Mindfulness may be associated with fewer menopausal symptoms in women, according to a new study. Researchers found that being mindful may be especially helpful for menopausal women who struggle with irritability, anxiety, and depression.
Mindfulness involves paying attention to the present moment, and observing thoughts and sensations without judgment. Prior research has shown that practicing mindfulness can reduce stress and improve quality of life.
A woman enters menopause when she does not have a menstrual cycle for a year. Common symptoms of menopause can include hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, and mood swings.
The study involved 1,744 women ages 40 to 65 who were cared for between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2016. Participants completed questionnaires assessing their menopausal symptoms, perceived stress level, and mindfulness. Researchers found that women with higher mindfulness scores had fewer menopausal symptoms. The higher a woman's perceived stress level, the greater the association between increased mindfulness and reduced menopausal symptoms.
A surprising outcome of the study is that higher mindfulness scores were not associated with fewer hot flashes and night sweats. One theory is that the amount of anxiety experienced by night sweats and hot flashes may have more to do with individual personality traits than the symptoms themselves. An exciting finding in the study was the association of higher mindfulness scores and lower symptom scores for irritability, depression and anxiety in middle-aged menopausal women.
