Honey, put away your socks or I’m going to explode! Menopause and its effects on your relationship
If these words resonate with you, don’t panic! You’re neither a bad wife nor a raging lunatic. You’re simply a woman in the throes of menopause, facing the emotional roller coaster of this life stage.
Between the hot flashes that make you feel like you’re living in a sauna, the insomnia that turns you into a zombie, and the mood swings worthy of the greatest roller coasters, it’s enough to drive you completely nuts.
But rest assured, with a little humor and a lot of patience (towards yourself and your husband), you can avoid turning your home into a war zone. Discover 5 foolproof tips to manage your irritability and preserve marital harmony during this hormonal storm.
The causes of irritability during menopause
Before getting to the tips, it’s essential to understand why menopause is often accompanied by increased irritability.
During this period, your body undergoes a real hormonal upheaval. The production of estrogen and progesterone, those hormones that previously regulated your mood with the precision of a Swiss clock, becomes completely disrupted.
As a result, your emotional sensitivity is heightened, and your threshold for tolerating frustrations becomes as low as that of a two-year-old deprived of dessert.
Add to this the physical discomforts of menopause (hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness… a real festival!), and you get an explosive cocktail that can quickly transform your sweet home into a powder keg. But don’t panic, it’s possible to defuse the bomb before it explodes!
Breathe, you’re on camera!
When you feel anger rising within you because your husband has forgotten to take out the trash again (for the third time this week, but who’s counting?), take the time to breathe deeply. Inhale through your nose, inflating your belly like a balloon, then slowly exhale through your mouth, visualizing all that irritation evacuating far, far away from you. This simple relaxation technique will help you gain perspective and put things into perspective. Because between us, a forgotten trash can doesn’t deserve a show of force worthy of a military commando, does it?
To optimize the effects of this calming breathing, don’t hesitate to isolate yourself for a few minutes in a quiet room, away from the family hustle and bustle. Take this opportunity to focus on your breath and clear your mind.
You’ll see, by coming out of this mini-meditation session, you’ll be more serene and less inclined to jump down your beloved’s throat at the drop of a hat.
Move, eliminate, breathe!
You know the expression “having ants in your pants”? Well, during menopause, your nerves are more like the type to wiggle to hardcore metal! To avoid this negative energy consuming you from the inside and pouring out onto those around you (mainly your husband), there’s nothing like moving your body.
Put on your most stylish workout outfit (the one that doesn’t make you look like a trussed-up sausage), and go sweat it out!
Running, swimming, yoga, Zumba dancing… it doesn’t matter what activity, the key is to exert yourself until your irritability level drops to a level acceptable for living in society.
As a bonus, physical exercise stimulates the production of endorphins, those little happiness molecules that will help you put things into perspective and see the bright side of life, even when your husband leaves his dirty socks in the middle of the living room.
Communicate, but gently!
In a couple, communication is key to preventing the little hassles of daily life from turning into real dramas worthy of the greatest soap operas. So take the time to explain to your husband what you’re going through during this transitional period.
Tell him about your emotional ups and downs, your doubts, your fears, your little frustrations… In short, open your heart to him (but not too much, you wouldn’t want to scare him!).
But be careful, communicating doesn’t mean yelling left and right whenever something annoys you. Choose the right moment to start the discussion (avoid jumping on him as soon as he walks through the door after a hard day’s work), and above all, weigh your words.
The goal is to make yourself understood gently, not to subject him to an interrogation worthy of the Gestapo. Remember that your husband is not your enemy, but your ally in this adventure that is menopause!
Pamper yourself, you’re worth it!
Between the hot flashes that make you feel like you’re living in an oven, the insomnia that turns your nights into hell, and the mood swings that threaten your family balance, menopause can quickly become a real ordeal. To avoid sinking into depression and taking out your nerves on everything that moves (and especially on your poor husband), it’s essential to take care of yourself.
Allow yourself moments of pure relaxation and well-being, just for you. A nice hot bath sprinkled with rose petals, an essential oil massage session, a girls’ night out to solve the world’s problems over a glass of wine (in moderation, of course)…
In short, anything that makes you feel good and helps you unwind. Because a fulfilled and relaxed woman is a woman who is not likely to strangle her husband over a toilet seat left up!
Laugh, life is beautiful!
Finally, never forget that laughter and self-deprecation are your best allies for getting through this tumultuous period without losing your sense of humor (and your husband in the process). Learn to put things into perspective and laugh at your little quirks, your mood swings, your memory lapses… And most importantly, invite your husband to laugh with you!
Instead of flying off the handle because he (again!) forgot to buy bread, burst out laughing and tell him that your memory has gone on vacation so much that you forgot to remind him.
Transform these little daily mishaps into moments of complicity and lightness, and you’ll see, menopause will instantly seem less painful to live through. Plus, laughing is good for your abs and morale, so why deprive yourself?