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CBD for Menopause – Can it help ease anxiety & improve sleep quality?
It may be a completely natural occurrence that affects half of the world’s population, but the menopause remains a topic we rarely speak about. In fact, many young women are not aware of what exactly awaits them: the sleepless nights, the hot flushes, the anxiety-ridden emotional and hormonal changes and so many go into this phase of life unprepared.
As we progress as a society, female health advocates and wellness brands are encouraging us to take a closer look at the symptoms and find ways to better manage them, whether it's making changes to our home or taking CBD for menopause.
Let's explore.
What are the facts?
- According to the American Academy of Dermatology, women officially begin this change of life a year after their last period. This tends to happen after the age of 50 and lasts for around four years.
- 60% of ladies will experience menopause symptoms in their lifetime
- 13 million people in the UK are currently going through perimenopause or menopause
Did you know that over 95% of women over the age of 40 have never spoken about [these hormonal changes] with their boss, 86% have never even broached the topic with their GP?
What are the main symptoms of menopause?
From emotional changes like stress and anxiety to physical changes like hair and skin conditions or sleeping problems, the symptoms of menopause stretch far and wide. Let’s take a closer look at the most common menopausal symptoms:
Disrupted sleep
Sleep is one of the main factors impacted by the onset of this life change. Symptoms range across the board from chronic insomnia and battling to fall asleep to night sweats and anxious thoughts that then either disrupt or prevent proper rest. This night-time disruption is caused by the level of oestrogen and progesterone dropping in the body.
According to the NHS, adults need seven to nine hours of sleep a night to function optimally.
In our wellness study of over 2,000 people, as many as 73% of 45 to 54-year-old women said that menopause symptoms affected their ability to sleep through the night.
They reported waking up in the middle of the night and not being able to get back to sleep, night sweats and anxiety-ridden thoughts. Around 45% reported feeling especially anxious at night.
- Nearly one-third of those over the age of 40 get an average of just six hours a night
- One in 10 of over 55s are waking up at least five times a night
- Even 71% of over 65s who are post-menopausal are saying their slumber is affected
As this hormonal change has a massive impact on our slumber, it can also have a huge impact on our mood, physical and mental health and wellbeing.
So, what can we do to improve menopausal sleep issues?
There are many things you can try to improve your quality of sleep when you’re going through this phase of your life. Here are some of the most popular techniques menopausal women in our study tried to get a better rest:
- 33% try to keep the bedroom cool in the evenings
- 22% are sleeping naked to prevent night sweats
- 20% limit their use of digital devices like phones and tablets before bed
- Others turn to relaxation aids such as lavender pillow sprays or CBD oil
Elizabeth Carr-Ellis, co-founder of the Pausitivity #KnowYourMenopause campaign says: “The lack of sleep some women are reporting is a particularly worrying aspect. Nobody functions well without sleep"
"I was like an extra from The Walking Dead when I struggled to get sleep in the early years of my menopause."
"But now menopausal women are caught having to juggle [insomnia] and any other symptoms with working from home, home-schooling, the stress of having children at university and not being able to see elderly parents and relatives, as well as all the general concern around Coronavirus. It’s a mental health catastrophe waiting to happen".
Stress and anxiety
Even the thought of going through menopause is causing the under-40s to feel anxious with 72% of the respondents reporting feeling stressed about the topic.
In our study, we found that over 70% of women over 40 experience increased symptoms of anxiety during menopause. And around half have found that the coronavirus pandemic has made these symptoms worse.
We have many ideas for treating the symptoms of menopausal stress from sleeping pills to camomile tea. But if you’re looking for a natural alternative, perhaps CBD oil or capsules may be the solution.
Let’s normalise menopause & reduce it's impact
Elizabeth Carr-Ellis says “It’s very sad to see so many women are stressed about the thought of menopause - it’s not something we can avoid, after all."
"If women understand menopause better, then they will know the lifestyle and medical routes they can take to ensure their journey is as smooth as possible."
"That’s why we need to talk about [it] more and empower women to take control of their health. I’m so glad to see so many Gen Zers talking! It may take a while, but hopefully we can get rid of the stigma so no-one fears [it].”
Skin and hair changes
These changes in hormones can affect the body in many ways. The questions remain: does menopause cause hair loss or can it cause itchy skin and rashes?
At the end of the day, it may bring about skin changes or changes in hair. That’s why many people are turning to skincare products like this one to find relief for skin and muscles.
Some of the best supplements for menopause will include things like CBD or products with hemp seed oil that are nourishing, hydrating and gentle on the skin can be great ways to deal with dry skin and hair as a result of these changes in the body.
Taking CBD for menopause
CBD oil with its soothing and anti-inflammatory properties is having a resurgence for the older generation who swear by it for managing the symptoms of menopause. Celebrities like Meg Mathews and Andrea McClean from Loose Women have spoken out about how CBD has helped them with their sleep issues brought on by the changes in hormones.
The study shows that 61% of over 40s said that they would try CBD after hearing females in the public eye revealing how it may alleviate their symptoms.
Mary Biles, author of The CBD Book: The Essential Guide to CBD Oil' says that CBD has become a go-to natural support for many people weathering the choppy waters of the perimenopause.
"We know that CBD can help ease anxiety, lessen joint pain, and improve quality of sleep, all of which are common symptoms associated with the cessation of women's periods."
"While no research has been carried specifically on CBD and the menopause, the fact that CBD supports our endocannabinoid system, which itself regulates all our biological functions including our hormones, may explain why increasingly more women are turning to CBD as a way to feel less physically and emotionally out of control during this challenging time in their lives."
