Menopause and health

Self care should be a priority for all of us, but there is never a more important time to focus on our health than during the menopause. Due to various changes happening within our body, coupled with the time of life most of us go through the menopause, certain aspects of our health can be more vulnerable at this time. Read on for the key areas to focus on.

Physical health

• Heart disease and stroke – due to the reduction in oestrogen during and after the menopause, a woman's risk of heart disease and stroke can increase due to changes in blood vessels. Ways to protect the health of our arteries, and therefore reduce our risk of heart disease and stroke, are to take regular exercise – at least 30 minutes per day of brisk walking for example; eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, and at least 30g of fibre per day; limit our intake of saturated fat found in foods like processed meats, cakes, fried foods and butter; eat more heart healthy unsaturated fats found in foods like olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds and oily fish like salmon; and keeping our salt intake below the maximum daily recommended limit of 6g.
• Osteoporosis – the reduction in oestrogen also speeds up the loss of calcium from our bones after the menopause, which increases the risk of osteoporosis. Getting enough calcium in our diet and maintaining adequate vitamin D levels is particularly important, to help maintain good bone health. Another great way to help bone strength is to include weight bearing exercises in our routine. You can do this using your own body weight, with exercise such as squats, lunges or press-ups, or lifting weights. For more detail on how to maintain healthy calcium and vitamin D levels read our post on diet and menopause

Mental health

Many women find they really struggle with effects on their mental health during and after the menopause. This can include suffering from anxiety, low moods and cognitive impairment, such as being more forgetful. Maintaining a healthy diet and taking regular exercise are great ways to try and protect mental health and keep ourselves feeling more alert and positive. But if you do find you’re trying all that you can and your mental health is still not good, it is really important to make an appointment to speak to your GP. They should be able to help you find the right support. Don’t suffer in silence, seek out the help that is available. The menopause message has been amplifed of late by the media and celebrites like Davina McCall speaking out about their own experiences. Finally the subject is getting the attention it deserves - which will start to benefit those of us going through it, and the women who will in the future.

Sleep

Sadly sleep can be impacted during the menopause, and lack of it can worsen feelings of anxiety and low mood. Night sweats are a common reason for disrupted sleep, so we get less and the sleep we do get is lower quality. Try to give yourself the best chance of getting a good nights sleep by going to bed with enough time to get the recommended 7-9 hours. Also try to keep a similar sleep and wake time schedule, as this is proven to improve sleep and energy levels. Also introduce a wind down routine to help promote sleep – so avoid screens in the hour before and opt for a nice sleep inducing book instead.

Take home…

While we should all be eating right, getting enough sleep and exercising regularly to maintain our physical and mental health, the menopause is a time when it is *essential* to prioritise these things. Life can be challenging, but realy try to make time to prioritise your needs during this significant time of your life – you deserve it.