Hot Flushes; Don't let go of the steering wheel!
In this blog I explore being with the cycle of a hot flush and what it means to me. I hope that this blog reaches women who are interested in receiving practical support for one of the many symptoms commonly experienced by women in both perimenopause and menopause. During the perimenopause when my hot flushes were at their worst, I found I was prone to panic attacks on a regular basis and unable to be in an enclosed space. Additionally, I was prone to an overwhelming amount of thoughts tumbling in, which were difficult to let pass by, especially as they felt so convincing in that moment. Thankfully, the intensity of my experience of hot flushes has now passed, predominately due to daily meditation and mindfulness. I have learnt that if I allow myself to confront the panic of the onset of a hot flush, rather than be carried away by my thoughts surrounding it, I am able to manage the truth of what it was like to come into the perimenopause and today live alongside the menopause. I have found that the practise of mindfulness and meditation gives me space to be with my feelings of the reality of the experience of a hot flush. In turn, I realise that by fighting it, I realise it increases my stress response, which more often than not leads to another hot flush.
“... the hot flushes have forced me to take time to accept the inevitable changes within my body and work with them.”
Rachel Podger
Today, my hot flushes are more manageable and I realise that they have helped me feel a deeper, broader and more spacious connection to myself. In fact, I am aware that they have brought to my attention what it is I need to do to take better care of myself at this precious time of change. I realise that the hot flushes have forced me to take time to accept the inevitable changes within my body and to work with them. This has been and is an ongoing challenge, but one that by facing and acknowledging, I can now celebrate as a time of enrichment and I feel more fulfilled as a woman who is blessed to have reached this time of life. I am in communication with my body rather than in opposition to it and have learnt how to support myself. Equally, and joyfully, I notice that by being able to be with the experience of my hot flushes I feel more connected to nature and enriched by the experience.