The Benefits of Exercise During Menopause
How do you reduce the symptoms of menopause? For women, the onset of menopause
is unavoidable. Women typically experience a number of symptoms as they move into
the menopause cycle.
Common symptoms in menopause include:
- Hot Flashes
- Night sweats and difficulty sleeping
- Changes in vaginal tissue
- Thinning of bones
- Abnormal vaginal bleeding or spotting
- Mood changes
- Urinary problems
- Increased risk of heart problems
- Heart palpitations
- Memory or concentration problems
- Lack of interest in sex
- Changes in physical appearance
These symptoms are triggered by low levels of the female hormone oestrogen
and can affect both the physical and mental feeling of well being for women.
Menopause cannot be prevented, however its negative effects can be minimized
through relaxation and exercise.
In fact the benefits of exercise can be significant for menopausal women. Exercise
can do a lot more than you might think. For example did yu know that a minimum
of four 30-minute exercise sessions each week will help to keep a women’s body
to actually produce a little oestrogen? This happens because exercise stimulates
the adrenal glands to convert the male hormone androstenedione into oestrogen.
When continued over several months, exercise helps build stronger bones and
lowers the risk of osteoporosis as compared with non-exercisers. Although every
woman is different, it is a fact that most women lose upwards of 25 percent
of bone mass by the age of 65. This is accompanied by reduced muscle strength
and flexibility, making the body less adaptive and more prone to injuries
However this can be reduced when a regular exercise program is maintained.
Here are some of the benefits of exercising for women:
Regular exercise can reduce the risk of heart disease . The risk of heart disease
increases for women after menopause due to a deficiency of oestrogen, which
has a protective effect on the heart.
Exercise will lower the chance of developing diabetes mellitus. Blood sugar
imbalance often can accelerate due to menopause.
Exercise maintains muscle tone and strength and is a defense against the loss
of muscle mass post menopause. In fact studies show that women performing aerobic
activity or muscle-strength training reduced mortality from cardio vascular
disease and cancer. Activities like walking, cycling swimming and rowing work
well.
What do you do to incorporate exercise into your lifestyle?
