The Vital Role of Relationships and Community in Supporting Perimenopausal Women's Health
Perimenopause is a natural phase in a woman's life, marking the transition from reproductive years to menopause. This hormonal shift can lead to various physical and emotional changes, affecting multiple systems within the body. Among the various factors that can influence a woman's experience during this time, the quality of relationships and a strong sense of community play pivotal roles. Drawing on the wisdom from Blue Zone studies, which emphasise the significance of community for overall health and longevity, this blog explores how fostering solid relationships with a sense of belonging and meaning can improve the well-being of perimenopausal women, particularly in terms of mental and cognitive health, cardiovascular health, and overall longevity.
Understanding Perimenopause
Perimenopause typically begins in a woman's 40s and can last for several years before she enters menopause. This transition is characterised by fluctuating hormone levels, particularly estrogen, which can result in many physical and emotional symptoms. While physical symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, and irregular periods are widely discussed, perimenopause's emotional and cognitive aspects are often overlooked and less explained. Understanding how community matters will hopefully motivate women to invest more into (re)building their community capital.
The Mental and Cognitive Challenges of Perimenopause
Mood Swings and Depression: Hormonal fluctuations during perimenopause can lead to mood swings and increased vulnerability to depression and anxiety. The sudden shifts in hormone levels can affect other hormones and neurotransmitters essential for mood regulation, such as serotonin, cortisol, melatonin, and testosterone.
Memory and Cognitive Function: Many women report memory and cognitive function changes during perimenopause. This may include difficulties with concentration, word retrieval, and multitasking.
The importance of a safe and respectful community in alleviating and normalising mental and cognitive challenges is less emphasised and explained in the public eye.
The Blue Zone Connection: Importance of Community
Blue Zones are regions worldwide known for remarkable longevity and health. Research on Blue Zones has revealed that one common factor in these communities is the strong sense of community and social support they provide. This holds valuable lessons for perimenopausal women navigating the challenges of this hormonal transition. Some of the latest research on the importance of mitochondria (tiny organelles inherited solely from the mother lineage in human cells) unveiled the significance of the community factor in understanding health and longevity.
The Role of Relationships and Community
Emotional Support: Going through perimenopause can be emotionally taxing. A supportive network of friends, family and understanding colleagues can provide a safe space to discuss feelings, seek emotional support, and feel understood and accepted.
Reducing Stress: Stress exacerbates the symptoms of perimenopause. Many perimenopausal women go through this stage of life with a truckload of accumulated stressors. Communities often offer stress-relief mechanisms such as social gatherings, story sharing, shared responsibilities, and relaxation and playful practices that can be particularly beneficial during this time.
Building emotional awareness: Sharing communal activities helps build emotional awareness and intelligence, building stronger resilience for own and other people’s struggles and challenges.
From BlueZones research, other beneficial aspects, like physical activity and nutrition, are not the topic of this blog.
Sense of Belonging within a Community
A sense of belonging within a community is a fundamental human need, and it plays a crucial role in supporting health and well-being in perimenopausal women and individuals in any life stage. Here's why it's so essential:
Emotional Support: Feeling like you belong to a community provides emotional support that we all need, especially during challenging times like perimenopause. Knowing that you are not alone in your experiences and that others understand and empathise with you can be incredibly comforting.
Reducing Isolation: Perimenopause can sometimes lead to feelings of isolation, especially if you're navigating this phase without much discussion or understanding from those around you. Being part of a community can help counteract this isolation by creating a sense of togetherness.
Returning to your origins from newly acquired wisdom in life: Revaluing old, often neglected family connections can be healing when it happens from the new wiser, and calmer point in our lives. There are usually several unattended and unprocessed wounds from our childhood and younger selves that, if seen and examined by wiser older versions of Self, can be highly therapeutic and beneficial for our nervous system.
Shared Wisdom: Communities often bring together individuals with diverse experiences and backgrounds. This diversity can lead to a rich exchange of ideas and wisdom. In the context of perimenopause, women can share their coping strategies, advice, and solutions for everyday challenges.
Boosting Confidence: Feeling like you belong can boost your self-esteem and confidence. When you're part of a supportive community, you are more likely to feel valued and appreciated, which can positively impact your self-perception and mental health.
Purpose and Engagement: Being involved in a community gives you a sense of purpose and engagement. Whether participating in group activities, volunteering, or just story sharing, these connections can provide a fulfilling and meaningful outlet during perimenopause.
Building Healthy Boundaries and Respect in Relationships
Building healthy boundaries and fostering respect in relationships is crucial to maintaining one's well-being and ensuring that relationships remain supportive and positive during perimenopause. Here's why these factors matter:
Self-Respect: Healthy boundaries start with self-respect. Understanding your needs, values, and limits is essential for maintaining emotional and mental well-being during perimenopause. This self-awareness allows you to communicate your boundaries effectively to others.
