How to Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle During Menopause: Tips & Science-Backed Advice

What is Menopause?

Menopause is the natural finish of a women’s menstrual cycle for 12 consecutive months, which usually happens between the ages of 45-56 years. Perimenopause is referred to the period before menopause occurs, where many women begin to experience its symptoms. During menopause, oestrogen, which is a hormone, starts to decrease due to natural processes in the body.  

What are the Physical Effects of Menopause?

Due to the oestrogen deficiency that occurs during menopause, this affects many physical processes in a woman’s body, and these can lead to uncomfortable symptoms.

1. Oestrogen deficiency causes vasomotor symptoms, and these include hot flushes, palpitations, and migraines. The severity of the symptoms may differ between women however they can negatively impact quality of life.
2. Vaginal dryness, itchiness and sexual dysfunction, such as decreased libido.
3. Urinary issues such as increased urinary frequency and urgency may also happen due to the fluctuations in hormones.
4. As the body’s metabolism slows down, weight gain can also occur.

What are the Psychological Effects of Menopause?

Menopause can not only cause physical effects but have significant psychological effects as well due to the change in hormones.

• Oestrogen has receptors in many parts of the brain and thus plays a big role in regulating emotions, mental state and cognitive functioning.
• In the perimenopausal and menopausal phase, symptoms of irritability, depression, anxiety and loss of concentration can occur. This can affect many women, and it can often be difficult to navigate these new symptoms – not only for women but for their families too.

Menopause Health Tips 

There are a number of ways women can utilise to remain fit and healthy during this difficult period of their life. In this blog post, we will talk about how women can stay fit and healthy, as well as what supplements may help support their health.

1. Balanced Diet

Eating a balanced, nutrient rich diet that’s packed full of vitamins, fibre, protein and complex carbohydrates will help maintain energy levels, aid towards weight maintenance and overall wellbeing. Ensuring you have plenty of calcium and Vitamin D in your diet is essential, especially because the decrease in oestrogen levels when menopause occurs can lead to osteoporosis, a condition where bone mineral density decreases causing an increase in the risk of fractures. A narrative review into nutrition and menopause summarised that a good intake of vitamins and minerals such as calcium, Vitamin D, Vitamin K, and Magnesium could be linked with better bone mineral density in women who have went through the menopause.

2. Exercise During Menopause

Doing regular exercise throughout the week can also promote a fit and healthy lifestyle during and after menopause. This can be activities such as running, jogging, swimming, yoga and pilates – all of which have a huge range of benefits. A study looking into the effects of physical exercise on women who are menopausal showed that those that did regular exercise reported an overall better quality of life. Exercise can also help with maintaining a healthy weight, which is important as we know that during menopause the body’s metabolism slows down. As well as weight management, regular exercise also reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. In addition, regular exercise has also been linked to improved mental health, including anxiety and depressive symptoms, which we know can occur during menopause due to the fluctuation of hormones during this time.

3. Manage Stress

As menopause can cause a range of psychological effects, such as depression, anxiety and irritability, it is essential to find ways to manage stress effectively. This can be through practicing mindfulness or finding activities that make you de-stress, such as reading a book or going for a walk. These activities can sometimes get lost in our busy lifestyles; however it is important to make time for them and schedule them into our day. One study found that mindfulness may alleviate menopausal symptoms, as the results showed that higher mindfulness and less stress correlated with lower menopausal symptoms. Having a calendar or diary can help schedule these activities into our busy lives and plan the week better.

4. Socialising

Menopause can be a difficult and challenging time, which can lead to feelings of loneliness. It is important to socialise with friends and family, especially those who may be going through the same process or already have. It can help discussing symptoms and lifestyle measures that your friends and family may have tried too. Socialising can also be a good way to de-stress and improve mental health.

5. Smoking and Alcohol Cessation

Studies, such as this, has looked into whether there is a link between alcohol consumption and vasomotor symptoms and the results show that reducing alcohol intake can help reduce vasomotor symptoms of menopause such as hot flushes and palpitations. This suggests that decreasing alcohol consumption may be an effective way of managing those symptoms. Regarding smoking, a study published by Cambridge University showed that stopping smoking reduced the overall severity of menopause symptoms, suggesting another lifestyle change that can lead to a positive impact on the reduction of vasomotor symptoms.

6. Sleep

Studies have shown that women begin to experience sleep disturbances once they reach menopause, due to the changes in hormones experienced by the body. This can lead to decreased energy levels during the day and overall lower quality of life. Implementing a good sleep routine is key to managing this. This can be done by incorporating sleep hygiene practices such as avoiding caffeine and alcohol before bedtime and reducing screen time, as this may help regulate sleep cycles and give a better quality of sleep. Studies have found that blue light emitted from electronic devices may worsen sleep quality and duration, suggesting that limiting their usage before bedtime may positively impact sleep.

7. Menopause Supplements  

Supplements are a great way to incorporate wellness into your daily routine. These Female Wellbeing Patches contain ingredients such as black cohosh and zingiber officinale, which some studies have shown may be an effective way of managing menopause symptoms. One study showed that treatment with Black cohosh was associated with increased improvement of overall menopausal symptoms as well as hot flushes compared with treatment with a placebo. Zingiber officinale, also known as ginger, is another traditional remedy used to alleviate menopause symptoms. One study showed that use of ginger power for three months led to a reduction in frequency and intensity of symptoms. Topical patches are an easy and convenient way of incorporating supplements into your routine for a healthy lifestyle, as they are small and discreet. Innovative patch technology means that you can stick the patch on and go about your day, without having to worry about remembering to take bulky tablets or mix powders. Topical patches are a great alternative for those who may have difficulties or intolerances taking supplements orally, as the ingredients are absorbed through the skin and by-pass the digestive system.  

Conclusion

Menopause can be a very challenging and difficult time for many women, as the body is going through a natural process that comes with age. Due to the hormonal changes at play, there are many different processes and pathways in the body that are affected, and these can cause physical and psychological effects that can be difficult to navigate. Incorporating healthy habits into your lifestyle during menopause such as a good balance diet, regular exercise, ways to de-stress and taking supplements may help alleviate some of the symptoms faced by many women, allowing you to live a healthier and fitter lifestyle during and after menopause. If you are struggling with menopause, you should speak to your medical doctor for further advice and guidance.