Many women have no idea what to anticipate when menopause begins, and their spouses and significant others are often in the dark as well.
Hormone levels in a woman’s body might change as she approaches menopause, the stage of life when monthly cycles stop for good, resulting in mood swings, exhaustion, and irritating menopause symptoms like hot flashes. With so many changes, it can be tough to know what to do — and what not to do — to keep you and your spouse happy and on the same page.
So, how can you help your wife through menopause? Here, we explain the top ways to support your partner through this challenging time.
How to support your partner
Make an effort to educate yourself
Whether you’re dealing with menopause as a loved one or as a partner or spouse, education is essential. It’s critical to learn everything you can about menopause and the common changes and symptoms.
Understanding these factors as a spouse might help you avoid questions like “Why do you have no energy?” or “Why do you get hot all of the time?” Saying statements like these might make your loved one feel self-conscious or guilty.
Identify signs of anxiety and mood changes
Mood swings are rapid and persistent shifts in mood that impair one’s everyday life, including job and relationships – they aren’t just a bad day every now and then.
Recognising mood swings and responding appropriately might help you and your partner deal with them together, rather than alone.
Common signs indicating that your wife may be suffering with anxiety and mood changes can be found below:
- Panic Attacks that occur at any time
- Breathing problems
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Sudden chills
- Heart palpitations
- Sweating on a regular basis
- Nausea
- Sadness
- Irritability
Find ways to help her sleep better
Sleeping issues such as insomnia and sleep apnea can all be caused by menopause. Other symptoms of hormonal imbalances can also contribute to sleepless nights such as depression, anxiety and night sweats. The key is to talk about how to cope with them as a couple.
One of the things that you can do to help your wife have a good night’s rest is by implementing a consistent sleep-wake routine. Going to bed at the same time every night and waking up at the same time every morning can help with those restless nights.
In addition, if your partner is suffering with night sweats, buying her some light clothing or putting a fan in the room can help cool her down and lessen symptoms.
For a more long-term solution, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) is a great way to replace the hormones that your wife is deficient in and alleviate those symptoms for good.
Lastly, if you have a sleep problem, such as snoring, you can aid by sleeping in the guest room on occasion if your spouse has insomnia. A good night’s sleep may make a huge difference in one’s mood.
Lead a healthy lifestyle together
It is truly essential to support the health of a loved one – this not only provides support and motivation, but it may also impact their moods and how they feel about themselves.
Don’t just watch from the sidelines; participating in any workout programme makes it easier to get started. Offer to go for evening walks or bike rides on weekends – these can turn into a healthy routine that you and your partner will enjoy.
It is also worth noting that exercises stimulate the production of the body’s endorphins also known as one of your ‘happy hormones’ Boosting these hormones will help elevate your partner’s mood temporarily.
The same is true when it comes to losing weight. Instead of isolating your partner on a different diet, share the experience with them. If you don’t need to lose weight, you may increase your calorie consumption while still sharing the same breakfast, lunch, or dinner with your significant other.
A key thing to remember is, women’s oestrogen levels drop throughout menopause, which causes a lot of the debilitating symptoms. Consuming foods high in oestrogen such as tofu, flax seeds, soybeans, garlic and dried fruit (to name a few) can all support the production of that specific hormone.
Treatment
While a lot of the advice above can help you and your partner navigate through this tricky time, a lot of the suggestions are short-term solutions.
If you’re looking for a long-term solution to help alleviate symptoms, there are treatment options available.
Research has shown that bioidentical hormone replacement can help both men and women improve menopause symptoms and reverse the consequences of ageing and disease.
Unlike standard HRT, BHRT treatment works by simulating the synthesis of your natural hormones to restore your individual shortages. If you’re interested in learning more about bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, click here.
