Nature vs Nurture….with a Sprinkling of Perimenopause
Nature or Nurture, why are some people positive and some negative? And what effect does this have on the perimenopause/menopause?
This is a fascinating subject and one that has always intrigued me. Why are some people born with a glass half empty reflection on life, while others see the world through a glass half full approach and how does this influence play out not only in life but also, in terms of perimenopause and menopause, does it influence the transition experience?
Research shows that personality traits are 30-50% genetic, implying that optimism and pessimism may be inherited. Brain chemistry has a powerful impact too as levels of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine influence mood. A further interesting factor suggests that temperament shows up as early as at birth, where some babies demonstrate a naturally calm and curious nature while others are more cautious and reactive. So we start life with a baseline tendency for optimism or pessimism, thus advocating that nature plays a strong hand.
However, while nature plays a huge role in what we are born with, nurture, in terms of the environment and life experiences, has a massive impact on how positivity and negativity develop. There are 4 key influences on our nurturing; parenting style, early experiences, social environment and learned thinking patterns. A positive and more confident character is more common from receiving supportive and encouraging parenting as a child, whilst exposure to any trauma, instability or stressful situations growing up, may foster a more negative outlook.
A more positive person is more likely to have grown up around an engaging social infrastructure in terms of friends, community and culture. In addition, how you interpret your thoughts and whether you see things as a problem or a possibility can also influence your take on life.
The brain is hugely influential. It is human to remember bad experiences more than good ones because of the psychological affects that ruminate in your head, but personal habits and mindset can be extremely counteractive over time. Habits that are practiced daily can ultimately change an outlook. Practicing gratitude and focusing on solutions and overcoming challenges, instigates a positive interpretation of life’s twists and turns. Alternatively dwelling on problems, developing a tendency to expect the worst and viewing challenges and circumstances from a negative perspective, encourages a more pessimistic take on life.
Positive Psychology research, particularly work by psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky, Kennon M Sheldon and David Schkade, has developed The Happiness Pie Model which illustrates that happiness is roughly influenced by 3 factors
· Genetics/set point 50% - This refers to your baseline mood, suggesting people return to a general happiness set point which decides if you naturally lean towards optimism or if you worry more.
· Life Circumstances around 10% - Encompassing income, job, where you live, relationship status and possessions. These are surprisingly less influential than people think and relates to Hedonic Adaptation where feelings associated with certain situations are temporary eg. a new car or a pay rise.
· Intentional Activities 40% - This is the part we have most control over. These activities can change brain patterns through neuroplasticity and include:
- Gratitude, writing down things you are thankful for
- Acts of kindness, helping others boosts mood and improves self-worth
- Positive reframing, seeing challenges as lessons to be learnt or opportunities to be explored
- Strong Relationships, spending meaningful time with those important to us
- Mindfulness, practicing meditation to help regulate emotions
We may have nature to thank for our baseline positive or negative tendency and nurture to help mold our outlook on life, but ultimately we can influence our happiness through intentional habits and mindset.
So what of the nature/nurture influence on the perimenopause/menopause? This really is a time when nature, nurture and biology all work together but where we can take some control through lifestyle and intentions. Perimenopause can feel quite brutal at times and can heavily influence our mood, some days leaning more towards optimism and other days feeling quite pessimistic.
The fluctuation of estrogen and progesterone can be a real game changer on our outlook. Hormones directly impact brain chemicals such as Serotonin which regulates our mood, Dopamine which influences motivation and reward and Cortisol which is the stress hormone. The fluctuation of estrogen can cause serotonin to fall, stress sensitivity to rise and make regulating our emotions more of a challenge. The effects on our brain chemistry is key here making us feel more irritable, more anxious, more depressed and more negative, all of which can put a very pessimistic slant on our view of life. It’s not a change of personality but an increase in our brain’s sensitivity to hormones. As a result we may experience stronger mood swings and a higher level of anxiety and negativity.
The perimenopause often coincides with some stressful stages in life which can heighten how we feel, such as aging parents, teenage kids, career shifts and relationship changes which combined with disrupted sleep, hot flushes and other symptoms can implode in a pessimistic cloud. The good news is it is not a permanent state of being and it does not mean we have undergone a personality change overnight! Many women talk of post menopause being a much calmer, more emotionally stable time. Paying greater attention to your wellness and looking after yourself with kindness and compassion can help keep the positive spin on life…..well, spinning.
Nature is key in deciding when you will experience the perimenopause/menopause as your genes strongly influence the timing. There is a tendency to follow after your mother but you are also born with a fixed number of eggs which affects ovarian ageing and the hormone production that triggers perimenopause. However, lifestyle factors, in essence, nurture, play an enormous role in our perimenopause/menopause experience. Nutrition, movement, stress management, sleep hygiene all have a significant impact on symptoms, influencing our mood. Nutrition effects hormone metabolism and inflammation which can contribute to achy, stiff joints, brain fog and how your body stores fat and energy.
Making sure you include whole foods, protein, healthy fats and phytoestrogens in your daily diet can really help combat these symptoms and help lessen fatigue and weight gain. Movement, in particular strength training, helps support hormonal balance, improves bone density, mood regulation and regulates metabolism. Managing stress is crucial to keeping cortisol under control which in turn will guard against disrupted sleep, anxiety and hormonal imbalance. Sleep is like the holy grail during the transition but developing a circadian rhythm and calming bedtime routine will improve sleep patterns which will have a knock on effect on all symptoms.
Social infrastructure again carries huge sway during the transition. Having a strong community of friends, family or health professionals you can share your perimenopause and menopause experiences with will help regulate your mood and make you feel less alone.
So Nature will predetermine your perimenopause/menopause but Nurture will shape your experience. The tougher the symptoms, the higher the tendency towards negativity but really taking the time to think about your lifestyle may help lessen the blow and give way to a more positive and hopeful outlook.
Final thoughts
There is a strong case for nature and nurture in deciding our positive or negative take on life but when it comes to the perimenopause/menopause, harmony may provide the answer. When nature, nurture and biology work alongside each other a more optimistic viewpoint may triumph. We can’t change what we are born with but we can heavily influence how it plays out through lifestyle choices. We will all experience a transition that is unique to us and equally we all have control over what lifestyle habits we employ to influence symptoms. Most importantly the one thing to take from this is there is no right or wrong way there is only what works for you, but when nature, nurture and mindset join forces the result can be positively empowering.
PS “Nature and Nurture conspire together. One must keep both in view.” Jessie J. Prinz. Delve a bit deeper and contact Positive-Soul.