MENOPAUSE SYMPTOMS

What are the Main Menopause Symptoms, and how can exercise ease Menopause Symptoms?

MENOPAUSE DEFINITION

Firstly, let’s understand what Menopause is!  Simply put, Menopause is a natural biological process that marks the end of a woman’s menstrual cycles and fertility. It typically occurs in the late 40s or early 50s, although the age of onset can vary. Menopause is officially diagnosed after 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period. During menopause, a woman’s ovaries gradually produce fewer reproductive hormones, such as estrogen and progesterone.

This hormonal shift can result in various symptoms, including hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, changes in sleep patterns, and vaginal dryness. The symptoms can vary in severity and duration for each individual.  Menopause is a normal and natural part of the ageing process for women, and while it signifies the end of fertility, it does not mean the end of a woman’s overall health or well-being.

Many women manage the symptoms of menopause through lifestyle adjustments, hormone therapy, or other medical interventions.  Every woman’s menopause journey is as unique as a fingerprint. Within this blog, we are going to look at the most common menopause symptoms, and I will be suggesting the best exercises to help ease the symptoms. 

MENOPAUSE WEIGHT GAIN

Weight gain can turn up seemingly overnight! It can happen quite suddenly, and we may think, “But I am not eating more than normal, so why am I piling on the pounds?”   Menopause weight gain, especially around the tummy, which often gets referred to as menobelly, is a common concern for many women during and after menopause, but let me say that as a female trainer going through menopause, we can easily manage this, and we can still feel fabulous.

So why do we gain weight in menopause? It is due to the decline in estrogen levels during menopause, and the metabolic rate tends to decrease. This means the body burns fewer calories at rest, making it easier to gain weight. Some women may develop insulin resistance during menopause, making it more challenging for the body to regulate blood sugar levels. This can contribute to weight gain, particularly around the abdominal area.

THE SOLUTION TO HELPING REDUCE MENOPAUSE WEIGHT GAIN

Yet with the right exercises, we can help reduce the excess weight gain. The key is to focus on bodyweight exercises that engage lots of muscle groups at once. This way, you naturally activate more muscle tissue and at the same time burn off body fat. The benefit of this is that the more toned your body becomes, the more you start to speed back up a declining metabolism. I have created a free 7-minute home workout specially designed to help with this. CLICK HERE  – Free 7-Minute Menopause Workout for Menopause Weight Loss

MENOPAUSE MOOD SWINGS

Mood swings can happen within an instant, and you can feel anything from extreme anger to severe anxiety.  This is due to estrogen, which plays a role in regulating neurotransmitters like serotonin, which is associated with mood. The decline in estrogen levels during menopause may contribute to changes in mood and an increased susceptibility to anxiety.

THE SOLUTION ON HOW TO REDUCE MENOPAUSE MOOD SWINGS

Yet here is the clever bit with exercise: we can trigger the release of endorphins, which are neurotransmitters that act as natural feel-good hormones and mood elevators. Endorphins interact with receptors in the brain, reducing anxiety and improving our mood.

This is where doing a quick little workout or simply a walk around the block will help alleviate any mood swings associated with menopause. You could simply go for a brisk walk or if you want a calm form of exercise, then you can follow my free mobility home workout. CLICK HERE  – 7 Minute Mobility Workout to Help Reduce Stress and Anxiety 

MENOPAUSE JOINT PAIN

The reason this becomes a symptom during menopause is again down to the natural decline in levels of estrogen. Estrogen has anti-inflammatory effects and is believed to play a role in maintaining joint and bone health. The decline in estrogen levels during menopause may contribute to increased inflammation and joint discomfort.

THE SOLUTION: HOW TO REDUCE MENOPAUSE JOINT PAIN

Yet the good news is that with exercise, we can help naturally increase this, as exercise will help produce synovial fluid, which is a natural lubricant for our joints. Every time you exercise, you can help to stimulate this, which will then be just like you are oiling your joints, and this will reduce the joint stiffness. Walking is a great exercise to help manage menopause weight as well as joint health as you work all your major joints, such as the ankle, knees, hips, shoulders and elbows. CLICK HERE- For My Free 15-Minute Menopause Walk at Home.

