Valerie May Yoga, Green Lane, London (2025)

25/11/2025

At work you're finding it really hard to concentrate on what you're doing. Everybody's talking behind you. The radio is going on in the background too. Your computer lights are glaring in your eyes, and suddenly you just think, "I can't cope with this."

At home after a busy day. The TV's on, the kids are playing games and music. There's noise everywhere. You're trying to cook dinner. The dog's barking. The phone's going. AAAAHHHH!

These days, you have SUCH low stress tolerance. Noises, smells, questions, to-do lists, emails pinging every two seconds. You can’t think straight and just want to run away!

You are experiencing sensory overload during perimenopause or menopause including:

Heightened sensitivity to light, noise and smells.

Irritability or frustration that all these stimulatory things are getting on top of you.

Increased panic and anxiety out of nowhere.

So, why on earth does this happen during midlife?

Oestrogen plays a part in regulation of brain chemicals such as serotonin and dopamine, which enhance your mood. They also help with cognitive function and sensory perception.

If you are tired, your brain function is a lot slower and it is more difficult to focus on things. If you've had nights of bad sleep, day-to-day living, never mind all these extra sensory stimuli, can be overwhelming.

Anxiety, low mood and mood swings lowers your threshold for being able to cope with these extra sensory perceptions.

Practicing Yoga can really help ease sensory overload and by supporting your senses better.

The breathing techniques reduce stress so when you realise you're in a situation that is possibly going to trigger sensory overload you can utilise the strategies you’ve learned.

Yoga can help improve your sleep which will have a positive impact on your mood.

Yoga creates a calm, safe space where you can cocoon yourself away for an hour or so to pacify and sooth your senses.

Yoga calms an overexcited nervous system. The stronger and more robust this is, the more it will be able to cope with everything that's going on.

All of these things and more will be in my upcoming course. If this of interest to you keep your eyes peeled for more!

24/11/2025

Where the hell are my keys?!
(Only to find them in your hand.)

Who moved my sunglasses?!
(Ummm, mum…they’re on your head.)

You’ve double booked or forgotten appointments so many times now you’ve lost count and god forbid you run into someone you haven’t seen in a while and need to pull up their name.

Rest assured you are not alone and you’re not losing it.

In fact, last week, I couldn’t find my beloved Birkenstocks and searched the whole house for them thinking I had lost the plot only to find them simply sitting there in the shoe rack. Seriously?

Memory loss is common in the perimenopause and menopause. Forgetfulness can make the best of us feel anxious and worried that our brain’s abilities are diminishing. Many women are concerned about whether this could be a sign of early dementia.

But thankfully, that really isn’t the case and as you’ve probably guessed memory issues are due hormonal changes. When oestrogen levels are low or going wildly up and down, both memory and mood can be affected.

Low mood can also be associated with poor brain functioning, so it’s a bit of a vicious cycle.

Also stress and anxiety, both of which can increase in the perimenopause and menopause, can also affect your memory, as can lack of sleep.

If you are suffering from menopause-related forgetfulness, don’t worry there are lots of strategies to help including:

Focussing on sleep and reducing stress levels – it’s important to make sure you’re getting enough sleep and relaxation.

Incorporating movement such as yoga, which helps improve cognitive function and your sense of wellbeing..

Understanding what’s happening, and why, can take away a lot of the worry and help you break out of the stress-sleep-memory vicious circle. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy can help to turn around our negative thinking.

I am looking forward to launching something really soon that will help you understand all of these strange symptoms and provide you with natural and repeatable tools that you can use in your daily life.

Have you noticed that you memory sometimes fails you recently?

23/11/2025

It’s easy for the marketing to really get its hooks into you.

Thinking we need to have the right outfit or the fancy equipment or be our most fittest, thinnest, flexible self before we start yoga.

But here’s the big news…contrary to popular belief you don’t need any of this for yoga! HOO-BLOODY-RAY!

Are your hips a bit tight..don’t worry just come anyway!

You can’t touch your toes….don’t worry come anyway!

Is your brain so busy you don’t think you’ll be able to relax…don’t worry come anyway!

Do you have absolutely zero idea what you are doing… don’t worry JUST come anyway!

