Menopause can be a confusing and unsettling time for many women – so what can you do to relax, reduce stress and boost your health?
“It’s important to prioritise your health, whether that involves improving your sleep quality, boosting your aerobic fitness, strength, flexibility or emotional wellbeing,” says Kasia Ostrowska, manager of The Spa at St Sidwell’s Point in Exeter.
Below, Kasia shares her advice for menopausal women on how to maintain physical and mental wellbeing as their body changes.
Q: What advice do you have for women seeking to improve their health during the menopause?
A: Setting your own personal health goals is crucial. The menopause will mean something different to each woman – there are many symptoms associated with the condition and these can be experienced in a variety of ways. This can include mood swings, fatigue, night sweats, weight gain, sleep deprivation, reduced concentration levels, anxiety and depression.
It’s easy to be influenced by others and their experiences, but try to silence the noise and imagine your happiest, healthiest self. Once you’ve established your personal health goals, I recommend doing some research. What facilities or groups are in your local area to help you achieve them? Joining a gym is a great motivator to become more active and group exercise classes can help to keep you on track.
Remember to take each day as it comes and do whatever activity makes you feel good, whether that’s a long run, a quiet swim, sweating in the gym or taking some time to relax in the sauna and hydro pool at The Spa. Listen to your body's needs and take time every day to focus on your physical and mental wellbeing.
Q: What can I do to improve my sleep, mood and anxiety during the menopause?
A: Massages are a great treatment for women during the menopause. By boosting blood circulation and easing muscle tension, it can help to improve sleep quality and relieve anxiety and depression.
We have a variety of massages available at The Spa, and can tailor the treatment to your needs if you let us know beforehand. If you're concerned about the temperature, it’s worth emailing us ahead of your appointment to see if we can arrange for the windows to be open during your treatment.
Q: How can I improve my skin during the menopause?
A: As well as improving your mental wellbeing, relaxing treatments such as massages and facials can offer skin-enhancing benefits. While a daily skincare routine can help to maintain its radiance, your skin can change drastically during the menopause and a facial will provide the added boost of hydration that it’s craving.
Before every facial, our therapists will ask you to complete a form to identify any skin complaints. Many women suffer with dullness and intense dryness during the menopause, so this allows us to treat your needs effectively.
Q: Are there any treatments to relax my mind and body during the menopause?
A: The thermal spa is an excellent treatment for relaxation. Due to the stresses and physical changes that you may be experiencing, immersing yourself in a peaceful and secluded environment could be exactly what you need.
Whilst a visit to a hot sauna might not seem like the first thing you would want to do if you are dealing with hot flushes, the combination of the cold water in the monsoon shower and the bucket shower, as well as the breeze on the rooftop terrace and the relaxing properties of the hydro pool can all help to alleviate stress.
A trip to The Spa is also a great opportunity to connect with a friend; after all, a problem shared is a problem halved. So, if you know someone going through a similar experience, you can invite them along for a two-hour thermal spa session, relax together and forget about your worries for a while.
To find out more about treatments and how to book, download the Exeter Leisure App from Google Play or The App Store.
To browse the various treatments on offer at The Spa at Sidwell's Point, visit exeterleisure.com. For enquiries, contact 01392 265390 or ssp@exeter.gov.uk.