MENOPAUSE NIGHT SWEATS

Night sweats are a common symptom experienced by some women during menopause. These are episodes of excessive sweating that occur during sleep, often leading to damp sheets and disrupted sleep. Night sweats are closely related to hormonal changes, particularly the decrease in estrogen levels during menopause. The exact cause of night sweats is not fully understood, but it is believed to be linked to the body’s attempts to regulate temperature.

THE SOLUTION TO REDUCE MENOPAUSE NIGHT SWEATS

While exercise may not directly target the hormonal changes responsible for night sweats, it can contribute to overall well-being and improve sleep quality, which may indirectly help manage these symptoms. Establish a consistent sleep routine by going to bed and waking up at the same time each day. Create a relaxing bedtime routine to signal to your body that it’s time to wind down. Here is a perfect pre-bedtime routine to help you sleep better. CLICK HERE – For My 5 Minute Sleep Better Routine.

MENOPAUSE BONE HEALTH

Menopause can have implications for bone health, and women may be at an increased risk of bone-related issues such as osteoporosis during and after this life stage. Estrogen, a hormone that plays a crucial role in maintaining bone density, declines significantly during menopause, leading to changes in bone structure. During menopause, we start to lose our bone mass, so our bones become less solid and more brittle.

THE SOLUTION TO MENOPAUSE BONE HEALTH

So again, the good news here is that exercise can help to re-strengthen your bones. The reason is that every time we apply pressure on our bones by movement, it creates a piezo-chemical reaction, and this then helps the bone (which is a living and growing tissue) to become strong again.

So, you can build up your bone strength. Doing bodyweight exercises is a great way to look after your bone health and at the same time protect your joint health, one big misconception is that you need to lift added weights, whereas simply using your body weight is safer and more effective, plus the word BODYWEIGHT has weight it and trust from helping thousands of women through the menopause this has been the most effective way to train. CLICK HERE – For My Free 5-Minute Bodyweight Workout

MENOPAUSE HEART HEALTH

As we know, in menopause, we have a decline in the production of estrogen, and one of the roles estrogen plays is to help protect our arteries. It helps to reduce any plaque that builds up inside the lining, so with the decline of estrogen, the plaque can then build up, and this can cause blockages in our arteries, which then puts the heart under pressure as the circulation is being restricted. Therefore, more than ever before, we need to look at ways to help naturally increase our cardiovascular health.

THE SOLUTION TO HELP BOOST MENOPAUSE HEART HEALTH

No surprise here, that again exercise can come to the rescue because by doing exercise we strengthen the heart, and the stronger your heart is, the more powerful it is at pumping blood through your arteries. You then get a healthy supply of oxygen to your vital organs. Plus, a strong supply of blood helps keep the artery walls clear of plaque. 

NUTRITION FOR THE MENOPAUSE

Good nutrition is crucial during menopause because it helps manage symptoms and supports overall health as the body goes through significant changes. 

A balanced diet that includes a variety of nutrients is essential. Foods rich in calcium and vitamin D, such as dairy products, leafy green vegetables, and fortified foods, help maintain bone health and reduce the risk of osteoporosis. Protein, found in lean meats, fish, beans, and nuts, supports muscle strength, which can decrease with age. Fibre from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains helps with digestion and may reduce the risk of heart disease, a concern as estrogen levels drop. Healthy fats, like those from fish, nuts, and seeds, are important for heart health and can help manage cholesterol levels.

It’s also good to limit processed foods, sugary snacks, and too much caffeine or alcohol, as they can trigger hot flashes or disrupt sleep. Staying hydrated is equally important to counteract dryness and support overall well-being.

SUMMARY: Our lifestyle will have a significant impact on how we feel and look during menopause. Let’s embrace this new chapter. It is time to invest in a pair of trainers and take on menopause with a positive mindset, regular exercise, and healthy eating, so that we start feeling good again and back in the driving seat of being us, and this 2nd Chapter of our life can even be better then the 1st. Lucy xx