When you have fixed a regular exercise regime, it keeps you healthy and helps you to keep most of the ailments at bay. When in menopause, the need for exercise is even greater. If you are wondering why? Your hormones are all over the place, and the fluctuating levels result in several body changes. That’s why being on the move is so important.
To explain the importance of exercise in menopause, we had Dr. Karen Pike with us to share her valuable input. Dr. Pike has made significant contributions to the medical field. Her urge to reach out to women globally and increase awareness among them regarding menopause led her to create her website, Simply Menopause. Without further delay, let’s look at the excerpts of Dr. Pike’s interview on the importance of exercise in menopause. Let’s get started.
Interview with Dr. Karen Pike
We welcome you heartily, Dr. Pike, for one of our most informative sessions. The noble work that you do to enhance awareness during menopause is commendable. We can’t wait to hear your valuable input regarding the importance of exercise in menopause.
Question: How does exercise help in menopause?
Dr. Pike: Thank you for having me. This is one of my favorite topics of discussion. Thank you for having me over to speak on it. A patient in an online session once said that she would experience joint pains, low mood, and irritability quite often when transitioning into menopause. She hadn’t been an exercise person till that time. However, upon medical advice, she started maintaining a regular exercise regime.
This helped lessen the intensity of her symptoms and contributed to her overall well-being. She even said that when she didn’t feel like doing a strenuous workout, she would keep it simple, like taking the stairs rather than using the elevator or walking briskly in my yard. That’s the boon of exercise.
A study conducted on menopausal women showed that those exercising regularly for almost a year witnessed a significant improvement in their overall health -physically and mentally. On the contrary, those who didn’t involve themselves in physical activity experienced a deterioration in their symptoms. The survey participants’ exercise regimes included strength training, stretching, relaxation techniques, and cardiovascular exercises.
Here’s the finding of another study regarding the effectiveness of exercise in menopause. It showed that women who led a sedentary lifestyle experienced an improvement in their symptoms, like night sweats, hot flashes, irritability, and mood swings, after a six-month training program on aerobics.
The hormonal imbalances put you at risk of weight gain, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, increased blood pressure, and other ailments. So, if you do not control your diet and don’t work out as well, it could make you unhealthy and increase your susceptibility to different diseases. So, in a nutshell, if I were to say the benefits of following a routine exercise regime in menopause, here it goes:
- It helps you get a better night’s sleep, especially if you do it correctly at the right time. Avoid exercising at least an hour before bedtime, as that could raise your body’s core temperature and come in the way of a proper night’s sleep.
- Exercise, especially if it combines resistance training and aerobic workouts, lessens your risk of heart disease.
- Low estrogen levels affect your bone health during and after menopause. A proper fitness regime improves your muscle strength and lessens the chances of fractures and falls.
- Aerobic and anaerobic workouts like walking, dancing, swimming, jumping, weightlifting, etc., contribute to managing your stress and keeping your anxiety levels in check. You cannot miss out on relaxation techniques and yoga.
Question: Which exercises are suitable for menopause?
Dr. Pike: When choosing the type of exercise for menopause, go for different workouts for better benefits. It should be a blend of aerobic exercises and resistance training alongside yoga and relaxation techniques.
- Cardio Exercises
Cardios help to maintain your heart rate and even burn extra calories. You can add running, swimming, dancing, jumping, brisk walking, cycling, etc., to your to-do list. Walking is considered a great cardio, especially if you do it for at least 30 minutes daily most days a week.
I came across a study that mentioned that 15 minutes of running or an hour of brisk walking each day helped improve mood and sleep quality. Did you know? Simple activities like lawn mowing and stair climbing are counted as cardio exercises.
While discussing cardio exercises, mentioning HIIT (high-intensity interval training) workouts is essential. They aren’t rocket signs, though. It involves entrance workouts, which last for short episodes between 15 seconds and 4 minutes.
Then follows a recovery period and again a tough exercise regime. For instance, if walking, pick up pace for a minute and then slow down again. If you ask me about the utility of these workouts, I would say that studies show that these workouts help burn more fat, build muscles, and lower blood pressure.
However, if you have cardiac problems or smoke, it is safe to consult a healthcare provider before doing high-intensity workouts. Another word of caution is if you had alcohol the previous night, avoid HIIT workouts the following day. The reason is that alcohol increases insulin, lowering your blood sugar levels. Low sugar levels increase fatigue, especially when you exercise after drinking.
- Strength Training Exercises
As I mentioned, low estrogen levels affect your bones in menopause, increasing your susceptibility to fractures and falls. Here is where the effectiveness of strength training exercises comes into play. These exercises will not just take care of your bones but will boost your overall health and uplift your mood.
Squats, planks, and pushups are great strength training exercises. However, if you have knee or joint pain, you should consult the doctor before trying them out. Lifting dumbbells, kettlebells, and other weights are also a great option.
- Pelvic Floor Exercise
There’s a link between menopause and your pelvic floor muscles. The lessened estrogen levels also don’t spare the pelvic floor, causing the muscles to become less thin and flexible. Weakened pelvic floor muscles increase your chances of urinary incontinence. That is why pelvic floor exercises are a mandate.
One of the easiest ways to do it is to squeeze your pelvic floor muscles about ten times when standing, lying, or sitting. Once you are used to it, you may hold each squeeze for around a second.
- Breathing and Relaxation Techniques
To manage your stress and anxiety, which is likely to peak when you are transitioning into menopause, relaxation techniques will help. If you have short or hurried breaths quite often, mostly during stressful times, rhythmic breathing will help. As you inhale, count to five. Again, while exhaling, make a count of five. You will feel more relaxed.
Deep breathing is another way to feel relaxed. You need to visualize an imaginary spot below your navel. Inhale and fill air into your abdomen. Then, exhale slowly, as if a balloon is being deflated.
While you do relaxation exercises, you could play your favorite music in the background for a calming effect.
Visualized breathing is another way to let go of the stress and tension. Close your eyes, and imagine as you breathe. When you inhale, imagine the air entering your nostrils moving to your lungs, abdomen, and chest. As you exhale, imagine in the same way. It’s a relaxing feel indeed.
Question: Does exercise lessen hot flashes?
Dr. Pike: This is a tricky question that doesn’t have a concrete answer. Hot flashes are one of the most common menopausal symptoms experienced by around 80% of women. When you exercise well, it helps to keep you healthy. However, the effectiveness of physical workouts in managing hot flashes is debatable. You will understand my point by examining the different studies’ contradicting results.
A study conducted on women who were involved in aerobic exercises for 24 weeks showed that they experienced a reduction in symptoms like hot flashes and irritability.
Another study on 21 women who underwent 16 weeks of supervised workout training showed that regular exercise improved their cardiorespiratory fitness and lessened the frequency of hot flashes.
However, some other studies found no favorable relationship between exercise and hot flashes. So, it’s impossible to deduce exercise’s direct effect on hot flashes. However, when you are constantly on the move, it will help in overall fitness.
Final Thoughts
We hope Dr. Pike’s analysis on exercise in menopause will help you understand why you need to stay physically fit when your hormone levels are haywire. As an ending note, Dr. Pike said, “When you fix a proper exercise regime and are on the move, it will help you efficiently manage several ailments. After all, a healthy body leads to a healthy mind. If you wish to know more about me or read my other works on menopause, visit my website, Simply Menopause”.
