Is Your Heart Changing in Menopause?
What You Can Do About It With Chinese Medicine
When we think of perimenopause and menopause, we often focus on hot flashes, night sweats, or mood changes. However, one of the most important and often overlooked transformations during this time is happening deep within your chest: your heart.
Menopause is more than a milestone; it's a turning point for your heart. As estrogen declines, your body's natural protection against cardiovascular disease begins to wane, opening the door to changes in blood pressure, cholesterol, and insulin sensitivity. This hormonal shift can also disrupt sleep, elevate stress, and alter the way your body stores fat, all of which can strain your heart over time.
In Chinese Medicine, the Heart is more than an organ; it is the Shen, the spirit, the sovereign. It is often the pre-existing deficiencies of being depleted, overworked, and undernourished that can lead to distressing symptoms requiring intervention.
During our menstrual years, the energy from the heart flows downward to nourish the womb. During the post-menopausal years, the energy reverses, and the energy from the uterus flows upward to nourish the heart.
Heart-Uterus Relationship in TCM: and Its Role in Emotional Well-being
In TCM, there is a harmony between the Heart and the Kidney. Heart Fire (yang) goes downwards to Kidney to warm Kidney Water (yin), so Kidney Water is not too cold; Kidney Water goes upwards to nourish Heart so Heart Fire is not too hot. Thus, a balance is created between Water and Fire, in other words, between yin and yang.
In the case of menopause, Kidney Essence (Jing) is diminishing. There is insufficient Kidney Water to nourish the Heart, so the Heart Fire is hyperactive. This causes symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, poor sleep, and mood swings. This is the disharmony between the Heart and the Kidney. For the treatment, we should harmonise the Heart and Kidney and balance yin and yang.
Common Signs That Your Heart May Be Affected
You’re Struggling with Sleep
Whether you're waking up drenched in sweat or waking up at 3 a.m. with a racing mind, disrupted sleep during menopause is more than frustrating; it’s a warning sign. Poor sleep, especially when driven by hot flashes or undiagnosed sleep apnea, interferes with the natural drop in nighttime blood pressure. This pattern is linked to a higher risk of heart disease and stroke.
In Chinese medicine, restful sleep depends on a well-nourished Heart, where the Shen, your spirit, comes to rest at night. When yin becomes depleted, especially during menopause, the Shen grows restless, leading to insomnia, anxiety, and fragmented sleep. Rebuilding yin through calming foods, herbal support, and restorative habits like screen-free evenings and deep breathing helps settle both body and mind. Acupuncture can be especially powerful here, with points like An Mian (“Peaceful Sleep”) and Heart 7 (Shenmen, or “Spirit Gate”) used to calm the nervous system and guide you back into deep, healing sleep.
Your Cholestrol Shifts For the Worse
As estrogen levels decline during menopause, the body’s natural cholesterol balance begins to unravel. “Bad” LDL cholesterol tends to rise, while “good” HDL often drops, creating the perfect storm for plaque buildup in the arteries. This silent progression toward atherosclerosis can increase your risk of heart attack or stroke without warning.
From a Chinese medicine perspective, menopause is seen as a time when the Heart can become burdened by excess phlegm (metabolic stagnation) or weakened by blood deficiency, both of which can disrupt healthy circulation and emotional harmony. Herbal formulas can help move the blood and clear stagnation, nourish and restore the Heart’s energy. Acupuncture offers additional support by easing palpitations and calming the spirit.
You’re Experiencing Mood Swings
Mood swings, anxiety, and even depression during menopause are not “just in your head,” they're deeply connected to your heart health. Emotional stress raises cortisol levels, which can disrupt sleep, increase blood pressure, and throw off metabolic balance, all of which add strain to your cardiovascular system.
In Chinese medicine, emotions are seen as a powerful influence on physical health, and when they become chronic or overwhelming, they can become a root cause of illness. Menopausal mood shifts often stem from Heart yin deficiency, which leads to insomnia, restlessness, and anxiety. Acupuncture helps regulate the nervous system and restore emotional equilibrium, while herbal formulas nourish the Heart and calm the spirit. When paired with other practices like meditation, this holistic approach supports both emotional resilience and heart health, helping you feel more grounded, balanced, and whole during this transformative stage.
Yang Sheng Practices For Supporting Your Heart:
TCM recommends an integrated personalised approach that can include acupuncture, herbal medicine, dietary recommendations, and yang sheng practices (life nourishing) like breathwork, Qigong, and meditation to address emotional blockages and reopen channels.
Here are some of my top practices that I recommend to my clients.
