Mothers are the foundation of our lives, they are the actual foundations of the homes that we crave to move into at the end of the day.
As a matter of fact, and also as our mothers say, we think they do not need anything, they do not go through anything difficult or painful and do not even need anything. However, contrary to our beliefs, she is as human as we are and is even greater in regard if compared to us.
Unfortunately, I, too, realised this when I saw my mum eating ice cream and watching TV at 3 in the morning. It was then that I knew that she was in her perimenopause phase, and she, too, needed help.
Therefore, here’s an article to help you so you can help your mother during this phase.
Understanding Menopause and its Symptoms
Menopause is the phase in a woman’s life where she gradually, in a span of 10-12 years, loses her reproductiveness. It is an important transition that takes its time and has its own symptoms.
The symptoms of menopause can range from the usual mood swings, dizziness, weakness, and tiredness to unusual hot flashes, anxiety, depression (let us assume these are not common), night sweats, etc.
While to some of us, these symptoms do not bother much, whereas others might get way too bothered, it's never the same for two women, and neither of them experiences it alike. Our body type, living style, eating habits, and physical activity have a lot to do while dealing with these symptoms.
Being physically fit and physically active helps a lot, so if your mother is not someone who goes out more often or does not engage herself in physical activities, you need to get into action. Moreover, there are other ways you can help your mother during this phase, below are some.
7 Tips to Manage Menopause
Below are some tips that can help manage menopause like a pro:
Being Aware
Being aware of what is happening is a basic requirement, and this is the most important thing that you can do for your mum. Learn about menopause, know how it affects women, and most importantly, know how it is affecting your mother.
Being mindful of the changes in one’s body helps them cope with the changes better. Moreover, it would be even better if you sit and talk to your mother about the changes she is going through since mothers do not like to talk about it loud.
Get her an appointment with the Gynac
My mother wouldn’t talk to me, no matter how much I tried, so I got her an appointment with her regular Gynac.
Gynaecologists understand these things better, at least better than you and I. They even tell you everything that you should and shouldn’t do during this phase, which will eventually help your mother deal with the symptoms more easily.
Moreover, your mother can talk about things that she can’t talk to you about, so this could be one of the things your mother desperately needs.
Be her Fitness Companion
Exercising regularly has its own wonders. If you have seen mothers and daughters in the park, meditating and exercising, it’s your turn now.
Do not go for heavy, weight-lifting exercises, go for moderate ones that involve the usual stretching of muscles and body. Meditation and Yoga are the best relaxation techniques that aid in alleviating these symptoms. They keep your mind fresh and stress-free and also help balance mood swings.
Prioritise Self Care
Do things that make your mother happy, for instance, make her favourite breakfast in bed, go shopping, and get her a pedicure session. Let her know that it’s time she takes care of herself more than others. Educate her about the changes in her body and let her know how she can deal with it effectively and happily.
Helping in the kitchen or around the house is quite a good option to consider if you want to make your mum happy and help her. Or may be simply fixing your own bed and room might make her day.
Be her Friend
Believe it or not, we have become far distant from our parents and pretty close to the ones on the internet. Instead of finding people to talk to over social media, talk to your parents, and be friends with them, they need you now more than ever.
Ask her how she is feeling, if she needs anything, or if she wants to go out somewhere. You can even try watching movies together or playing soft music to help her relax.
An important thing that you can do is maintain the temperature of the house. She is very likely to have hot flashes any time during the day or night which might even make her feel dizzy. Yes, Dizziness is one of the less common symptoms, but many women experience this during menopause.
Wearing layered and loose clothes with breathable fabric might help during hot flashes. Moreover, the consumption of Ginger, Indian Gooseberry, Gingko Biloba, Almonds, and lemon are some of the natural ways to manage dizziness during Menopause, you can read more about it in the article therein.
Maintain a healthy diet
A very important consideration indeed. A healthy and Balanced diet is one of the most important things to keep in mind.
During this phase, there is a decrease in the production of estrogen and progesterone levels, which affects the body in numerous ways. Women are more likely to have weaker bones in the post-menopausal phase if they do not take care of their diet. Include foods rich in nutrients, carbohydrates, Fibre, Fats, Calcium, etc., to keep up with the changes and body requirements during this phase.
P.S. Make sure you do not fill the plate with all the nutrients at once and overfeed her. Include small portions and have variety of foods she can eat from time to time.
Lifestyle Changes
This might not be one of the symptoms of menopause, but since women are experiencing a huge transition within themselves, they might want to change something in their appearance as well.
Instead of being judgemental, let her try new outfits that she feels good in, get her a different haircut if she wants, and let her explore herself so she can be happy the way she wants.
Conclusion: Managing menopause
All this while, your mother has done everything to make you happy, it’s your turn now, and it takes little to no effort to make our mothers happy. A small gift, breakfast in bed, or inviting her friends over for a tea party might not only make her day but an entire month (unless the mood swings creep in).
And it’s that easy, I hope this article helps you in taking care of your mum while she is managing menopause.