Respect for Others: Just as you expect respect for your boundaries, it's vital to respect the boundaries of others. Perimenopause affects different women in different ways. Respecting others' experiences and choices is essential for nurturing positive relationships.
Conflict Resolution: Healthy boundaries and respect are the cornerstones of effective conflict resolution. Disagreements may arise, but conflicts can be resolved constructively with mutual respect.
Embracing Differences: Appreciating human differences is critical to fostering respectful relationships. Everyone is unique, and perimenopause experiences can vary widely. Recognising and celebrating these differences, rather than judging or criticising, is essential for building strong, supportive relationships.
"Other People Matter": The idea that "other people matter" is fundamental in building healthy relationships. It reminds us to consider the feelings and needs of others in our interactions. Applying this principle can lead to more compassionate and understanding relationships during challenging perimenopause.
During the perimenopausal transition, marked by emotional challenges due to hormonal changes and values review, a sense of belonging within a community plays a pivotal role. The community provides essential emotional support, validates feelings, and facilitates values discussions without judgment. Simultaneously, building healthy boundaries with self-respect and fostering respect within relationships ensures these connections remain positive and enriching, even amidst the emotional tribulations and values re-evaluations that characterise this transformative phase of life. By embracing these principles, perimenopausal women can navigate this journey with resilience, self-compassion, and more robust, fulfilling relationships.
Reconnecting with Neglected Family/Culture of Origin Relationships
We could not complete this discussion on the importance of community for our menopausal health without clearly distinguishing between two important but different types of communities that women can benefit from during this natural life transition.
During the early adult years, it's common for individuals to become engrossed in building their own families and careers. This can sometimes result in neglected family relationships, such as those with siblings, parents, or extended family members. Sometimes it covers up for old unmet emotional needs, “childhood wounds”. Sometimes it's just the unintentional busyness of early adult life not maintaining time and space to maintain less pressing, “old” relations. Some women move and relocate to different cultural groups during their early adulthood. However, with its unique challenges and the potential for value re-evaluations, perimenopause can catalyze re-examining and revitalising these critical connections.
Broadening Perspectives: Neglected family relationships often involve individuals at different life stages. Reconnecting with these relatives can expand your perspective on human nature and the various phases of life. Engaging with family members who may have already experienced perimenopause or are in different life stages or gender roles can provide valuable insights into the broader human experience.
Mutual Support: Just as you seek support during perimenopause, your family members may face their own challenges. Rekindling neglected relationships can create a mutual support system where you can share your experiences and assist each other, strengthening your familial bonds.
Re-evaluation of Family/Culture Dynamics: The perimenopausal transition often prompts re-evaluating personal values. This process may extend to how you view your family dynamics, relationships, and culture of origin (if changed). Reconnecting with neglected family members and understanding the culture of birth from a time vantage point can facilitate personal growth, health, and even personal values.
The Importance of Support Communities
Support communities play a vital role in a woman's journey through perimenopause. It's valuable to recognise the significance of two distinct types of communities:
Perimenopausal Support Groups-Recently more discussed in public, the importance of peer support groups and raising work-related awareness and support for perimenopausal women:
Joining a support group specifically focused on perimenopausal hormonal issues can provide a unique and tailored form of support. In these groups, members share similar experiences and challenges, creating a space for learning about the physiology of menopause, empathetic understanding and specific strategies for managing perimenopausal symptoms.
Family / Culture-based Communities- The less discussed value of revisiting old neglected family relations and culture-of-origin community relationships ( applicable for people who moved and relocated during their lifetime to different cultures):
Simultaneously, revisiting neglected family relations and reviewing the culture of origin communities from the vantage point is equally important. These groups include individuals of varying ages, beliefs and values, each facing their distinct challenges. Engaging with people at different stages of life and development can broaden your perspective, enhance your empathy, and provide valuable insights beyond perimenopause.
The Value of Both Communities
Both types of communities offer distinct benefits:
Perimenopausal Support Groups: These groups provide targeted, practical advice and emotional support for the specific challenges of this life stage. They help you navigate perimenopause with a deeper understanding of your unique hormonal changes.
Diverse Life-Stage Communities with similar genetic Backgrounds: Engaging with individuals at different life stages but with similar genetic backgrounds fosters a more comprehensive understanding of the human experience. These communities can inspire personal growth, empathy and self-acceptance, and appreciation for the diverse challenges and triumphs we all face throughout our lives.
In conclusion, recognising the value of perimenopausal support groups and diverse life-stage communities with similar genetic backgrounds is essential. Perimenopausal support groups offer tailored assistance, while the other promotes empathy, self-compassion, personal growth, and a deeper appreciation for the diverse experiences of humanity. By embracing both communities, you can navigate perimenopause with a more robust support system and a more profound understanding of the human journey.
