Many women in menopause feel like they don’t recognize their own bodies. Fatigue, weight gain, and hot flashes are some of the many common symptoms.
With the right exercise, you can reduce some of the symptoms and make the time during menopause a bit more manageable.
We spoke with Hanna Dahlström, a health coach at IMR and a medical trainer with extensive experience in coaching and training women in menopause.
Why is exercise during menopause so important?
– Hormone production, metabolism, and muscle building decrease during menopause, which can lead to weight gain, fatigue, and osteoporosis, among other things. Exercise increases hormone production in a good and natural way, which helps reduce symptoms. If you have problems with hot flashes, pulse-raising exercise can help balance the heat receptors in the body.
Is there a specific type of exercise you recommend?
– Strength training! Strength training increases testosterone, which helps balance fatigue and energy levels in the body. As we age, we start to lose muscle mass, so it’s important to do strength training to maintain it over time. It’s also always good to complement with walking, running, swimming, cycling, or other cardio exercises.
How can women avoid or minimize the risk of injuries during exercise in menopause, considering the potential decrease in bone density and joint stiffness?
– Focus a bit extra on warming up. We get older and stiffer and therefore have a longer start-up time. With my clients, I usually divide the warm-up into two phases. One part where I work on loosening up and the other with a focus on activation exercises, such as hip lifts with a resistance band, light squats, or the inchworm.
How can I find my form of exercise?
– Do what you enjoy and train with a colleague, family member, or friend. If you’re not sure where to start, get help from a personal trainer or join group training. And use the IMR app, which has lots of great workouts.
Do you have any tips related to exercise and menopause?
– Dare to try strength training if you haven’t done it before. And dare to train a bit heavy.