Menopausal symptoms may feel like they’re taking over your life — especially they start to affect your performance at work. How are you supposed to concentrate when you’re sweating from hot flashes, dozing off at your desk due to lack of sleep and holding back mood swings when dealing with stressful co-workers? While you can’t completely eliminate the side effects of menopause in your day-to-day life, there are a number of ways to manage menopause symptoms in the workplace. Here are just a few helpful tips.
-
Get enough sleep. One of the most harmful things that menopause does is impair your sleep, which then ruins the rest of your day. If you’re feeling irritable or exhausted at work, you’ll want to find ways to prevent menopause from reducing your restful hours. Combat night sweats and hot flashes by investing in moisture-wicking sleepwear or temperature-regulating bedding, reduce the temperature in your bedroom by a few degrees, and eliminate alcohol and caffeine from your diet.
-
Wear light, breathable clothing. If you’re silently struggling with night sweats at your desk, switch out your usual clothing with moisture-wicking versions. You can pair a Cool-jams tank top with your usual pantsuit, or if your office is more casual, wear a Cool-jams T-shirt under a blazer or sweater.
-
Cut the caffeine. Feel like you can’t get through the work day without that cup of coffee? That crutch may be doing far more harm than good! Studies show that caffeine causes hot flashes in menopausal women, so try cutting it out (or just limiting it to one cup) to combat these irritating symptoms.
-
Invest in a fan. If you don’t have the luxury of a private office where you can adjust the temperature, add a fan under your desk in order to keep yourself cool during your worst hot flashes.
-
Do yoga at lunch. Because stress is a major reason for some menopausal symptoms, you can combat these symptoms by staying calm and relaxed. Instead of your usual lunch break, hit a yoga class or go for a brisk walk to reduce stress.
