The Graceful Change

Menopause can be a trying time for women, but with a healthy yoga practice, stress about hormone replacement therapy doesn't have to be part of the picture.

By Trisha Gura

Depression and mood swings. Menopause signals the end of the childbearing years; for many women, it is a time to mourn the end of their youth. Long periods of fatigue, coupled with a melancholy attitude or a sense that the life they once knew is now over, can trigger bouts of depression. Too much progesterone (or a drastic drop in estrogen) can also contribute to everything from a bad case of the blues to severe clinical depression.

But yoga practitioners have long known that everything you do with your body can affect your thoughts and attitude. Sometimes something as subtle as a shift in posture can lighten a dark mood. If a woman stands tall, with dignity--opening and broadening her chest--and walks with confidence, she announces to the world (and, most important, to herself) that she is grounded, happy, and in tune with her surroundings.

Walden has found that specific poses create a mental state that positively affects the mind. "Backbends, especially if supported, allow a sense of lightness into the body," she says. "They stimulate the adrenals and massage them into action. Also, the heart and lungs open and take in more oxygen.” Chest-expanding poses energize the body by improving respiration and circulation, and thus counter feelings of depression. And many yogis have discovered that inversions, such as Sarvangasana, can help improve a depressed mood. "By turning everything upside down, inversions influence your emotional being in a positive way," Walden says.

Memory. At times during menopause, some women suddenly lose their train of thought or find themselves unable to organize their thoughts. This "fuzzy" thinking often happens at moments of great hormonal fluctuation. Girls going through puberty, pregnant women, and those who have just given birth often suffer similar levels of fogginess. Many women find that yoga helps clear the cobwebs, especially if their condition is exacerbated by lack of sleep or increased agitation. The same postures that counter depression, such as backbends, chest openers, and inversions, can help collect fragmented thoughts, says Walden.

In addition, Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog Pose) sends blood to the brain and encourages deep, focused breathing, which can improve mental alertness. And Savasana (Corpse Pose) soothes the nerves, calms the mind, and puts the body into a state of repose.

These asanas are just a sampling of the tools a woman can equip herself with as she journeys through menopause--and beyond. If you've never practiced before, yoga can be a tremendous aid when your body feels out of control. If your yoga has been a companion for years, you might find that this is a good time to modify your practice to give your body what it needs. Yoga's rewards, after all, are lifelong. As Alison puts it, "I have received so many incredible benefits from yoga, especially during this period in my life. It has physically improved my body and mentally helped me with the ups and downs."

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