Qigong
When I first began exploring women-centered Qigong, I realized something was missing from the more unisex practices I had encountered—something uniquely attuned to the female body and its cycles. That’s when I discovered Earth Qigong, a 2,000-year-old practice created specifically for women. Composed of eight distinct movement sets, each one is designed to support a different organ system while nurturing the vital yin and Earth energies that women naturally possess. This ancient form of Qigong offers a deeply intuitive way to harmonize the body and gently alleviate the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause, bringing balance, vitality, and a renewed sense of connection to oneself.
For this post, it is the 8th set that connects to the Heart system (and the fire element associated with the heart). It develops spiritual health and can support our moods and combat feelings of overwhelm.
What I love most about Earth Qigong is the way its gentle, conscious, and graceful movements invite you to slow down, soften, and truly listen to your body. Each sequence is performed slowly and intentionally, allowing the body. This fosters a deep sense of alignment between meridian flow and spinal health, which in turn supports core systems like the pelvis and brain.
Because the movements are rhythmic and repetitive, they naturally calm the nervous system and increase alpha brain waves, those associated with intuition, creativity, and inner knowing. It’s a practice that not only grounds you but also awakens your inner wisdom.
The beauty of Earth Qigong is its simplicity: in just 20 minutes, you can complete all eight sequences. There’s no need for special equipment or a large space, just your body and your presence, exactly as you are. These feminine, flowing movements have a way of drawing out your vitality, lightness, and joy.
If you are interested in learning more about this form of Qigong, then do drop me a line.
Acuoils: Essential Oils on Heart-Centered Acupressure Points
When you combine the ancient wisdom of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) with the potent healing properties of essential oils, something truly magical unfolds. These oils are unique; they function as both matter and energy. You can see, smell, touch, and even taste them; that’s their tangible, sensory presence. But equally powerful is their Qi, the vital life force they carry. In Chinese medicine, Qi is the same energy that flows through us, sustaining our health and emotional balance. When essential oils are applied topically or inhaled aromatically, they interact with our body’s energy systems to promote harmony and healing.
One of the most common and debilitating symptoms of menopause is poor sleep. Insomnia not only robs you of rest but also worsens other symptoms like weight gain, mood swings, and brain fog. If your sleeplessness is rooted in anxiety or an overbusy, racing mind, supporting the Heart can be especially effective.
Try applying calming oils like Cedarwood or Sandalwood to Heart 7 (Shenmen), an acupressure point located on the pinky side of your wrist crease. These grounding oils help gather scattered Qi, calm the spirit, and invite restful, restorative sleep.
Discover the Power of Listening to the Heart Meditation
Listening to the Heart is more than just a meditation technique; it's a complete system for self-healing and self-discovery. Rooted in Taoist practices, this unique practice combines science, imagination, and inner awareness, free from any religious or cultural ties. I have had the great privilege of learning this technique through acclaimed master herbalist David Crow.
At its core, Listening to the Heart is a biologically based method that helps us connect with our true selves —the part of us that transcends race, gender, nationality, or belief. It invites us to explore both our inner world and the universe around us, one heartbeat at a time.
It’s a powerful tool for emotional healing. Whether you're dealing with grief, loss, or feelings of isolation, Listening to the Heart helps restore emotional balance and inner peace. By turning your attention inward, you develop a healthier relationship with yourself, which naturally improves your relationships with others.
Regular practice opens up creative channels and brings inspiration, helping you solve problems and make better decisions. Clinically tested versions of this practice have been shown to improve emotional awareness, teaching us to identify and express our feelings in healthy, productive ways.
Listening to the Heart is simple, powerful, and transformative. Whether you’re just starting a meditation practice or looking for a new approach, it offers a grounded path toward peace, healing, and self-discovery.
Here is a small Introduction art of the full practice.
Image for Finding the Mudra - courtesy of David Crow
If you're interested in learning more, I can personally recommend checking out David’s courses.
How do you support your heart health? What practices beyond Western medicine have you tried?
Until next week
This Thursday, Jun 19, 2025, at 11.00 AM
and I will be talking all about The Ancient Science of Touch | Art and Heart of Menopause, Ayurveda and Chinese MedicineExciting News 🌟
I'm thrilled to share that The Mindful Menopause and Beyond Hormones will be featured in the Smashwords Annual Summer/Winter Sale this July!
This is a wonderful opportunity to grab these supportive, empowering reads at a special discount, alongside inspiring titles from other amazing authors. Whether you're navigating the ups and downs of menopause or looking to thrive beyond it, these books are here to guide you with insight, compassion, and practical wisdom.
🗓 Mark your calendar: The promotion starts July 1st
🔗 Save this link: https://www.smashwords.com/shelves/promos/
Thank you for being part of this journey. Your support means the world—and I hope these books bring you clarity, comfort, and confidence during this important chapter of life.
With gratitude, and happy reading!
💜