Mindful Menopause® | Hypnotherapy and Mindfulness by Sophie Fletcher

  • Books
  • Book a session
  • The Mindful Menopause Course
  • Professional CPD
  • Blog
  • Contact

The power of love, and oxytocin in perimenopause.

Anxiety· Hormones· Oxytocin· Uncategorized

19 Mar
Oxytocin and menopause
Oxytocin and Menopause

Oxytocin is the love hormone, and in my opinion, a hormone makes our world go round. It’s the hormone of community and connection, of love, compassion and kindness. In short, it makes you feel good.

Not just the birth and sex hormone, a menopause hormone too

We often think of oxytocin in relation to birth and early motherhood, but it does so much more! Oxytocin moderates the autonomic nervous system and the vagal pathway, it has anti-inflammatory effects, and is helps reduce physical aspects of stress such as blood pressure and cortisol levels. It is also really effective in reducing pain, and has powerful analgesic effects.

It is a brilliant hormone to have higher levels of during menopause, as it can counteract a lot of the physical challenges we face. Amongst other things is can

  • regulate progesterone
  • lower anxiety and depression
  • reduce headaches
  • improve sleep
  • improve overall sense of wellbein

There is even a study which shows that an oxytocin gel can help with vaginal atrophy.

But, research shows that oxytocin seems to decline with oestrogen so what can you do to increase oxytocin?

Harnessing the power of oxytocin

Oxytocin has several characteristics – it’s also known as the shy hormone, so it likes to feel private and safe. It responds well to loving contact, being around people that make it feel comfortable and situations that are free of threat.

If there is heightened anxiety or you are on a higher state of alert you produce stress hormones such as adrenaline and nor-adrenaline – and you can’t produce oxytocin as the same time. They are what’s know as antagonists.

Imagine it as see saw effect.

The role of oxytocin and adrenaline

How to increase oxytocin

There are ways to increase oxytocin and get the benefits of this important hormone

Hugs! There is research to show that hugs increase oxytocin, so many sure that you get hugs in, from friends, partners or children. Bank them when you can.

Calm spaces can really help. Your environment matters, create a space in your home that makes you feel safe, secure and calm. Spend time in this space doing something that you love

Make time for close friends. Spend time with people you really like, that you can laugh with and not have to be on your guard with. Are they someone that you can really relax and be yourself with?

Self-care. And by this I mean activities that make you feel contented and happy. A long bath, baking, crafting whatever makes you feel good.

Exercise! Exercise is shown to increase oxytocin levels, anything from tennis to yoga can help

Random Acts of Kindness. Studies have shown that giving happiness raises your own levels of oxytocin to think about what you can do to make someone else’s life better today.

Meditation. Especially Metta mediation, a loving kindness meditation. You can find one in my book Mindful Menopause.

Hypnosis tracks to increase wellbeing and reduce stress creates the perfect environment for oxytocin. You can download some for free at www.penguin.co.uk/mindfulmenopause

Leave a Comment

Previous Post: « 5 tips to help you sleep better during perimenopause.
Next Post: What is a Mindful Menopause? And how it can help you. »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • Why I’m passionate about what I do, and why that matters for you.
  • What is Mindful Hypnotherapy?
  • What is a Mindful Menopause? And how it can help you.
  • The power of love, and oxytocin in perimenopause.
  • 5 tips to help you sleep better during perimenopause.

mindful_menopause

⭐️ Bestselling author of 3 books on women's health⭐️ Mindful Hypnotherapist
📖 Mindful Menopause book and downloads out NOW!

Sophie Fletcher
A quick introduction t self-hypnosis. It was great A quick introduction t self-hypnosis. It was great see @psychologiesmagazine do a post on it this week. 

We really do need to normalise this  brilliant mindset tool. It can be used for pretty much anything! 

From preparing for a presentation through to changing your response to physical sensations such as hot flushes and headaches. 

