Many women fear the onset of menopause because of the changes that occur, both physically and mentally. Other women can't wait for the day when they get to throw out their boxes of tampons and pads forever! Whatever your take on the change of life may be, be sure to keep your health in mind. Menopause tends to take place in women between the ages of 48 and 52. It can occur as early as the late 30s or as late as the mid 50s. It is caused by a decrease in estrogen and other hormones produced by the woman's body. This causes a gradual reduction and finally a loss in a woman's period.
As your hormones slowly diminish, your bones begin to become brittle and thin, which can lead to many other health problems. Exercise is very important during this time in order to preserve bone density and strength. But you can't just rely on your occasional evening strolls to maintain maximum health. Aerobic exercise and resistance training are both essential to keep your body in shape. Cardiovascular exercise (or aerobic exercise) keeps your heart strong and healthy, and keeps excess weight from piling on, while resistance training (or strength training) fortifies your bones and helps prevent osteoporosis.
The maintenance of your body is undeniably important, but another, sometimes hard-hit effect of menopause is your emotional state. PMS may be a thing of the past, but hot flashes could be in your future. A regular exercise routine has been proven beneficial when it comes to boosting your mood, warding off hot flashes, and improving sleep. While working out the muscles in your body, don't forget to exercise those in your pelvis. The reduction in hormones can also reduce your sex drive. Kegel exercises help increase blood flow and strengthen the pelvic muscles - PC (pubococcygeus) muscles, therefore increasing sexual arousal pleasure. Daily Kegel exercises also help maintain bladder control, preventing incontinence. Kegel exercises can be done anywhere - in the car, watching TV, lying in bed - without anyone noticing. Your PC muscle is what you use to stop the flow of urine while going to the bathroom. When your bladder is empty, practice squeezing that muscle as if you were attempting to stop the flow of urine. Squeeze for 3 seconds. Then release. Repeat several times until your muscles begin to feel tired. You can also try longer holds as well as several short flutters. Suddenly, boring meetings and being stuck in traffic isn't so bad!
More than whittling your middle and saving your sex life, exercise can help maintain the strength of your heart. As a woman's heart ages, cholesterol buildup can cause the artery walls to thicken, triggering heart disease and increasing the risk of stroke. According to the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, exercise can significantly lessen the effect, slowing the progression of disease. In general, women have a lower risk of heart disease than men. But, as women near menopause, their risk increases, equaling, and sometimes surpassing that of men. Depression may also be a symptom of menopause, a problem that exercise can help manage. Endorphins (sometimes referred to as "happy hormones") released in the brain during exercise can help improve your mood and alleviate symptoms of stress.
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