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Women's Health

World Menopause Day 2022

World Menopause Day is held every year on the 18th October with the purpose of raising awareness of the menopause and the support options available for improving health and wellbeing.

The theme for World Menopause Day 2022 is Cognition and Mood.

63% of women say their menopause symptoms have negatively impacted their lives and their work, while 1 in 4 women going through the menopause will consider leaving their job due to menopause symptoms. 30% of women have said that they have taken days off work because of their symptoms and only a very small portion spoke to their managers as to the real reason for being off work.

Menopausal brain fog is a term used to describe a group of symptoms that begin to happen around the time of the menopause for women. These include: 

  • Difficulty remembering words and numbers
  • Misplacing items 
  • Difficulty concentrating 
  • Absent mindedness
  • losing your train of thought 
  • Being more easily distracted 
  • Finding it difficult to switch between tasks
  • Forgetting appointments and events
 

What causes menopausal brain fog?

Brain fog may be caused by the rising and falling hormone levels, in particular oestrogen, however symptoms should improve post menopause.

 

What can you do?

While menopausal brain fog can often be mild an improve with time, there are several things you can do to help ease the symptoms:

  • Eat a balanced diet – Omega 3 and 6, which are found in eggs, fish, nuts and seeds are considered to be part of a brain friendly diet. Vitamins A, C & E also have lots of antioxidant properties and can help with brain fog.
  • Get enough sleep – While sleep can be affected during perimenopause and menopause, deep sleep is key to brain functionality. Try and take steps to help improve your sleep habits, such as limiting screen time, exercise, and keeping your room dark and cool.
  • Regular exercise – it is recommended to do at least 150 active minutes of exercise per week, this keeps both your heart and brain healthy.
  • Exercise your brain – puzzles, crosswords and other brain stimulating activities can have a positive effect on brain fog.
 

Useful resources:

NHS Guidance: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/menopause/

NHS Inform: https://www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/womens-health/later-years-around-50-years-and-over/menopause-and-post-menopause-health/menopause

International Menopause Society: https://www.imsociety.org/education/world-menopause-day/

The Faculty of Occupational Medicine – Menopause and the workplace: https://www.fom.ac.uk/health-at-work-2/information-for-employers/dealing-with-health-problems-in-the-workplace/advice-on-the-menopause

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence – Menopause diagnosis and management: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng23

 

 

 

Maternal Mental health / Perinatal mental health (PMH)

If you, or anyone you know is experiencing Perinatal mental health (PMH) problems  we have access to support and further information for you. PMH occurs during pregnancy or in the first year following the birth of a child.

  • Perinatal mental illness affects up to 20% of new and expectant mums
  • Perinatal mental health refers to a woman's mental health during pregnancy and the first year after birth
  • This includes mental illness existing before pregnancy, as well as illnesses that develop for the first time, or are greatly exacerbated in the perinatal period.

Having a baby is a big life event and it is natural to experience a range of emotions during pregnancy, after giving birth or as a partner of someone who is about to or has recently given birth. If you or anyone you know is experiencing any difficult feelings that start to have a big effect on day-to-day life, you can find access to support available below or reach out to our dedicated HR team on FWHR@NHSProfessionals.nhs.uk.

 

Resources:

 

Articles

Mind Charity

MumsAid

 

Podcasts

NSPCC Learning


Additional Websites

Netmums https://www.netmums.com/ offers information on both a national and local level. Gives details of local resources such as child friendly cafes and childminders.

PNI http://www.pni.org.uk/

 

Support Groups

PANDAs – find a support group near you https://pandasfoundation.org.uk/how-we-can-support-you/support-groups/

Young Mums Together - https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/projects/young-mums-together

Work Life Balance and your Mental Health

 

As someone who works in a healthcare setting, it can be easy to prioritise the health and wellbeing of others over the health and wellbeing of yourself.

Over time, this mindset can become a deep-rooted habit, unless we take a mindful step back occasionally to ensure we have a healthy work life balance and recognise if you are close to burnout.

Helpguide.org lists the following symptoms of burnout

Physical signs and symptoms of burnout

  • Feeling tired and drained most of the time
  • Lowered immunity, frequent illnesses
  • Frequent headaches or muscle pain
  • Change in appetite or sleep habits

Emotional signs and symptoms of burnout

  • Sense of failure and self-doubt
  • Feeling helpless, trapped, and defeated
  • Detachment, feeling alone in the world
  • Loss of motivation
  • Increasingly cynical and negative outlook
  • Decreased satisfaction and sense of accomplishment

Behavioural signs and symptoms of burnout

  • Withdrawing from responsibilities
  • Isolating yourself from others
  • Procrastinating, taking longer to get things done
  • Using food, drugs, or alcohol to cope
  • Taking out your frustrations on others
  • Skipping work or coming in late and leaving early

 

What can you do?

We have created the 3 P’s, a simple three-step guide to assess your current situation and help you work out if you need to make a change to positively impact your work life balance, and mental health.

Pause. Take a moment to recognise what is causing stress or sadness, or any other type of negative feelings. We often don’t take the time reflect until usually there is a big life change, like the birth of a child, or the loss of someone close to us.

Pay attention to how you feel. Are you feeling anxious, depressed or even angry? Being aware of how you feel can help you decide what changes you need to make.

Prioritise. Reflect on what you could change and what is most important to you. It could be finding working hours that fit your schedule, taking regular breaks, or even taking time for a much-loved hobby.

It’s okay to prioritise self-care, set boundaries or ask for help.

 

How NHSP support you:

As a valued Bank Member , make sure you are aware of the opportunities we provide including:

  • Paid Annual Leave - so you can enjoy your free time. Whether that be travelling, socialising or relaxing at home – check out our partner <health service discounts> and their latest offers
  • Range of Wellbeing and Health Sources (Such as a Free Whelthy Plan) – With Whelthy you will gain unlimited access to nutritional advice, workouts, mindfulness and much more. Subscribe at www.whelthy.com and use code ‘HEROES100’ when prompted
  • Headspace for NHS – if you are an NHS employee with a registered NHS email address you can sign up to access Headspace Plus at no cost. Find out more here https://help.headspace.com/hc/en-us/articles/360044971154-Headspace-for-the-NHS
  • Control over the shifts you work –find shifts that suit your availability and support your work/life balance <link to my: bank>

 

Resources:

Articles

10 Tips to Improve Work-Life Balance - https://www.betterup.com/blog/work-life-balance

The Importance of Work-Life Balance https://thehappinessindex.com/employee-engagement/importance-of-work-life-balance/

Websites

Mental Health Foundation - https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/a-to-z/w/work-life-balance

Guides

Shift Work: Getting Enough Sleep and Exercise - https://www.workplacewellnessonline.ca/pdfs/Shift%20work%20-%20getting%20enough%20sleep%20and%20exercise.pdf

Setting a Healthy Pace at Work - https://www.workplacewellnessonline.ca/pdfs/Setting%20a%20healthy%20pace%20at%20work.pdf

Podcasts

Finding Work Life Balance - https://deliciouslyella.com/podcast/finding-work-life-balance/