I teach my clients simple imagery and self-hypnosis as it really helps to empower them and give them something that can adapt to the positive changes which are unfolding within them. 

I’m going to do a few posts this week on this, so make sure you check in to see how it’s can be done 😀

Sophie

#menopause #midlife #perimenopause #hypnosis #mindfulhypnotherapy #menopausesupport #menopauserelief #menopausemindset #selfhypnosis
Sensations are clues, it’s where I often begin w Sensations are clues, it’s where I often begin with my work. 

However, much as I like Jung, with hypnosis I often leave out the need to explore and think about that sensation on an intellectual level. 

With hypnosis you can work with the sensation and then the feeling without having to think about it consciously, unless you want to, and then your conscious curiosity is an important element of processing for you. 

Mostly though, you can process an uncomfortable sensation, with just colour, shapes and clean language. 

There are symbols, images and colours that consistently emerge from the unconscious  and which don’t always surprise me. Where sensations are located in the body, how they manifest and how you choose to process it with imagery is always interesting. 

I’ve seen people process physical pain in this way.  One woman was anxious about a pain in her body, and wanted to be pain free, she turned her pain from a wheel of fire into a little yellow ball of sunshine. But she couldn’t let it go as it had become a part of her,  and she was accustomed to the routine of hospital, having been there since a child. 

Instead she popped it in her handbag and told me she carried it around with her. So she was aware of it but it didn’t bother her any longer. 

These approaches are brilliant for those in transitional periods, you can use them for ANYTHING! Some research shows how the creative areas of our brains are more active in pregnancy and during peri-menopause, interestingly I see this as well, especially post-menopause.  It’s an essential part of my menopause toolkit. 

Hypnosis is simply a way of accessing your whole brain, without interference. It’s a state of mind, and a powerful one at that. 

Sx

#hypnosis #menopause #perimenopause #hypnotherapy #midlife #therapy #jung #menopausesupport #mindfulmenopause #teal #mindset #menopauserelief #hypnomenopause
Hypnosis…..Yesterday I was having a chat with Dr Hypnosis…..Yesterday I was having a chat with Dr F about how I work. My interpretation is that I work very intuitively, I am guided by a sense of knowing when to use a certain technique or set of words, or when to ask the question that will challenge and change in minutes. 

Hypnotherapy can be a rapid change in direction during conversation that knocks an established feeling off balance so it can be changed. Knowing when to do that is often instinctive.

And I put that down to having really good intuition. 

But Dr F said it’s not intuition it’s skill. I’d never really thought of it that way. I like the sense of magic, that deep knowing of when to dive in with a suggestion or a powerful mind altering piece of imagery. 

But I suspect he’s right and it’s led me to question why I don’t value that as a skill. Is intuition based on skill and knowledge or something more? Research about the enteric brain is throwing up some insights - perhaps we’ll learn more about this in the next few years. 

I’d be interested to hear thoughts of those doing this kind of work, or those who have seen a therapist that uses hypnosis or other similar skills. 

Whatever it is, it always amazes me how nuanced hypnosis is and how expansive and flexible our minds are. 

If you still think hypnosis is swinging watches and mind control. Think again! I do sometimes click my fingers , but not that often. 

It’s about time we mainstreamed this therapy just as we’ve mainstreamed mindfulness. There are some fab hypnotherapists if you are interested in seeing one. I’ve tagged a few in this post. 

Have a happy Saturday! 

#mindfulhypnotherapy #midlifechange #hypnotherapy #hypnisus #midlifemenopause #menopause #perimenopause #menopausemindset #hypnotherapist #hypnosis #hypnotherapy
As a therapist you’d think my mental health is t As a therapist you’d think my mental health is tip top, that I’m always positive and happy.  True, my blood type is B+ which I continually use to remind myself 😆 I was born to be positive. 

