88 A two-page menopause special

This week we bring you a menopause special – focusing on touch therapy, complexion boosters for hormonal skin and why we need to speak openly about symptoms and side-effects

THE MIDAS TOUCH

Massage therapy has long been used in Europe and Asia to improve physical and mental health, but in the UK it’s often holistic therapists who provide these complementary treatments.

A report published by British Beauty Council this year argues that if the NHS offered touch therapy and massage, it could save the UK £10.5bn annually and reduce sick days by 1.76 million.

Personal touch can have a huge impact on the mind and body. A simple massage creates oxytocin, serotonin and dopamine to reduce stress, promote feelings of happiness and help with pain relief, as well as lowering levels of cortisol – the stress hormone.

Helena Grzesk, chief operating officer of the British Beauty Council and co-author of the report, says: “As a massage-trained therapist, I’ve always had a heightened awareness of the benefits of massage and go for regular treatments as part of my own self-care routine.

“Touch has been found to relieve symptoms of fatigue and low energy through releasing stress, promoting relaxation and relieving muscular aches and pains.”

With the report also highlighting that almost a third of working women in the core menopause age group of 50-64 have to take time off to alleviate symptoms, there are calls for touch therapies to be offered to those suffering, especially as trials indicate that head and face massages are valid therapy options to treat menopause symptoms.

Whether it’s a facial, a back massage or reflexology, the key factor is touch, as it’s the hands-on action that activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which encourages the body into a relaxed state.

Jo O’Connor, the founder of Reflex By Jo (visit reflexbyjo.com), says that many of her menopausal clients report better sleep patterns and overall wellbeing as a result of a weekly reflexology treatment.

“Alongside dealing with the range of symptoms such as night sweats, hot flushes, low mood, brain fog and poor concentration, some women are also dealing with feelings of negativity, shame and embarrassment,” she adds. “I use various techniques to rebalance the nervous systems and hormones and improve their sleep patterns.

“It’s not a ‘cure’, but it’s an amazing menopause support act.”