The Secrets to Managing Menopause With Grace, Humor, and Technology

The dichotomy of getting older. Many women are happier, more content, and confident when approaching and passing through their 50s than ever before — yet, our reactions to stress and anxiety have never been more challenging. Managing menopause can sometimes feel like the bane of our existence.

While we cannot avoid this stress-inducing, seven-to-fourteen-year menopausal stage, we can look for areas of personal agency. I was fortunate to learn about the role of vibrations and touch receptors about a year ago from one of our brand partners, Apollo Neuro. (ICYMI, you can read more here.) This wearable naturally calms my mind, reduces my reaction to stress, and improves my quality of sleep. 

I was looking at solutions available for managing menopause symptoms that are not pharmacological, but would work well with hormone replacement therapy should I decide to go that route. One solution that I have been using for the last year is the Apollo wearable from Apollo Neuro.

This small device has spent part of every day on my wrist — I am actually wearing it as I write today. It works with the body’s natural sensitivity to touch, and regulates how I am feeling using proprietary touch therapy. What you feel are gentle, soothing waves of vibration that rebalance and activate your nervous system, sent from the device that can either be worn on your wrist, ankle, or as a clip attached to clothing. It’s not exactly like being hugged, but the comforting and grounding effect is pretty close to it. Which is a great option for those that enjoy the physicality of hugs — and those who don’t. 

How These Vibes Combat Midlife Challenges

Using touch vibrations, the Apollo wearable improves the vagal tone, moving me out of that fight-or-flight mode — naturally reducing stress levels in a non-invasive way. Created by neuroscientists, the Apollo wearable seamlessly delivers soothing vibes to reduce those menopause symptoms around: stress, low energy, lack of focus, and insomnia. Just open up the app and choose from the menu of Apollo Vibes including Energy, Focus, Unwind, Power Nap, Sleep, and more. Their new SmartVibes membership unlocked a feature that recognizes when I begin to wake up in the night and sends gentle Vibes to lull me back to sleep. This was a total game changer as sleep can be really elusive during these menopause years. I am a much better human with a good night’s sleep. 

My Personal Apollo Schedule

With May of 2024 marking a year of consistent daily use, I can attest that these “Vibes” work. Especially if you are looking to counterbalance the effects of menopause. 

• The Good Morning Vibe slowly wakes me up at a time of my choosing.
• The Focus Vibe is perfect when I’m struggling to get stuff done — I use it mid-morning and mid-afternoon. Very helpful when dealing with menopause “brain fog.” 
• The Recover Vibe helps me bounce back after a workout — OR after a period of high stress. There are many days when I heavily rely on the recovery vibe for stress reduction. 
• The Unwind Vibe easily transitions me into relaxation after dinner and starts my nightly wind-down.
• The Sleep Vibe helps me fall asleep and stay asleep. Through the use of the new SmartVibes, it senses when to turn back on automatically during the night to keep me asleep. This is probably my very favorite feature. 

Plugging Into New Technology

When speaking with Apollo co-founder and Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Dave Rabin MD (neuroscientist and psychiatrist) on the SuperAge podcast, we learned more about the discovery of these powerful vibrations and the positive effect they can have. This discovery was a bit of a happy accident but, once fully understood, the team was able to dial into the very specific frequencies that worked best to support the desired states of energy, calmness, focus, recovery, relaxation, and sleep. (Listen here)

Want to learn more about how science, technology, and good vibes can strengthen your body’s reaction to stress and enhance your ability to sleep during these wonderfully challenging years of managing menopause? Visit the Apollo website and be sure to use the code AGEIST at checkout for $40 off. It’s totally worth the investment!

Looking for more:

The Science Behind the Apollo Wearable