In the past few months, my companions have been mood swings, sleepless nights, migraines, hot flashes, brain fog, and anxiety.
Yes, I’m in menopause — it started at 46, and now at 48, I can say it’s been quite a journey.
At first, I felt alone, with no one to share this profound change with.
In Italy, we still talk far too little about menopause.
And that’s why I believe that speaking about it — openly and without shame — is already an act of sisterhood.
If something is helping us through this delicate time, we should talk about it, share it, and support one another.
For me, that something has been mindfulness.
Because while our body goes through a revolution, our brain is changing too — reshaping itself through this transition.
For decades, scientists believed the adult brain was fixed – “This is just who I am, I can’t change”.
But thanks to neuroplasticity, we now know that the brain can reorganise itself and form new neural connections throughout life.
And that’s incredibly good news, including women in midlife.
During menopause, the risk of anxiety and depression can triple — but you are not powerless.
Studies show that mindfulness can significantly reduce anxiety and emotional distress in menopausal women.
Those who practise regularly report less irritability, more calm, and better emotional regulation.
Just 10 minutes of mindfulness a day can:
- increase grey matter in the hippocampus (learning and memory),
- reduce reactivity in the amygdala (fear and stress),
- strengthen the prefrontal cortex (the area responsible for focus and emotional balance.
As Dr David Hamilton says, “It’s like training a muscle — the more you use it, the stronger it becomes”.
In my coaching practice, I meet many women going through this same phase.
They tell me about sleepless nights, sudden anxiety, and that feeling of “not recognising themselves anymore”.
And what I’ve learned is this: these symptoms are not a curse.
They are messages — signs that both the body and mind are transforming.
And within that transformation lies the chance to become the architect of your own wellbeing.
Through mindfulness and coaching, I see small miracles every day: women who rediscover their centre, meet anxiety with awareness, and reconnect with a stronger, wiser, more authentic version of themselves.
Your brain can change. You can change.
It’s not too late. You are not too old. You are not stuck.
Every mindful breath you take builds new neural pathways — small acts of transformation, one conscious thought at a time.
You have this power.
Start today.
