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Exercise and Menopause

According to the US Census, around 1.5 million women a year reach menopause. Women can start menopause as young as 40 and as old as 58, but the average age is about 52. Exercise is important for all women but can be particularly beneficial for those going through menopause. It is not unusual for women, at this stage in their lives, to start to put weight on, especially around their waists and abdominal area. A program of regular exercise can combat this weight gain or even prevent it from happening – prevention is better than cure!

Exercise is not only good for regulating weight, it can also help to alleviate many of the symptoms associated with menopause, such as:-

l        Insomnia

l        Depression

l        Anxiety

Some people even think that it can have a beneficial effect on hot flashes and night sweats.

Exercise causes the release of endorphins in the brain. Endorphins are mood enhancing hormones which help us to feel good and cope with stress. It is these endorphins which help menopausal women to deal with their otherwise stressful symptoms and to cope with difficult situations more easily. Regular exercise can also help women to sleep better. Studies have shown that regular exercise in the morning can help women get a better night's sleep.

After menopause, women are at risk from bone loss because this speeds up after menopause. It is important to do weight building exercises as part of an exercise program, to increase bone density and therefore reduce the risk of osteoporosis. Weight bearing exercise does not necessarily mean weight training - exercise using your own body weight, like running or jogging, is also beneficial. Here are some ideas for weight bearing exercise:-

l        Running or jogging

l        Using weights

l        Gym machines

l        Aerobics – step, pump, dance.

l        Walking

l        Running and throwing sports

Exercise is great for alleviating menopausal symptoms but it is fantastic in other ways too. Regular exercise will reduce a woman's risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity and aches and pains like chronic back pain. Sedentary menopausal women are putting themselves at risk of these conditions, as well as anxiety, depression and weight gain.

However, too much exercise can be just as dangerous as too little exercise. Dr Karen Birch, an exercise physiology lecturer from the University of Leeds in England, has found that high intensity exercise over long periods can cause menstruation to cease in pre-menopausal women, which then affects estrogen levels. Estrogen, in pre-menopausal women protects women against loss of bone density and heart disease. Moderate exercise before, during and after menopause is recommended to both alleviate the symptoms of menopause and to keep a woman fit and healthy.