This is because yoga isn’t about how you look - it's about feeling, listening, breathing, letting go and coming home to yourself.

Inside my classes there’s zero pressure, zero judgement. You can come in your baggiest oldest pants if you like. Oh, and I’ll have a yoga mat waiting ready and waiting for you.

18/11/2025

Have you found that perimenopause has brought some unwanted baggage like extra weight around the waist? You’re really down about it and don’t recognise yourself. You’ve upped your exercise regime and restricted your diet but it just doesn’t seem to budge?

So what the hell can you do to shift it?

This change in our bodies is due to hormone imbalances but not just reproductive hormones. There is something else to consider that you may not have known. Midriff weight gain in perimenopause can be exacerbated by stress and poor sleep.

Believe it or not that stubborn midlife midriff weight gain can be made worse by stress and not enough sleep but winding down with yoga can help regulate hormones to allow you to switch off.

When stress hormones like cortisol are high they make it easier for fat to gather around the middle. Constantly feeling stressed may seem like the norm in today’s fast-paced society. but that does not mean that it’s healthy. To tame your cortisol levels, you must slow down, de-stress, unplug, meditate, stretch and relax.

To add insult to injury, women who sleep fewer than 6 hours a night are more likely to gain abdominal fat. You may feel robbed of sleep by night sweats making you wake up at odd hours of the night. Or your system may still be too wired at bedtime to get into sleep mode. Chronic sleep deficits can promote weight gain. This is because of the effects that sleep has on two hormones that regulate appetite. When you get enough sleep your body releases leptin, a hormone that controls appetite. Not enough means a bigger release of ghrelin, a hormone that literally makes you crave junk food!

So of course we love yoga for its amazing benefits to help sooth our nervous systems and also as an aid to help us sleep. Yoga helps to calm your mind and reduce cortisol, preventing this major stress hormone from “feeding” more belly fat. It’s also a great whole body exercise for core muscle toning and balance..

The encouraging message: just because that fat hasn’t budged lately doesn’t mean that it won’t when you try a different approach!

Have you struggled with this and would you like to find out some new ways that can really help?

16/11/2025

Have you ever thought that life has a very uncanny way of throwing us curveballs when we least expect it?

Whether it’s a phyical injury, a family revelation, or an issue at work. Life's curveballs are standard but how do you deal with them?

It could be that you tend to pretend everything’s fine and push on through.
Or you just freeze, feeling like you want to curl up in bed and check out completely.
You may loose your cool and throw an absolute fit.
Or you just don't know how to deal with situation and think it will derail you once and for all.

When life decides “Here, have this!” and you’re not sure if you should duck, dive, or just let it hit you…you can either let the chaos consume you or be calm amidst it.

We have this amazing practice of Yoga to turn to when the s**t hits the fan.

Some of the benefits yoga offers include reducing stress, anxiety and helping us feel less in the head, more grounded. Yoga can also enhance mental focus and clarity, so we trust our intuition, especially during challenging times.

Incorporating yoga into your routine can be a powerful tool for managing stress and building more resilience, strength and balance. Get in touch if this resonates with you and you'd like to join me in my weekly classes.

Have you been dealing with some curveballs lately and not sure what to do to cope with them?

14/11/2025

You opened the fridge, saw there was no milk and burst into tears….
You have a basket full of laundry that has literally tipped you over the edge….
You just watched that reel of a cute puppy which had you sobbing on the floor…

Menopause can be an emotional journey, rife with changes that affect everyday life. You may find that things make you more emotional than they did before, making you feel like you’re going crazy. In reality you’re likely just experiencing a completely normal part of menopause: menopausal mood swings.

Whether it’s that puppy or a oven tray of burnt vegetables, the hormonal changes of menopause can make minor things feel overwhelming.

Controlling your menopausal mood swings may seem hopeless, but there are ways to manage and master them.

Gentle exercise can be an effective way to level your emotions. During exercise our brain releases endorphins that contribute to feelings of well-being, lessening feelings of anxiety.

Mood swings make it difficult to get your thoughts in order, turning every day into a fight for calm and clarity. Meditation techniques can be an effective option for women who want to find peace of mind and establish a regular period of relaxation.

