint pain are more tangible and we’re not afraid to talk about them as much — but when it comes to mental health symptoms, many of us suffer in silence.
Not anymore. We need to talk about mental health more candidly, and we’re starting today.
Trigger Warning: This post includes discussions of mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and panic disorders.
How perimenopause impacts mental health
Women in general are more likely to have depression than men with around 1 in 8 women (10%) being diagnosed with depression. During perimenopause, this risk increases quite substantially — research has found over 50% of women experience feelings of anxiety and depression during perimenopause.
Where you’re currently at on your menopause journey also impacts your mental health — around 18% of women experience symptoms of depression in the early stages of perimenopause, but as you near menopause (12 consecutive months without a period), this increases up to 38% of women.
When you deprioritize your mental health, you likely won't be taking the best care of yourself. You may even find that it leads to trouble in other areas of your life too, such as difficulty sleeping, trouble concentrating, and even feeling irritable.
Mental health support & resources
Before we start, if you’re struggling with depression and having suicidal thoughts, please get in touch with your healthcare provider immediately, reach out to the nearest suicide prevention center, or follow the resources provided at the Mental Health Foundation or Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
Resources to support your everyday mental health in perimenopause
It’s not just about prioritizing mental health when things get rough, but rather checking in with yourself regularly, noticing what you’re struggling with, and getting the support you need when you need it. We’ve gathered a variety of wellbeing resources for you to use in your everyday life to help support your mental health and stop symptoms from snowballing.
These recommendations are focused on maintaining your mental health – if you are having feelings of depression, or suicide, or are struggling with your mental health, please reach out to a healthcare provider for help.
Tune into a podcast
There are over 2 million podcasts out there to listen to and many are freely available! A recent study found that people who listened to more podcasts per month had a higher presence of meaning in life. Your purpose or meaning in life helps satisfy the basic psychological needs of autonomy, relatedness, and competence -- all of which factor into your overall psychological and emotional wellbeing.
Our recommendation to get you started:
The Body Brief is hosted by our Founder Melinda Nicci diving into the science behind female reproductive health and picking the brains of experts from around the world. Start with Dan Murray-Serter’s episode, which is all about how exercise and nutrition keep our brains healthy and the 4 things our brains need to thrive.
Learn more about your relationship with stress
Stress can often feel like the enemy, but Psychologist Kelly McGonigal encourages a more positive mindset and explores why reaching out to others while under stress can have additional benefits on your overall wellbeing. This heartwarming TedTalk has over 30 million views and can help you better understand your own relationship with stress.
Find out more about mental health in perimenopause:
Start tracking your cycles and symptoms
Sleep issues affect around 50% of women during perimenopause and many women notice this is exasperated by anxiety and heart palpitations. Identifying what’s helping or triggering certain symptoms as you continue through perimenopause is key to supporting your overall wellbeing.
Our recommendation to get you started:
Smart symptom logging and cycle tracking help you monitor trends in your hormonal health, and in turn, your mental health. By logging perimenopausal symptoms alongside your periods on the MBODY app, you’ll begin to see trends of when symptoms worsen, when they subside, and how symptoms are linked to one another. Knowing what to expect will help you better manage your own wellness (and happiness)!
Keeping a record of your symptoms also gives you a powerful history to take to your next doctor’s appointment so you can better advocate for yourself and your health needs.
Try out workshops or events
You can support your mental health by consciously seeking out activities such as workshops or events that open your mind and foster positive thoughts as your life and circumstances change.
Our recommendation to get you started:
SeekHer is a mental health charity that hosts online workshops and events around supporting your mental health as a woman and adding self-care into your day featuring experts both in person and mostly online! The next one (at the time of the posting of this article) will be on March 22 about cultivating a work-life harmony to help you foster a clearer headspace.
You can also see SeekHer’s founder Monica Mo talk about her own struggles with mental health and how we should be changing how we think about our wellness in this TedTalk.
Other mental health resources for women in perimenopause
If you’re struggling with depression or other mental health conditions and having suicidal thoughts, please seek help immediately. You can find a list of mental health support and resources at the Suicide Prevention Lifeline and Mental Health Foundation.
Support in the US:
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has information on where and how to find wellbeing support and services across the US
National Helpline: 1-800-662-4357 (TTY: 1-800-487-4889) or text TalkWithUs (English and Spanish)
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 or 988
Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741-741
Have you tried calling a warmline? Warmlines are a free and confidential way for you to have a conversation with a trained peer who’s been through their own mental health struggles and can help provide support when things are tough. You can always still call warmlines for support in a crisis, but helplines are great resource that provides immediate support to help keep you safe and can assist in locating crisis resources in your area. You can find a list of warmlines in your state here, and in the UK and internationally here.
Support in the UK:
Find a menopause specialist in the UK — British Menopause Society
Mind, a charity based in the UK, has incredible mental health resources, helplines, and information about local and online support or services available
Anxiety UK offers support on anxiety disorders, information, and therapies
The NHS can offer support and guidance for you and your mental health. You can also reach out to your primary care provider who can assist you with finding specialist care
What’s the most important daily activity that helps support your mental health? Let us know in the comments below or send us a message on Instagram at @mbody.official letting us know what gives you that clarity and headspace.
Be sure to check out workouts tailored to fit your current activity level, gratitude practices, and more on the MBODY app — available on the App Store and Google Play Store today!
