Exercise and movement are powerful tools for managing your symptoms and are essential parts of health and wellness.
Research shows that regular physical activity can help to support sleep, energy levels, joint stiffness, concentration and mood as well as help to manage weight and decrease the risk of chronic diseases.
One of the reasons that it is so important in peri/menopause is that muscle mass starts to decline dramatically for women from perimenopause onwards. However, low mood, low energy, lack of sleep, and. time restraints can all be barriers to exercise…
The good news is that even small amounts of exercise (around 10-15 minutes daily) can help to support, your heart health, bone health, and brain health. It can also boost your mood, increase energy, reduce stress levels improve blood glucose & insulin balance and could even help to relieve some symptoms such as hot flushes.
Too much sitting and inactivity can reduce your metabolism, contribute to poor circulation and increase fat storage. In fact, sitting too much has been rated just below smoking when it comes to adverse effects on your health
Thankfully, there are many different types of exercise to choose from and ultimately it should be something that you enjoy and that suits you and your body.
If you are new to exercise, now is probably not the time to be taking up running long distances or endurance sports. There are always exceptions to the rule, but for most women, high-impact cardio and endurance sports increase stress hormones too much and can lead to further hormone imbalances. Hard cardio could also affect your thyroid function
Here are some types of exercise and movement that can be particularly beneficial to women in perimenopause and beyond.
- Walking
- Yoga
- Pilates
- Swimming
- Weight training or resistance training
- High-intensity interval training – BUT only if stress hormones are well managed
Please remember, that too much exercise is not good for your health either… over exercising can increase stress hormones, deplete your energy, increase food cravings and contribute to weight loss resistance. As a rule of thumb, you should feel reenergized not depleted after exercise.
Aim for a combination of exercise and movement of cardiovascular health, flexibility and muscle building
If you have a medical condition, always consult your GP or healthcare provider before starting any new exercise