Yoga combines mind and body, keeping your mood swings in check. Focussing on your whole body, from your breathing to your flexibility to your balance.

Not only does this allow you to work your muscles and release helpful endorphins, but physical activity can take the focus off mental or emotional worries. Instead of giving yourself a chance to have a mood swing, yoga allows you to do something constructive for all aspects of your wellbeing.

Time with like minded women helps. These emotions can make it feel like you’re the only one in the world going through it, but you’re not. If you’re going through menopause there are others going through it having the exact same feelings. Sharing with others can give you a chance to find validation for your feelings.

I have got all of the above coming in a brand new course very soon. Along with another great expert who will be dealing with nutrition and lifestyle top tips. Comment below MENOPAUSE if this may be of interest.

09/11/2025

Lately have you noticed your energy levels are lower and that you have stronger afternoon slumps.

You feel the need to sleep and rest more. You are craving warmer, heavier comfort food. You are experiencing more aches and stiffness in your muscles and joints. You’re more reflective, wanting to turn inwards, and seeking slower and quieter moments.

Don’t worry you are not being lazy… this is totally normal…. so be easy and kind to yourself, lean into these feelings as you are moving with the seasons rhythm of release and renewal.

Reasons for the above are that as the days shorten we produce higher melatonin levels, a naturally produced hormone that regulates our sleep-wake cycle. The more melatonin we produce the sleepier we are.

Also changes in daylight results in changes to our circadian rhythm - the body’s natural 24-hour clock which regulates our sleep-wake cycle. As daylight hours diminish, our circadian rhythm shifts.

More time indoors and constant usage of screens means detachment from the natural world and less exposure to natural light. This disconnects us from nature’s rhythms and can disrupt our natural sleep patterns.

Embracing autumn also involves optimising our environment and habits, including:

-Getting outside as much as can to get some natural light;
-Reducing exposure to LEDs and blue light after it gets dark.
-Ensuring your sleep space remains dark, quiet, and cool can make a substantial difference.
-Establishing a consistent sleep routine, allowing our body to anticipate and prepare for rest.
-Incorporating mindfulness practices like yoga and meditation can be invaluable to guide the mind into a state of calm, facilitating restful sleep.

Have you noticed any of these changes as we move more deeply into the season of Autumn?

07/11/2025

You don’t have to suffer. Seriously.

Many of us have been conditioned by the media and the medical industrial complex to think that peri-menopause and menopause is just a time in our lives that we just have to put up with.

That its just a s**t ton of awful, debilitating symptoms that you have to suffer through.

That its just something all women must endure…. take some hormones or anti-depressants and just get on with it.

What if there was a different way to approach to this time of life?

What if It didn’t have to be so horrible?

What if rather than masking and suppressing symptoms you start to understand and support what is going on in your body and all of its systems?

What if you could start to understand that this time of life is a natural and normal process….

That your body is not failing you….

Could you turn the lens around and make this time in your life a more positive and pleasant experience?

A time where you can learn more about yourself and grow as a person.

All of that is possible, I promise, come find me and I’ll show you how.

05/11/2025

Your intuition matters and you know your body best. Period.

But as soon as you get pregnant it’s impossible to ignore that there are a heck of a lot of opinions out there…even ones you didn’t ask for.

It’s easy to end up a bit scared that your own opinions are dangerous or not smart, and that the experts always know more than you do.

Not to say that we don’t need the experts sometimes and when it’s necessary …but wait a hot minute… isn’t giving birth something that women have done since the dawn of time without any input?

If you want to have a natural birth and not be so medicalised then you have to get over this problem that has been well established in your mind & psyche that you can’t trust yourself.

You have been conditioned and taught via culture, media, the experts and so many other areas that your intuition cannot be trusted and that you yourself cannot be trusted. That instead you need to turn over your agency to people outside of yourself.

But somehow that just doesn’t feel right to you. Something is whispering to you that that isn’t the way you want to go, that there is another way. Something inside of you says I know all of that and I know what I need to do and that I’ll take the necessary steps if needs be.

Yoga can help you to listen deeply and to provide you with tools to do what is natural and right. You can create and engage with practices to help you hone into your intuition. So that when the birthing day arrives you can deeply listen to yourself and trust that the messages you receive are the right ones for you, to help you make the best decision for yourself, no matter how that looks or whatever occurs.

