How to Breathe If You Have a Uterus or Know Someone Who Does
Hot flash crash your Zoom meeting? Here's how to deal
Ever notice how some topics in women's health are just... brushed aside?
Take menopause and “the perimenopause” – the latter of which was described in an actual medical journal as "an ill-defined time period that surrounds the final years of a woman's reproductive life”.
You might guess that was written in the 1950s, or maybe the 1970s. But no, doctors provided us with that crystal-clear explanation a little more recently… as in, 2015! 🙄
Nearly a decade on, perimenopause is finally getting its moment in the spotlight.
Halle Berry spoke openly about being misdiagnosed while she was going through it and is lobbying the government for educational funding. Naomi Watts started a business that offers personal care products for women experiencing symptoms.
Even companies like Microsoft and Adobe are offering benefits geared toward helping employees navigate joys like sleepless nights, depression, and hot flashes.
It's about time.
Because let's be real – when you're running a business or managing a demanding career, the last thing you need is to be blindsided by a burst of heat and sweat during Zoom meetings.
Or to be lying awake at 3 AM when you have a big presentation the next day.
Or dealing with anxiety that seems to instantly materialize from nowhere.
The good news?
(There’s always good news in these newsletters, I promise!)
Breathwork can help make it easier.
I always love to point out that your breath is always with you. You don't need to excuse yourself from a meeting to use it. You don't need any special equipment. It’s entirely possible to complete a breathwork session in the presence of other people without them even knowing it.
And best of all? Breathwork operates FAST to help regulate your body's stress response, which often goes into complete haywire, “turn it up and break the knob off” overdrive if you’re in perimenopause.
Here's a simple breathing visualization technique for next time you’re sitting there minding your own damn business and all of a sudden, you feel craptastic.
You could also share this with other people in your life who might find it helpful. Just tread carefully!
Most people who are in perimenopause don’t want other people pointing out that they see it. And people who aren’t in perimenopause may not think it’s relevant for them, even though this breath can help anyone (anytime, anywhere, blah blah blah).
This is called "Wave Breathing" – or sometimes "Ocean Breathing", but it’s different from Ujjayi, which we talked about recently. It’s a little less technical, and it’s super effective for things like:
Managing hot flashes
Calming anxiety
Helping you fall back asleep when hormonal changes wake you up
Reducing stress when everything feels like it’s going to hell in a handbasket
Sounds good, right?
Wave Breathing
Get comfortable. You can do this sitting or laying down.
Inhale through your nose for 4 counts, imagining the rise of a wave.
At the peak of your inhale, pause briefly and imagine the wave cresting.
Let your exhale flow out naturally through your nose like a wave receding. Don't force any counts on the exhale - let it be natural and flowing.
Pause for a beat or two before inhaling again.
Repeat for 8-10 breaths.
So give it a try – in your office, during your commute (eyes open, please!), or in bed when you’re not quite asleep yet. Wave Breathing might seem simple (because it is!), but don't let that fool you. Like the ocean itself, there's power in those waves.
Last Gasp
“The freedom that comes from no longer being fertile is huge.” — Cynthia Nixon
“Menopause. A pause while you reconsider men.” — Margaret Atwood
Have a real-life situation where you wonder if breathwork could help? I bet you it can.
Let me know in the comments (or reply if you’re reading this as an email - thanks for subscribing ❤️) and I’ll come up with a technique for you.