Fitness Needs After Age 40: Exercise Recommendations for Perimenopause and Menopause
Are you an avid gym-goer, prefer working out at home, or honestly haven’t had a sweat session in a while?
Regardless of the person Fitness Level, exercise women in their forties and beyond is somewhat different from those in their twenties and thirties. physical changes, such as a slow metabolism, hormonal Changes during perimenopause and menopause, increased risk of heart disease and orthopedic problems At this time in life, it’s important to take a closer look at the best fitness practices in your 40s and 50s.
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Middle age is the time to move, strengthen muscles, and expand more
no World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) We recommend at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week for adults up to age 64. (1And the2This works out for about 30 minutes a day, five to seven days a week. It is also recommended that adults do muscle-strengthening exercises, focusing on all areas of the body, at least two days a week. In middle age, it is important to incorporate stretching exercises before and after physical activity to better prepare the body for vigorous exercise.
Related: How to Become More Flexible (Because Yes, That Matters)
Here are four tips on how to exercise smarter in middle age:
1. Increase aerobic exercise to help reverse the increased risk of heart disease
As you age, your risk of heart disease increases, according to American Heart Association. (3While men are more likely to have a heart attack than women, it is important to keep the heart as healthy as possible. One way to do this is to continue to do or do these recommended amounts of aerobic exercise each week. This activity helps build the heart muscle by getting it to pump faster. In a study published in January 2018 in RotationAnd the In the Journal of the American Heart Association, researchers found that a group of adults in their 50s who exercised for about 30 minutes on most days for two years were found to improve their fitness levels (they had previously been sedentary or had exercised little) and helped reduce stiffness. heart, which improves heart health. (4)
Related: 7 ways to move more in middle age
The takeaway: Start or continue with 30 minutes of aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, running, cycling or dancing. Then build weekly exercises at the study participant’s level. Their routines included:
- One high intensity aerobic session
- Two or three days a week of moderate intensity exercise
- At least one weekly strength training session
- At least one long session of aerobic exercise per week
Participants built these activity levels up, starting with three 30-minute moderate exercise sessions for the first three months, after which high intensity exercise was included. (5)
2. Build your bones with strength training
Especially after the age of 40 to 50, your risk of a broken bone increases, as the bones are as strong as ever. Women, who have thinner bones than men, are more likely to have this Dealing with osteoporosisWhich is weak bones or bone loss, which is more likely Estrogen levels drop in menopause.
Related: Mindfulness may help improve menopausal symptoms
Certain exercises go a long way to help strengthen muscles, which may help prevent falls, and thus, broken bones. They also help maintain better posture, strength, flexibility, and movement, according to National Osteoporosis Foundation. (6These movements should be done along with strength training, which uses weights to help build muscle, along with aerobic exercises.
Conclusion: one of these movements is toe raise, which makes the lower legs strong and improves balance:
Raise the toes and heels
- stand straight; Hold on to the back of the chair. Do not bend at the waist or knees.
- Lift on your toes and go down on the heels. When you rise on your toes, imagine that you are moving your head toward the ceiling.
- Repeat 10 times.
- Hold the chair as low as possible to challenge your balancing skills.
- Repeat the toe raise and heel lift once every day. (7)
3. Move more for mental health and mood benefits
a study Published in December 2018 in the magazine international psychiatrist He found that many adults claim to feel lonely, with loneliness peaking among adults in their late fifties. (8) Such as Loneliness is associated with worse mental healthlike feeling Dejected – Depressed or anxiety. but the former Posted in Primary Care Companion to the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry Show that aerobic exercise can improve anxiety and depression due to Increase blood flow and create endorphinsBrain chemicals associated with happiness. (9)
Related: First-ever guidelines address depression in middle-aged women
The takeaway: First, feel free to talk to your doctor if you think you are Experiencing symptoms of depression. If you don’t regularly log 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise on most days, try the movement more often. Try jogging, swimming, biking, walking, gardening or dancing for at least 10 minutes and see if your mood improves. Aim to build up to 30 minutes or more per day if you can.
4. Incorporate period training into your workouts to help relieve menopausal symptoms
The years leading up to menopause, known as menopause, are characterized by hormonal changes that can cause hot flashes, insomnia, and irregular periods. While exercise does not prevent these unpleasant symptoms, cardio can help reduce weight or maintain a healthy weight (which leads to a lower risk of some cancers, heart disease and Type 2 diabetesAccording to the Mayo Clinic) as well as lower stress levels. (10Menopause is also the time when the body retains more fat in the abdominal area, resulting in what some call a “menopot,” or belly. intense regular Playing sports It can help keep belly fat.
The Takeaway: The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) recommends Intermittent trainingWhich includes exercising at a healthy rate, then increasing the intensity for a short sprint, then repetition. (11One example is walking for five minutes, then jogging for a minute, then walking again, repeating a minute of jogging for several periods. Posted in Midlife Health Magazine She also noted the importance of exercising during and after menopause to maintain optimal health during this period. (12)