This is exactly what we do inside of my prenatal classes and courses. Comment ‘PREGNANCY’ and we can talk about options that will help you to lean into asking the right questions and trusting your gut.

02/11/2025

Do you have that niggling thought: ‘I’d be happier if….’.

Whether it's losing 10lbs, getting a different job, meeting someone new, or being able to get yourself into that yoga posture you've been working towards, there’s probably one or two things you feel would make you happier if you could just make them happen.

Having the urge to want to grow and expand to achieve a goal isn’t a bad thing at all – but it becomes the hindrance to the very contentment you seek when you place your entire sense of peace and happiness on these things.

This doesn't mean idly sitting back and relinquishing the need to do anything. It simply means accepting and appreciating what you have and what you are already, and moving forwards from there.

Getting that promotion, losing weight, buying the car, the house or meeting someone are all things that you seek outside of yourself in order to make you happy – and sooner or later those things lose their shine or they change and what brought happiness has disappeared again.

The answer also lies in realising that the peace and happiness you seek, already lies inside of you, here in the moment, in the little things, in the fact that you get to move through the world and experience it.

If you're looking for happiness, look no further - it's already inside you, and there are plenty of ways to uncover it on and off the yoga mat.

Have you sought happiness in achievements or material things only to be find that once you have them in hand, they don’t make you truly happy at all?

30/10/2025

Running around, always-on, ignoring the seasonal shifts is incredibly common.

But if you pay attention, you’ll notice that your energy levels change throughout the year and if you don’t change with them then by late Autumn you end up feeling depressed and your motivation waning.

It’s not at all surprising that you want to maintain the same life rhythm and schedule as in the spring and summer, dreading the changes in season. Spring and summer are full of upbeat vivacious energy. All that sun and fun. But maybe you should reconsider so that Autumn doesn’t bring depression and dread but instead allows you to shift to a time of recovery, rest, renewal.

No animal or plant - as far as I know - maintains the same pace, rhythm and schedule all year. Animals change their habits, leaves fall from the trees and plants fall dormant. Some animals and insects move into hibernation. They can sense the changes in season without smart devices, clocks and calendars.

Autumn and winter are times to rest & restore, a space to conserve energy.

During these colder and darker months it is important to withdraw, reflect, replenish and relax. Its an opportunity to let go of anxiety, stay present and flow gently into months. Once we reframe out thinking - that the change of season is the problem and terrible - and reckon with the reality that for everything there is a season the more we find it less frustrating and accept, welcome.

Once the cold and dark arrives instead of the same old routine…reframe, downshift and accept more of turning inward, reflecting a bit more, being content with lower energy levels…. Living more in harmony with nature. When you do, you’ll end up feeling more peace, more ease, and dare I say…you may even enjoy the shorter and colder months for all that they give you so that once the warmer months emerge, you’ll be even more ready to go that before.

Do you accept the changes in seasons or do you maintain the same pace all year round?

28/10/2025

The struggle to sleep is real…

Especially during perimenopause and menopause, it can feel like an endless cycle of exhaustion.

There’s something uniquely disorienting about being wide awake when the rest of the world is fast asleep.

For many women in their 40s and 50s, this isn’t just the occasional rough night. It’s a relentless pattern: hot flushes pulling you out of slumber, a restless mind refusing to switch off, and mornings that begin with the weight of exhaustion before the day has even started.

Lack of sleep doesn’t just drain energy — it ripples into mood, concentration, and confidence.

Work feels harder, patience at home runs thin, and even simple decisions take longer because of that heavy fog in the brain.

Add to this the quiet worry of, “Is this my new normal?” and it’s no wonder many women feel stuck. Sleep is more than rest; it’s the foundation for health, focus, and feeling like yourself.

When that foundation cracks, everything else wobbles.

But wait…there’s something that can help, it’s been around for centuries, and it may just end up being the magic potion you’ve been looking for.

So the next time you find yourself tossing and turning consider:

Putting your legs up the while
Belly breathing
A little bit of pre-sleep meditation

You’ll be surprised how these simple options change the game.

Do you struggle with sleep lately?

Valerie May Yoga

25/11/2025

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