4 Mindfulness Practices for Menopausal Women Struggling with Anxiety
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If you’re struggling with anxiety in mid-life chances are someone has recommended taking up a mindful practice. Sounds great. But where do you start? Are there some mindfulness practices that are better suited to anxiety? There’s so much out there.
In this article we’ll look at some practices that are particularly relevant to the management of anxiety. You may be surprised to find out there’s more than one way to be mindful!
The 3/6 Breath
Deeper breathing and being in the present moment are so good for switching on the ‘rest and digest’ part of our nervous system.
Be present. Breathe deeply. How many times have those of us with anxiety been encouraged to do this!
Yes, it’s true. Deeper breathing and being in the present moment are so good for switching on the ‘rest and digest’ part of our nervous system. But when you’re feeling like you are about to walk a tightrope over the Grand Canyon you kinda need a bit more help to get there.
One approach that may work for you is the 3/6 Breath. This method of counting the breath is so simple and you can do it anywhere, whenever you need to settle yourself. Breathe in for 3 counts and breathe out for 6 counts.
The focus is on the outbreath. When we’re distressed we often breathe shallowly or even hold our breath, unknowingly. This causes our stress response to increase - a kind of feedback loop that doesn’t serve us well.
Instead, when we focus our attention on the breath and counting, it takes our mind away from thinking and catastrophizing. It allows the nervous system to recalibrate. I like to do it for a few minutes, counting each cycle on my fingers.
Guided mindfulness sessions
When anxiety feels like a runaway train it can help to have a voice guiding you through a mindfulness session. This can be even more important if you are experiencing insomnia as well as anxiety - that challenging double act experienced by many women in menopause.
If your brain is fried and you can’t think straight, just follow the voice as it guides you through the mindfulness session. Often these sessions have music to accompany the speaker which can be soothing to frayed nerves.
See what you can find online or ask a trusted friend for their suggestions to try.
Some mindfulness apps will cost you but you may be able to access a free trial period. This can be a great way to see if you relate to their style.
We’re all different so it’s important to find the right mindfulness app or podcast for you.
Gratitude
To say ‘count your blessings’ can sound a bit trite, especially when fear is overwhelming you all the time.
To say ‘count your blessings’ can sound a bit trite, especially when fear is overwhelming you all the time.
When we’re in the grip of anxiety we live in this terrifying ‘what if’ state.
What if my husband has an accident at work?
What if I’ve forgotten to lock the front door?
What if I can’t sleep (again) tonight?
It can be hard to see how gratitude fits here. But in Brene Brown’s book Daring Greatly she encourages us to de-amour. To stop preparing for the worst and scanning for danger (just in case). And to do that via gratitude.
To replace the ‘what if’s’ with…
I’m grateful I have a husband who is focused at work.
I’m thankful for my caring neighbours who keep an eye on things.
I’m grateful for whatever sleep I’ll get tonight.
Make it real. Make it specific. And watch it become a habit. A counter to that hyper-vigilence and a return to what is good in your life.
More than meditation
Mindfulness isn’t just meditation. You don’t have to be still to find stillness of mind.
Mindfulness isn’t just meditation. You don’t have to be still to find stillness of mind.
A coaching colleague of mine once shared that he experiences mindfulness when he goes to the gym. He is fully present and immersed in the movements, the breathing, the counting and the pure physicality of working out. He is present, mindful and in the flow.
You may want to re-think your perception of mindfulness. Find your stillness, your way. It may be through exercise, jigsaws, playing an instrument, yoga, walking in nature, or even digging up fossils (one of my flow states)!
Once you find your kind of mindfulness, build more of it into your life. Feel the goodness of it.
Summary
Certain mindfulness practices can be helpful to support women experiencing anxiety in menopause. Counting the breath, listening to guided mindfulness sessions and practising gratitude are some of the tools that can restore equilibrium and calm.
References/Citations
Brown, B. (2015) Daring greatly: How the courage to be vulnerable transforms the way we live, Love, parent, and lead. London: Penguin Life.
What is mindfulness? (no date) Smiling Mind. Available at: https://www.smilingmind.com.au/mindfulness (Accessed: May 2, 2023).
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