Menopause & Stress: How to feel more like yourself again

For many women, menopause can bring a noticeable increase in stress and anxiety, alongside changes in health, life stage, and symptoms. If that sounds familiar, you’re not imagining it, and you are definitely not alone.

This Stress Awareness Month, we’re taking a closer look at why menopause can feel so overwhelming, and we’re sharing a few research-backed ways to help you feel like yourself again.

The link between menopause and stress

Research has shown a strong link between the physiological changes during menopause and increased stress. As many women in menopause know firsthand, hormonal fluctuations can bring a range of symptoms like hot flashes, sleep disruptions, and brain fog. 

A study published in 2025 found that women experiencing more severe menopause symptoms reported higher levels of stress as a result (Logan et al., 2025). Even for those with milder symptoms, it is likely that the hormonal fluctuations during menopause slightly increase cortisol levels, the body’s primary stress hormone (Woods et al., 2010).

At the same time, midlife itself can be a particularly demanding lifestage for many women. Career pressures, caretaking responsibilities, and changes in health and energy all add up. These stressors don’t just coexist with menopause, but they can actually worsen symptoms like hot flashes and sleep disruptions (Igarashi et al., 2000). This can result in a frustrating cycle, where stress worsens symptoms, and symptoms increase stress.

So if things feel harder right now, it’s not just in your head. It’s a natural response to both physical changes of menopause the pressures of this stage of life. The good news is, there are research-backed ways to help yourself through it.

Tips for managing stress during menopause

Movement

The Research: In a study of menopausal women in the UK (Lum & Simpson, 2021), those who met physical activity guidelines experienced lower levels of depression and stress.

The Suggestions:

• Aim to move in some way every day. From taking a walk and stretching before bed to a full workout at the gym, make sure to consistently move every day.

• Work to increase your overall strength. Try resistance training, lifting weights, or even heavy gardening twice per week.

• Try to achieve at least 150 minutes of moderate activity weekly, such as brisk walking, cycling, or swimming.

Diet

The Research: Naidoo (2020) highlights strong links between nutrition and mental health, including stress and anxiety.

The Suggestions:

• Consider reducing caffeine and alcohol, as both have been linked to overall increased levels of perceived stress.

• Add more dietary fiber, Omega-3 fatty acids and fermented foods, all foods shown to decrease levels of perceived stress.

Mindfulness practices

The Research: Aliabadi et al. (2021) found that mindfulness-based stress reduction practices helped improve quality of life, sexual wellness, and cognitive experiences in menopausal women.

The Suggestions (from the Mayo Clinic): 

• Mindful breathing: Breathe in a long, deep, slow breath through your nose, and then breathe out slowly through your mouth. Focus on your breath and be present in the moment as you repeat this exercise.

• Body scan: Engage in your mindful breathing. Start by focusing all of your attention on your toes. Slowly scan your attention up through each part of your body, pausing to focus on each part. Avoid judging your thoughts and feelings that come up as you complete the scan.

• Mindful walking: Take yourself on a walk. Move slowly, noticing the feeling of each step. Stay aware of your environment and senses, noting what you hear, feel, and see.

CBT

The Research: A study published in 2025 found that CBT significantly improves quality of life and alleviates hot flashes as well as psychological and sleep-related menopause symptoms (Rukure & Husted, 2025).

The Suggestions: 

• Use tools like Psychology Today to find a licensed therapist in your network.

• Check if your workplace offers mental health resources or coverage.

Conclusion

The research is clear: menopause can bring increased stress due to a combination of hormonal shifts, life changes, and physical symptoms. Importantly, the research also shows that there is hope. 

Whether it’s adding a daily walk, trying a new fiber-filled recipe, or taking a few mindful breaths, small steps can help you feel more grounded and more like yourself again. While this era in life can come with many challenges, we hope you know you are not alone. 💛

References:
Aliabadi, M., et al. (2021). A study of mindfulness-based stress-reduction training effects on menopause-specific quality of life in postmenopausal women: A randomized controlled trial. Complement Therapy Clinical Practice, 44. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33915368/

Igarashi, M., Saito, H., Morioka, Y., Oiji, A., Nadaoka, T., & Kashiwakura, M. (2000). Stress vulnerability and climacteric symptoms: Life events, coping behavior, and severity of symptoms. Gynecologic Obstetric Investigation, 49(3), 170-178. https://karger.com/goi/article-abstract/49/3/170/151666/Stress-Vulnerability-and-Climacteric-Symptoms-Life?redirectedFrom=fulltext

Logan, S., et al. (2025). Heightened menopausal symptoms mediate the associations between stress and depressive symptoms among midlife women. Menopause, 32(10), 956-965. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40663582/

Lum, R., & Simpson, E. (2021). The impact of physical activity on psychological well-being in women aged 45-55 years during the Covid pandemic: A mixed-methods investigation, Maturitas, 153, 19-25. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0378512221001468

Naidoo, U. (2020). Eat to beat stress. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, 15(1), 39-42. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33456419/

Rukure, G., & Husted, J. (2025). Cognitive behavioral therapy for menopausal symptoms: A systematic review of efficacy in improving quality of life. BMC Women’s Health, 26(1). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12853693/

Woods, N. F., et al. (2010). Cortisol Levels during the Menopausal Transition and Early Postmenopause: Observations from the Seattle Midlife Women’s Health Study. Menopause, 16(4), 708-718. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2749064/

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