We’ve all heard the jokes about menopause—the night sweats, hot flashes, and irritability that often elicit laughs in comic strips and stand-up comedy. However, menopause is no joke—it’s a natural transition in a woman’s life that brings physical, physiological, and emotional changes. While some of the symptoms of menopause can be uncomfortable, menopause can also be a very freeing stage – no longer having periods or worrying about pregnancy – and a time of enrichment and enjoyment. Contrary to belief, menopause does not diminish your femininity or sexiness in any way. Increasing physical activity levels can reduce the discomfort of menopause.
What is menopause?
According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, “Menopause is the time in a woman’s life when menstruation stops.” National Institutes of Health. “It usually occurs naturally, most commonly after the age of 45. Menopause occurs because a woman’s ovaries stop producing the hormones estrogen and progesterone.”
Hormonal changes during this time can cause many classic symptoms, such as hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, insomnia, irritability, headaches, drowsiness, anxiety, depression, rapid or throbbing heartbeat, and even joint pain.
Menopausal women are also prone to weight gain and becoming anxious and depressed. Although menopause is not technically a medical condition, it is important for menopausal women to stay healthy through exercise and a healthy lifestyle to prevent their bodies from developing some of the conditions that are more common with menopause. Good health is very important to combat these negative effects and more.
5 compelling reasons why physical activity is important during menopause:
1. Exercise can reduce certain health risks
Unfortunately, the aging process brings with it many age-related health problems. Menopause is no exception. The loss of estrogen after menopause is associated with a number of health problems, which can reduce quality of life and in some cases pose health risks. Among them:
- Osteoporosis (brittle bone disease)
- Cardiovascular diseases
- Poor skin elasticity (more wrinkles)
- Certain vision problems, such as cataracts (clouding of the lens of the eye) and macular degeneration
- weight gain
With so much at stake, what can menopausal women do to lower their odds? The Cleveland Clinic recommends, in addition to eating a nutritionally balanced diet, daily exercise and quitting if you smoke.
2. Increased physical activity can reduce the risk of certain cancers
Although cancer can happen to anyone at any age, medical experts agree that age increases the risk of cancer and that menopause is age-related. Breast and endometrial cancer appear to be more common in menopausal women. Research has raised concerns that hormone replacement therapy may increase the risk of ovarian and breast cancer. Therefore, if you are using hormone replacement therapy to relieve menopausal symptoms, talk to your doctor about discontinuing this therapy.
How can exercise help? According to the National Cancer Institute, multiple studies have reported a link between fitness and a reduced risk of prostate, lung, breast, colon and endometrial cancer.
3. Strengthen bones
You may know someone who is older—or you may have been through it yourself—who fell and broke a bone. Menopause causes bones to become brittle due to osteoporosis, making them prone to fractures. But exercise can help. According to the Mayo Clinic, “Physical activity can slow bone loss after menopause, thereby reducing the risk of fractures and osteoporosis.
4. Prevent weight gain
The ugly, sad truth: Women tend to lose muscle mass and gain weight, especially belly fat, during and after menopause. During this period, women gain an average of one pound per year.Physical activity has always been
Physical activity becomes crucial for women who are losing weight and going through menopause.
5. Improve mood and boost self-esteem
If you enjoy physical activity, you’ll be familiar with flushing and flushing
The sense of accomplishment and relaxation that comes with it.physical activity is
A great mood booster, research shows that even moderate physical activity can keep people in a good mood for up to 12 hours after a workout. Since anxiety and depression are symptoms of menopause, physical activity can serve as an antidote. Exercise can also help you lose weight, and staying healthy can go a long way toward boosting your self-esteem.
With these compelling reasons, there’s no reason not to incorporate exercise and fitness into your lifestyle. are you ready? Try these:
Aerobic exercise
Menopause can make you feel down—fatigue can affect your day, and your skin can look dull. Through aerobic exercise, you can restore your energy and get glowing skin. Aerobic exercise refers to any exercise that involves the function of the heart, lungs, and cardiovascular system. It uses large muscle groups and increases your heart rate count, sending more oxygen-rich blood through your circulatory system to provide nutrients to all the tissues in your body. Simply put, any activity that increases your heart rate for 15 to 30 minutes is aerobic.
Benefits of aerobic exercise:
- Increase blood flow to muscles and lungs
- Small blood vessels (capillaries) dilate, delivering more oxygen to the muscles and carrying away waste products like carbon dioxide and lactic acid.
- Fight belly fat.
- Increases blood flow to the skin, nourishing the skin and making it look healthier.
There are many options to choose from, and keep in mind that physical activities can be fun and often free. Take your pick – walking, jogging, swimming, dancing, biking, dance aerobics, water aerobics, skiing, elliptical training, rowing, or even stair climbing.
warn: If you are a beginner, start with 10 minutes of light activity and gradually increase the intensity of the activity.
Strength Training
Strength training should be part of a balance workout. It typically uses your muscles to dynamically move (or resist) weight. Start strength training with smaller, manageable weights and gradually increase the amount of weight you lift over time. Regular strength training improves muscle mass and strengthens bones to maintain strength, independence, and vitality. Aim to strength train at least twice a week.
Benefits of strength training:
According to the Centers for Disease Control, postmenopausal women ages 50 to 70 gain more bone and muscle mass and strength over a year of progressive strength training than their non-exercising peers. Strength training can also:
- Reduce body fat
- Strengthen muscles to burn more calories
- Reduce the risk of osteoporosis and diabetes
- fight depression
- improve sleeping
- boost self-confidence
You can use your own body weight for strength training. Examples include push-ups, sit-ups, and bodyweight squats. However, certain muscles require certain types of weight training, such as free weights using barbells, dumbbells, and hand weights, as well as weight machines. They target different muscles—free weights work one group of muscles at once, while weight machines isolate and work a specific muscle.
The Mayo Clinic recommends that you start with enough weight, or choose a resistance level that’s heavy enough to fatigue you after 12 repetitions. As endurance builds, gradually increase the weight.
Stretching exercises
Menopause can cause joint pain or stiffness. Stretching helps improve flexibility and agility and helps prevent muscle strains. Activities like yoga and tai chi promote flexibility and balance. Research shows that Tai Chi exercise also has a positive impact on cardiovascular health and quality of life in women 6 months after menopause.
Benefits of stretching:
- Keep joints flexible and increase range of motion
- Improve posture and balance
- Prevent muscle pain, soreness and cramps
- Relax your mind and body and help relieve stress
- Increase blood circulation
warn: Warming up before any stretching exercise is crucial as it increases the temperature of your core muscles. This helps prevent injuries and keeps muscles flexible.
So, make exercise and fitness a part of your life. Not only can physical activity help you cope with mood disorders during this stage of life, it can also help you stay in better physical condition and reduce your risk of age-related diseases.
some guidelines
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that healthy adults engage in moderate-intensity physical activity for at least 30 minutes 5 or more days a week, or vigorous-intensity physical activity for at least 20 minutes 3 or more days a week. of.
Another important factor to consider before choosing a type of physical activity is: Do you enjoy the activity? Can you hold on in the long run? While high-intensity physical activity during and after menopause may provide the greatest benefits, you need to consider the feasibility of your choice and how it fits your physical abilities. First, set realistic, achievable goals and update your goals as you progress. Working in a support group or working with friends can help keep you on track and hold you accountable to your goals.
Remember, it’s important to consult your doctor before starting any exercise program. Certain health conditions may require limitations in certain types of physical activity.
