Exercise and Menopause

Exercise may assist with reducing menopausal symptoms for the following reasons:

• Exercise may help to stabilise and reduce hormonal fluctuations, through a variety of mechanisms, including managing weight (Refer next bullet point).
• Exercise assists with weight loss and the ongoing maintenance of relatively low body weight. A lean body may produce less of the female hormones, thus reducing the severity of menopausal symptoms
• Exercise increases endurance and stamina and even increases pain thresholds
• Exercise is mentally and physically uplifting, especially if done outdoors in fresh air, natural surroundings and bright sunshine

Exercise can be divided into four highly beneficial forms:

• Aerobic such as walking, running, rowing, paddling, cycling and swimming.
• Strengthening such as lifting weights or using your own body to do exercises like chin-ups and press-ups.
• Stretching and meditative such as Tai Chi, Yoga and various stretching and toning regimes
• Socialisation and stimulating games such as tennis, soccer and dancing.

Any exercise programme should include a mix of all four during any one week. It is not advisable to be reliant on one form of exercise only which may lead to boredom, dependency and injury - so please mix it up!

Get outside and exercise as much as possible. This is most important for your physical and emotional well-being if you spend most of your working days indoors in airconditioned and artifically lit buildings.