Because of her personal risk factors, Sewtz decided to opt out of hormone therapy and instead try changing up some of her lifestyle habits to reduce inflammation and stress. She switched from running to strength training a few times a week, increased fiber and protein in her diet, and started meditating and doing breathwork.
Within a few months, Sewtz says she had more energy, lost belly fat, lowered her cholesterol, and felt noticeably less stressed. She says she also felt a “newfound sense of empowerment,” which she’s channeling into a stand-up comedy side gig. “I use humor to deflect and diffuse the menopause movement, aiming to normalize the discussion and empower other women going through this life stage,” she says.
‘I went on anti-anxiety medication.’
Two years ago, Deborah Keltner had a partial hysterectomy. She had her uterus and fallopian tubes removed but kept her ovaries, which means she no longer menstruates but still ovulates, though irregularly now that she’s in perimenopause. Keltner, a 49-year-old marketing communications consultant based in Seattle, says that although she’s always had intense PMS before her monthly periods, she started experiencing more pronounced mood swings and heightened anxiety around the time she began perimenopause a few years ago. Without her period, though, she lacked context for these emotional symptoms—her hormonal mood changes used to happen on a predictable schedule, which made them easier to manage. But not knowing when they might start or resolve made them all the more distressful, fueling additional anxiety. She also started having stiffness and pain in her hips and hands.
After Keltner brought up her concerns, her doctor prescribed a low-dose anti-anxiety medication, which “has had a massive improvement on my quality of life by quieting the anxiety that came with hormonal fluctuations,” she says. “Perimenopause inspired me to do it, and honestly, I wish I had started years ago. A few months ago, Keltner also began using an estrogen patch, which she says improved her hip pain and has helped her sleep better.
‘I have a very strict sleeping schedule.’
Waking up at 3 a.m. and not being able to fall back asleep were Trina Read’s main perimenopause symptoms, which started when she was 43. Her feet also felt “really hot at night,” which kept her up, she says. The general lack of sleep was affecting her mental health and triggering her depression.
So Read, a 56-year-old sexologist and writer based in Calgary, Canada, developed a strict sleep and bedtime routine. She goes to bed at 9 p.m., reads for 30 minutes before bed to calm her brain, and keeps her room as cold as possible. (She also stops drinking liquids at 6 p.m.) While Read acknowledges these habits aren’t doable for everyone, she says, “It’s the only way I can cope with the stressors of day-to-day life.”
She’s also switched from cardio-based workouts to Pilates and high-intensity interval training to build strength and core stability. Read started taking progesterone early on in perimenopause and recently added estrogen, which she says has improved other symptoms she didn’t realize she was having, including brain fog and tiredness.
When to talk to your doctor about perimenopause
Any time you have bothersome symptoms that you think are related to perimenopause, talk to your doctor, Victoria Fitz, MD, an ob-gyn and clinical instructor of reproductive endocrinology and infertility at Massachusetts General Hospital, tells SELF. You can start with your primary care physician or ob-gyn. Another option is to find a practitioner certified in menopause care via The Menopause Society’s directory.