Wellness Diaries: Loretta Dignam, CEO of The Menopause Hub

I wake at… 7am on weekdays and have a lie-in on the weekends, to recharge my batteries (against all the sleep advice I know!) which works brilliantly for me.

The first thing I do every morning is… have a shower, followed by a cup of tea – my favourite way to start the day! I love the mornings. It is MY time. I take my time before launching into my day.

My morning routine is… during ‘my time’ I have my breakfast, read the papers, listen to Morning Ireland, check the ‘menopause‘ news via Google alerts, and ponder the day ahead. I used to exercise in the mornings, but now I do that in the evenings and at the weekend. I would rather start my day like this and have an extra hour in bed. Then I start work, which could be menopause webinars, training for managers / HR executives, meeting clients, visiting our clinics. No two days are the same.

I can’t go to work without… breakfast! I have to have my breakfast. It sets me up for the day. I actually look forward to my breakfast, which is usually healthy granola, oat milk and fruit.

The self-care tool I use every day is… apply my HRT (hormone replacement therapy). I use an oestrogen replacement gel, and a testosterone replacement cream and my progesterone tablet. I make sure I don’t miss this as it will affect how I feel.

The best part of my day is… ticking off my to-do list, then I know that I have accomplished what I set out to achieve. It gives me great satisfaction. My to-do list includes work, personal, family, friends, and related items. I don’t just focus on work. Each week I create my to-do list and then break that down daily. I tick off my weekly list at the end of the week, another great source of satisfaction.

The most challenging part of my day is… getting to bed on time. there is always something to do, watch, read, catch up on. Being an entrepreneur and running my own business means that the work is never done  and often it creeps into my leisure time. I love my sleep and need my sleep, but somehow I end up going to bed most nights later than I plan to or would like.

I engage with self-care every day by… getting out in the fresh air, usually walking our dog, Bounty. We would go on a 45-minute walk. I don’t listen to music, podcasts or audio books, I just listen to the sounds of nature by the River Dodder next to our home and in the beautiful parks nearby. There is nothing like a blue sky, whether it is crisp and cold or warm and sunny.

My daily self-care checklist routine includes… quiet time in the morning, a cup of Barry’s tea, laughter (essential), chatting with my kidults and some daydreaming.

The quickest, smallest thing I do for myself every day is…read / listen to the Whatsapp jokes, memes and videos that my friends send me. They make me laugh and if I cannot stop during the day for a few minutes to enjoy a bit of humour, then what is the point?

I know it’s been a good day if…I go to bed feeling I have accomplished as much as I can (personally and professionally) and I have had fun and laughter along the way.

I switch off from work by…listening to the news, watching TV (Netflix or similar). I have taken up fencing recently and love that, meeting friends, cinema, theatre. There is so much to do in life beyond work, that I am never stuck for ways to relax and unwind.

Before I go to bed, I’ll… write up anything I need to do the next day, so it is off my mind, listen to some relaxing music and will be asleep in 10 minutes.

After a long working week, I destress by…cycling in the mountains (preferably when the weather is not too cold), hanging out with my kids, meeting friends and family and  catching up on sleep. Pottering can be great too, in the house or garden, having a couple of glasses of nice white wine.

My go-to comfort meal is… teriyaki salmon and roasted vegetables, quick, easy, tasty and healthy!

When I really need a moment to myself, I always… sit down with a cup of Barry’s tea.

Something I try to do for myself every day is… sing my anthems in my car! I have a list of songs that make me feel upbeat, energised and positive. I listen to them in rotation in my car while driving and singing!

The most reflective moment in the day is… first thing in the morning when the day is new and I have time to myself.

The one person, place or thing guaranteed to give me joy is… my children. My son is now 29 and my daughter is 21. I love to hear their perspective on things, meet their friends when they visit and generally have a bit of craic with them.

I wish I could… eat lunch more mindfully. It’s usually a bit of a rush job or eaten on the go.

Everyone should try… laughter every day. It is so good for us and is contagious.

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