Mornings can feel overwhelming when you're navigating menopause. Between brain fog, fatigue, and unpredictable symptoms, getting out the door can feel like climbing a mountain. But what if ten simple minutes could transform how you feel for the rest of the day?
Your body's hormonal shifts during menopause affect everything from how you regulate fluids to how you handle stress. Starting your day with intention helps set your body up for success, giving it the support it needs when estrogen and progesterone levels are in flux.
The beauty of a morning routine is that it creates consistency when everything else feels unpredictable. Small, manageable actions compound over time, helping you feel more in control of your menopause journey.
Before your feet hit the floor, reach for water. During menopause, hormonal changes affect your body's fluid regulation, making proper hydration more crucial than ever. Research shows that estrogen and progesterone influence the systems that control thirst and how your body retains water.
What to do:
Starting your day hydrated helps combat morning brain fog, supports your body's thermoregulation (important for managing hot flushes), and sets the foundation for steady energy levels.
Take your supplements with your morning water. Timing matters, especially during menopause when nutrient absorption can change.
Morning supplements to consider:
Use this minute to mindfully take each supplement, perhaps keeping a simple tracker to ensure consistency. Taking supplements at the same time each day helps build the habit and ensures you're not missing crucial nutrients your changing body needs.
You don't need a full workout. Four minutes of gentle movement signals to your body that it's time to wake up and helps regulate your stress response.
Even brief morning movement can improve thermoregulatory control, which may help reduce the frequency of hot flushes.
Extended morning movement sequence:
Gentle stretching
Spine mobility
Lower body activation
Integration and breath
These movements increase blood flow, ease joint stiffness (common during menopause), help shift you from sleep mode to active mode, and gently elevate your heart rate without overwhelming your system.
Two minutes of mindfulness can significantly impact menopausal symptoms. Studies have found that women with higher mindfulness scores experienced fewer menopausal symptoms, particularly irritability, depression, and anxiety.
2-minute mindfulness practice:
This pause helps activate your parasympathetic nervous system (your "rest and digest" mode), reducing the stress response that can exacerbate hot flushes and other symptoms.
Menopausal women need adequate protein to maintain muscle mass and bone strength. A protein-rich breakfast helps stabilise blood sugar levels, preventing the energy crashes and mood swings that can worsen during menopause.
Quick breakfast framework:
The key to any morning routine is simplicity. You're not trying to add stress; you're reducing it. Start with just one or two elements that feel most manageable, then build from there.
Tips for success:
These ten minutes aren't magic, but they're powerful. They signal to your body that you're taking charge of your wellbeing during this transition. Over time, these small morning habits can lead to improved energy, better mood regulation, reduced symptom severity, and a greater sense of control.
Looking for more support with your menopause symptoms? Book a gap-free bulk-billed doctor consult with the Australian Menopause Centre (powered by Emsee) to discover our holistic treatment pathways. We're here to support you through every aspect of your menopause journey.
Stachenfeld, N.S. (2014). Hormonal changes during menopause and the impact on fluid regulation. Reproductive Sciences, 21(5), 555-561.
Daley, A., Stokes-Lampard, H., Thomas, A. & MacArthur, C. (2014). Exercise for vasomotor menopausal symptoms. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (11), CD006108.
Bailey, T.G., Cable, N.T., Aziz, N., Dobson, R., Sprung, V.S., Low, D.A. & Jones, H. (2016). Exercise training reduces the frequency of menopausal hot flushes by improving thermoregulatory control. Menopause, 23(7), 708-718.
Sood, R., Kuhle, C.L., Kapoor, E., Thielen, J.M., Frohmader, K.S., Mara, K.C. & Faubion, S.S. (2019). Association of mindfulness and stress with menopausal symptoms in midlife women. Climacteric, 22(4), 377-382.
Bermingham, K.M., Linenberg, I., Hall, W.L., et al. (2022). Menopause is associated with postprandial metabolism, metabolic health and lifestyle: The ZOE PREDICT study. EBioMedicine, 85, 104303.