Understanding the next few phases

Midlife woman are more sensitive to light, temperature, noise and social stress Phase 3, Stress reduction. This is a tough one considering the things life throws at us. Stress increases our cortisol levels, while we need some cortisol, this hormone is one of the culprits in that annoying belly fat. It also disrupts our sleep, and oh those annoying afternoon energy crashes! Stress also causes inflammation that sometimes shows up as joint pain that is misdiagnosed. Heart palpitations and flutters are also misdiagnosed, which is caused by the decline of estrogen but stress can certainly be a factor. All of this can cause disease, so controlling stress is a must! Focus: breathwork, meditation, yoga, walking and setting boundaries with family, friends and work are important. Sleep, yes its a necessity, directly affects our stress and eludes us during this time of life. Without sleep everything seems hard to handle, increasing stress. So what do we do? First we need to limit our blue light exposure an hour or more before bed. Also keeping a regular sleep routine helps, and a dark cool environment to sleep in helps. Making sure to get morning light first thing in te morning will all help regulate your circadian rhythm. Stay tuned for more!!