Thyrza: “My menopausal symptoms improved once I prioritised sleep”

Thyrza is 50 years old, a primary school principal and lives with her partner and their two dogs and two cats. Her work makes her proud and gives her energy, but at the same time the responsibilities of the job weigh heavily on her shoulders. Especially since perimenopause. Unlike her sister and mother who breezed through menopause, coping with 'the change' has been hard for her. 

“Suddenly I was gaining weight, feeling extremely tired, and having hot flashes and mood swings. You name the menopausal symptom and I've had it. Turned out that many of my symptoms were related to sleep, or rather, the lack of it. It was a hard lesson, but a very important one,” Thyrza says. 

The apple sometimes does fall far from the tree

For a long time, Thyrza thought that menopause would pass her by quickly and unnoticed, because her mother and sister hardly had any complaints. But when she turned 50, she found out that the apple sometimes does fall far from the tree. “It was my birthday and I couldn't enjoy it. I was so insecure. That was when it hit me: something had changed on a fundamental level.” 

Thyrza's experience shows that lifestyle can have a huge impact on how you experience menopause, and that it's ultimately an individual experience. “My life is much more stressful than my mother’s and sister’s,” she says. “As a primary school principal, I’m under non-stop pressure. After all these years, I'm used to the hustle and bustle. In fact, I like it, it has become part of who I am.” 

Looking back, I was naive to think that my journey through menopause would be the same as my mother’s and sister’s.

A wide variety of symptoms

When Thyrza entered perimenopause a few years after her sister, everything changed. Navigating work and menopause was overwhelming. Thyrza explains: “Hot flashes, mood swings, poor sleep, low energy. I think there's not one symptom I haven't experienced. I would wake up in the middle of the night and just stare at the ceiling for hours. I also gained quite a bit of weight, which really bothered me. My weight never was a problem for me! I wanted to do something about it, but I had no idea where to start.” 

“I learnt an important lesson about sleep”

Thyrza scoured the Internet for well-founded advice and discovered SeeMe-nopause. She found out that poor sleep can trap you in a vicious cycle and trigger or exacerbate many other menopausal symptoms. “I started doing research and learnt about the effects of sleep deprivation. I immediately implemented some tips in my day-to-day life, including taking certain supplements.” 

“I really had to learn how to relax. For someone who's always busy, this was easier said than done,” Thyrza says with a smile. “I slowed down my lifestyle eventually and discovered yoga. I never thought I'd enjoy yoga in a million years. I was simply too busy for yoga, but now I relish these quiet moments.” 

How has it benefited my life? “I started sleeping better and feeling more energetic. This made me feel better about myself. My hot flashes reduced to one or two a day, which is a world of difference!” 

I now fall asleep as soon as I hit the pillow and wake up only once to go to the bathroom.”

The next step: diet

Although she felt better emotionally, Thyrza also wanted to feel good in her skin again. “It was time to look at my diet and lose the extra pounds I had packed on. I started eating more vegetables, fruit and whole grains, but this didn't have any effect on my weight.” 

She did some more research and discovered that her blood sugar levels could be the culprit behind her weight loss struggles. “To keep my blood sugar levels stable, I’ve stopped snacking in between meals, and I’ve replaced carbohydrates with proteins and fats. Now I eat things like avocado, nuts or cheese.” 

Exercise has also become part of her daily routine. “What really helps is the seven-minute workout, which I do in the morning before breakfast. It’s a great way to stimulate fat-burning processes in the body. Exercising on an empty stomach in the morning definitely took some getting used to, but I have come to love it. It’s a good start of the day.”  

“It’s impossible to know everything – it’s OK to let others help you”

When asked what her advice to others would be, she says, “It’s impossible to know everything. Ask experts for advice or look for information yourself. It took some time and effort, but focusing on the things I can control has empowered me to navigate the challenges of menopause. The body has an amazing self-healing, self-regulating ability. It’s possible to alleviate your symptoms, as long as you take care of yourself.” 

Personal experiences