Hot flashes, night sweats, and vaginal dryness tend to be the most prevalent when it comes to menopause.
But the hormonal roller coaster can wreak havoc far beyond the physical – wreaking havoc on a woman’s mental and emotional health, too.
Model, actress and entrepreneur Molly Sims, 53, knows this well.
“It’s literally like your joints hurt; you can’t fall asleep; you forget your words,” she told the Post of her own perimenopausal symptoms. “But mentally, how does this affect you?
Sims remembers lying awake at night in tears, having trouble getting back to sleep, then waking up exhausted. Eventually, the physical and emotional strain becomes too much.
A friend suggested she try Rula, a virtual mental health care platform that connects users with licensed therapists and psychiatrists within 24 hours, with an average co-pay of $15.
“I was kind of having a moment and hanging by a thread,” she said. “I ended up using the platform at the last minute.”
The experience impressed Sims so much – especially the ability to schedule appointments with experts despite her busy schedule – that she ultimately partnered with the platform.
“Whether they’re 40 or 50 or older, women are struggling,” she said. “They think they can do anything. They think they can be everything to everyone until you hit a wall, and you know, life happens.”
Sims acknowledged that she is privileged to live between New York and Los Angeles, where she has “incredible people at my fingertips.”
“For people who live in rural areas, who live in areas where they can’t take a day off and go meet someone amazing, this gives them the opportunity to do that,” Sims said.
Mental health support has been at the heart of Sims’ approach to perimenopause. But she also developed a list of daily habits and wellness rituals that she says have helped her feel better.
“I live and die by magnesium,” she said, touting magnesium baths and a CBD magnesium balm for her feet. She also adds Epsom salts to her baths to soothe aching joints.
In perimenopause, magnesium can help improve sleep, relax muscles, maintain strong bones, regulate mood swings, and even support metabolic health.
Another must-have? A lively wellness drink.
“I make my Dria water,” she continued. “It’s pretty much a drink I drink every day.”
The concoction was created by Dria Murphy, a New York-based wellness content creator and entrepreneur, and combines colostrum, electrolytes, and creatine.
Murphy told Laugh Lines that she came up with the drink after “feeling overwhelmed by the number of supplements I had on my counter and wanting to simplify everything.”
But how much of these benefits are backed by science?
Electrolyte supplements and sports drinks are generally not necessary for healthy people eating a balanced diet, as plain water provides sufficient hydration for daily activities and office work.
Colostrum supplements, meanwhile, have grown in popularity, but have not been conclusively shown to directly increase energy or improve recovery.
Creatine has stronger scientific support. Mountains of research suggest it is particularly beneficial during perimenopause and postmenopause, helping to support muscle recovery, strength and brain function.
Sims also swears by melatonin and vitamin B-12 injections. Her other wellness must-haves include turmeric, massages, cold plunges and sauna sessions.
However, one practice stands out from the others.
“I think probably one of the biggest things that has helped me is Pilates,” Sims said.
Sims has been training regularly three times a week since July, working with Beth Rodbell, a former professional ballet dancer who offers private Pilates classes in New York, Connecticut and the Hamptons.
“The breathing and stretching and lying down really grounded me in a way. It really helped me. It helped me learn to breathe better, to take a moment, but it really helped my body be aligned.”
She’s also experimenting with different mattresses to address sleep disturbances, another common complaint related to perimenopause. “I try several, but I love Eight Sleep,” she said. “It really syncs my sleep, and it also has a cool dial, so it can match your body temperature.”
She’s far from alone in her struggle to get quality sleep. An estimated 40 to 60 percent of perimenopausal and postmenopausal women experience persistent sleep disturbances and insomnia, a burden largely due to fluctuations in reproductive hormones.
For Sims, the combination of mental health support, movement, supplements, and sleep-focused habits helped her through the transition.
“They all go hand in hand,” she said. “When they don’t go together, I think that’s when you get in trouble.”
Gn Health
