Exercise and Menopause: should I exercise or not?

Being a woman means we have to go through the lovely experience of menopause. (I just want to reiterate here that was sarcasm) I’m sure most if not all people know what menopause is, but here is a quicker refresher.

Menopause usually occurs in the late 40s to early 50s and is defined as the ending of a woman’s fertile life. This transition does not occur abruptly, but instead occurs over a period of years. Through this transition there are tell-tale signs and symptoms such as hot flashes, palpitations, mood changes, sleep disturbances, anxiety and memory problems just to name a few. Furthermore, through aging and a disturbance in hormone levels women are at increased risk of developing chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis and cancer.

Exercise will unfortunately not “cure” menopause as it is a natural occurrence but what exercise can do is help to improve some symptoms that you may encounter during menopause. Exercise can improve overall mood, improve one’s sleep, reduce anxiety and help cognitive function. Exercise has proven to reduce the risk of the development of the above chronic diseases and a whole heap of others.

In short yes, yes you should definitely exercise if you have menopause. Exercise has been proven to reduce the severity of symptoms and increase ones quality of life. If you wish to exercise and have menopause, but aren’t sure where to start, book an appointment here at UniquePhysio with our Exercise Physiologist who will listen to your concerns and guide you through a tailored exercise program.