Without even thinking about it we adapt our yoga practice for pregnancy, after injury, for our kids and teens, yet when many women reach their 40’s they think they need to keep pushing through the same yoga practice they have always done, even if it is no longer serving them or they may decide to quit yoga altogether. This needs to change and I am here to show you how to bring the joy of yoga back to your life, to find a new way to practice that works with your changing body and helps you thrive as you head towards your Second Spring. Menopause is not an ending, it is a new beginning.
Sunflower Yoga Menopause Yoga Classes blend Western Science with Eastern Well-Being in a holistic way to help support you at each stage of your menopause journey. To bring relief to your symptoms, to empower you in the choices you make for your body, to find connection with others, to help you accept the changes happening to your body and to invite pleasure and a new sense of purpose back to your life as you navigate these changes.
Menopause Yoga Classes
I am here to act as your guide through these classes but you are always your own best teacher. Everything I offer is an invitation and it is up to you how much or how little you do during each class. These classes are about helping you to honour where you body is at, to help you find the level of practice you are craving, not the one you think you should be doing.
Each class invites you do find the variations of each asana or practice that brings your body comfort and ease as well as exploring how you can use yoga to invite more pleasure and fun into your practice during a time of your life that can feel very heavy at times.
Much of what you learn and practice in each class can be broken down into shorter practices that you can sprinkle throughout your days. We don’t always have an hour spare to practice, but it’s the little and often bits that can bring many benefits and help you to bring comfort and
ease to your symptoms.
Practicing Menopause Yoga
You don’t need any special skills or much equipment to get started with these classes. All you need is:
1. A yoga mat and comfy clothes.
2. A quiet space to practice.
3. Blankets and cushions for comfort during relaxation.
4. Yoga Blocks or Hardback Books.
5. Yoga Bolster or Firm Cushions.
6. Journal and pen.
CONTACT: Email [email protected] for booking information.
Journaling is an important aspect of each class. It can be a real ally during Menopause. It can help you process how you feel about your own experience of Menopause and simply a way to record your symptoms, the good and the bad, and the things that are helping you along the way.
If you haven’t done journaling before I really would encourage you to try it out even if it’s only for a few minutes during or after each class. You might just be surprised at what comes up for you during this time.
How Can Menopause Yoga Support You?
Yoga is not magic; it cannot make your symptoms vanish, but it can become an important pillar of support alongside:
*Eating nutritious food;
*Prioritising sleep;
*Reducing stress levels and
*Building regular movement into your day.
A number of studies have been conducted regarding the effectiveness of yoga in managing Menopause symptoms. To summarise, the results of many of these studies have been encouraging and show that for some people, practicing yoga on a regular basis can help to reduce menopausal symptoms.
For example, in a recent study reported by the International Menopause Society, the author concluded that 60 minutes of yoga two days a week for 10 weeks may help to reduce the psychological, somatic, and urogenital symptoms experienced in menopause.
There have also been many more studies into the effectiveness of yoga to reduce stress and keeping your stress levels in check is crucial during each stage of menopause, as stress can exacerbate all of your symptoms.
Whole Body Support
Oestrogen and progesterone are not just important for your reproductive health. They have many important roles to play across the whole of your body, so the natural decline in these hormones during the course of your Menopause will affect your overall health to varying degrees.
Practicing Menopause Yoga alongside a healthy lifestyle can help support your:
*Cardiovascular health
*Bone and muscle health
*Mental/emotional health
*Brain Health
*Pelvic floor/Genio-urinary health
*Joint health
During these Menopause Yoga Classes we will include a variety of practices to support each of these areas of your body. Alongside helping you to understand what is happening to your body, why it is happening and what you can do to support your own unique journey.
It is important to note that No One Yoga Pose or Routine is going to improve any of these areas on its own. We need variety, challenge, surprises and lots and lots of rest.
CONTACT: Email [email protected] for booking information.
Perimenopause Symptom Relief
There are many different symptoms that have come to be associated with Perimenopause in particular. Everybody is different, we will all experience our symptoms differently, but you can use your yoga practice to help bring better understanding and acceptance of them and find practices that you can use both in your yoga practice and to take into your daily lives as well.
During these classes I will sprinkle in practices for many of the different symptoms including:
*Hot flushes,
*Brain Fog
*Insomnia
*Anxiety
*Fatigue
*Headaches
*Low Mood
*Digestive Issues
We are all on our own unique journeys but this doesn’t mean that we have to do it alone. There is great power in joining together with others for support, encouragement, compassion, laughs and connection with others on a similar path.
Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions and I will do my best to answer or point you towards a resource that may offer more help.
CONTACT: Email [email protected] for booking information. We currently offer Pre-Recorded Menopause Classes that you can do in your own time alongside email support from a qualified Menopause Yoga teacher to help you get the best out of these classes and adapt and enjoy yoga for your changing body. It’s time to create your new beginning and thrive in your Second Spring.