However, I have days when I want to throw my phone at the wall when I see another “she knew she could so she did it post”. Self-care posts often make me cringe on a challenging day. More so when I know that these token phrases can mean nothing without work, effort and even then there are tough days. 

After years of listening to my heart, I think I know my mind pretty well (as well as a human can, always a work in progress) I know its vulnerabilities and strengths. And I know that big hormone shifts throw me, so I prepared for menopause. 

Good mental health doesn’t mean every day you’ll standing on top of a mountain with your arms outstretched, feeling as if you can conquer the world, it also means knowing when to rest, to seek help, to create habits and behaviours that support your well-being and allow space for joy to emerge. 

And to seek support. You aren’t alone in this peri-menopause journey, there are an amazing group of encouraging, supportive, strong women here on Instagram even if in real life you are surround by “oh we don’t talk about THAT” people. 

I’m out of letter allowance so I’ll
continue the conversation another day…but in the meantime check out my recent posts for some fabulous accounts to follow and help lift you. 

Just as my arms are always open for a hug, my DMs are always open if you are feeling lonely or need to reach out. 

Sx

#perimenopausehealth #perimenopause #mentalhealthawarenessweek #menopausemindset #mindfulmenopause #midlifecrisis #menopausesupport #menopauseawareness
Meet Spike. She’s the aged matriarch of our litt Meet Spike. She’s the aged matriarch of our little gang of chickens. She keeps them all in order, in the absence of a cockerel she checks the perimeter every day and is always happy to be picked up. 

What Spike can’t do is talk like a human, neither can I make Spike talk like a human - just as I can’t make you cluck like a chicken (unless you really really want to). And in that case the ethical thing may be to refer you…

So stop asking me, or any other hypnotherapist, if they can make you cluck like a chicken 😆

We have much more awesome tools in our therapy box. 

Apparently,  you can hypnotise a chicken, I’m working on it….

Sx

#hypnosis #hypnotherapy
I’ve read some great positive posts on menopause I’ve read some great positive posts on menopause this week. Inspiring women doing it their way. Keep speaking up. Keep showing up. We need to hear your voices. 

We can feel inspired, encouraged, supported and excited about this stage of our lives. 

Don’t be quiet, stay out of the box, listen to your inner voice, connect with your body and learn about ALL your options. 

Strength, power and resilience come in many forms. 

If you’re interested in seeing menopause a different way. Check out these women and go from there…..

@the_compassionate_menopause 
@sophie.cleere 
@menopoised
@avwellbeing 
@kate_codrington 
@lesleywaldronhealthcoach 
@moodswings_and_otherthings 
@elizabethjosephnavigating 

Please feel free to tag inspirational and positive accounts here. I know there are many more that I come across but can’t recall handles off the top of my head. 

Sx

#menopause #perimenopause #positivemenopause #mindfulmenopause #secondspring
Quick selfie while I have proper make-up on - a ra Quick selfie while I have proper make-up on - a rare occurrence but today I did a photoshoot with the fabulous @ursulakphoto with @carolinebarnesmua @avwellbeing @slp822 and @withamsidehouse.

I learned, at 49, how to put eyeliner on and that Tea with Florence is the same colour as my eyes 😂. 

I’m making a lot of changes behind the scenes to how I work at the moment. After writing the books I needed a hiatus and some time to think about my next steps.

I love writing but I also love working with people to see profound life change and I feel that has taken a little of a back seat. 

No more! 

I’m going to be doing more of people changing in a very different and accessible way. So watch this space! 

Sx

#midlife #menopause #hypnotherapist #mindfulmenopause #perimenopause
Load More… Follow on Instagram

Menu

  • Home
  • Book a hypnotherapy session
  • Mindful Menopause Course
  • Hypnotherapy Menopause Training
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy

Sign up to our Newsletter

 

* indicates required



As seen in:

Mindful Menopause as seen in the mail on sunday logos

Copyright © 2022 · Mindful Menopause · Website by Primrose & Bee