Exercises For Preventing Dizziness

It's amazing how during menopause, the room can just start to spin at random times. Like all of the crazy things happening to our bodies, this is caused by wacky hormone levels and other menopause woes, which can be traced back to those hormones. Personally, I get a bit dizzy after the sporadic hot flash, but more now recently, the dizziness hasn't been so predictable.

Needless to say, dizzy spells have really been putting a damper on my aerobic exercise routine. Simply put, it's not safe to be jogging or swimming when dizziness could strike out of nowhere. Fortunately, there are exercises out there that you can do to improve your balance and help stop dizziness from happening in the future. Make sure you always do these exercises seated in case it becomes overwhelming.

Keep your eye on the card

If you've been going to your annual eye exams, you'll probably notice some common elements here with eye exercises. This activity can help stabilize your vision. You'll need a playing card or a similar object.

1.       Hold the card out about a foot in front of you. Move it from left to right slowly, and follow it with your eyes while keeping your head still. Then, move it up and down as well.

2.       Another exercise with the card switches it up. Hold it out in front of your face. Without moving your hand, slowly tilt your head from side to side, keeping your eyes glued on the card.

Build up motion tolerance

For many people, a sudden movement can trigger dizziness in an instant. Even though they cause dizziness at first, these exercises help the body get used to such motions. You can start with your eyes open, and once you start to build up a tolerance, you can try them with your eyes closed.

1.       Sit on the edge of a bed or chair and lean forward until your chest touches your thighs. In many people, this movement induces dizziness. Rest with your chest on your thighs until the dizziness passes, then sit up again to do a few repeats.

2.       Sit on the edge of a bed and recline back in one swift motion.  If you got dizzy, wait for it to pass, and then sit up to repeat the exercise.

Dizziness can be hard to deal with. Even though most spells are sporadic and short-lived, they can stop you in your tracks when they do happen. Hope these exercises help!

Partner Exercises For Diffusing Irritability

Having a fitness buddy, whether a friend or partner, has a lot of benefits. When the going gets tough, it can help you stay committed to your exercise routine so that you don't let your buddy down, and the more the merrier, keeping exercise fun. Another benefit is the encouragement you can give each other. It's a great pick-me-up when menopause woes have you down. This is all in addition to the benefits that regular exercise brings.

Bonding time is so important amidst busy schedules. Here are a couple activities I want to try with my partner – partly to make up for all those times I snapped in the middle of a mood swing. XD

Pickleball

This backyard sport is great to get moving. It's kind of like a cross between tennis and ping-pong. It uses a lighter weight ball, similar to a wiffle ball. It’s not as competitive or high impact as tennis, so it's great to have a fun and get fit with an exercise buddy. If you don't have enough room to play pickleball in your yard, you can use a tennis court with modified boundaries.

Ballroom Dancing

Dancing is a great workout that's also a little more intimate. It's also a wonderful exercise because the music can uplift your mood. You don't have to know all the steps at first. The important thing is getting active and spending time with a partner. Exercising together, especially in a romantic capacity, can help strengthen your bond and brighten your mood.

These are just a couple fun ideas. Get out there and have fun!

Weight Bearing Exercises to Prevent Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a continuing worry for me. Since falling and becoming immobile in my old age is one of greatest fears, I've been doing everything I can to prevent osteoporosis. For starters, I've been taking Macafem to help my hormones and also eating healthier with my bone health in mind. There are great recommendations on the Macafem menu!

This helpful article covers all the bases when it comes to exercising and even gives some great ideas for exercise regimens aimed at menopausal women. It says that weight training exercises are also very important in the prevention of osteo-disease. By strengthening the muscles that support the bones, you are directly supporting bone density. Weight training sounds like it's just for big buff guys, but it doesn't have to be that way. Here are some exercises I've been trying out:

Resistance Bands

Start out with lighter colored bands, since they have less resistance than the darker colors. There are many different movements you can do depending on which muscle group you want to work. For example, you can do a tricep stretch by stepping on the band firmly with your right foot and holding the other end in your right arm. Pull the band up by extending your arm straight up in the air. Make sure to switch arms.

Squats

Some people do squats with barbells or other weights, but you don't need any equipment to do this exercise. You can just do weight training with your own body weight. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and then bend your knees to squat down until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Then slowly stand back up again.

Lifting Weights

Weightlifting doesn't have to be dozens of pounds of iron. You can even lift weights in your spare time, like when watching TV. Working your muscles to lift things like cans or a bag of beans is also good if you can't make it to the gym.

Preventing osteoporosis is so important, even if it takes several forms of exercise to do it. Weight training can be a little harder to get into, but I hope it's worth it. Best of luck!

Mental Exercises to Conquer Anxiety and Irritability

Lately, I've been feeling a bit down about this whole menopause business. Even though I'm keeping up an exercise routine and eating healthy, the pounds still seem to creep on some days. I don't look as good as did when I was younger, before menopause started and things began to change.

There are a few ways to get out of this rut and keep on truckin'. Just like how physical exercise strengthens the muscles, mental exercises improve emotional control. These positive thought exercises build habits to curb anxious thoughts and improve emotional well-being. There are many different kinds of exercises, as seen here and here, so you just have to find what works for you. Here is what I've been trying this week:

Negative Thought Replacement 

 

First, you have to identify what thoughts are negative and overly-critical. There are key phrases like "I can't do it" and "I'm a bad ___" that can be identified and transformed into something positive. When you catch yourself in the midst of a negative thought, stop yourself and replace it with a positive one. For example, if your thoughts stray to, "I can't give that presentation, today will be awful," change it to "I've done a good job preparing my presentation, and even if it's not perfect, there are other things to make today a good day." This can be difficult at first, but eventually, it will become a healthy habit.

Journaling

Journaling is a good way to get your thoughts out in a physical and visible form. Try to write in your journal every night before bed and reflect on your day. Instead of dwelling on negative thoughts, like going up a pound on the scale, jot down what went well during the day. Nothing is too small or insignificant – it can be something like "My coworker complimented on my slides afterward, even though I froze for a second during the presentation." Making a list can help you see how numerous the positive things really are.

Also, try writing down what you are grateful for during the day. Like above, nothing is too small to note. Even simple things like "I live in a good neighborhood" are important to acknowledge. Writing in a journal has helped me maintain positive thinking, and putting down worries in a notebook I can then close and forget has helped me sleep better at night.

Anxiety, stress, and irritability are things that have to be broken apart bit by bit to overcome them. It's normal to feel anxious now and again, especially since menopause can be a tough time for us. With positive thinking exercises, you can make a change in your outlook. Good luck, you can do it!