Should I Avoid High-Intensity Exercise During Menopause? Considerations and 4 Alternatives

 

There are a number of major bodily changes a woman experiences throughout her lifetime: puberty, pregnancy (for many) and menopause. Each stage can bring a host of various physical and emotional symptoms. Menopause often takes years to reach completion, so it’s no wonder it’s a major focus and often-discussed aspect of womanhood. Routines and habits that were once easy and familiar can suddenly have ramifications that are unexpected and jarring. It can be harder to sleep, challenging to regulate moods, or impossible to make it through the day without the unwelcome arrival of a hot flush. 

If you’re entering into menopause (or well entrenched in it), you may find yourself turning to existing stress relievers and physical habits as a way to combat its detrimental effects. If high-intensity exercise has been a regular part of your routine up until this point, it’s important to consider whether it’s still the most appropriate form of movement for your changing body.

Let’s dig into the impact of high-intensity exercise during menopause, how you can monitor your individual exercise preferences, and the various forms of exercise available to you during this season of transition.

 

First things first: understanding menopause

While we may all be familiar with menopause in theory, you may not have paid close attention to its symptoms, experiences and patterns until it came knocking on your door. It’s crucial to understand just how menopause affects our bodies when we’re evaluating our support tools throughout its stages.

Menopause marks the permanent end of menstrual periods, bringing a woman’s reproductive years to an end. It’s confirmed when a woman hasn’t had a period for 12 months in a row.

During menopause, it’s common to experience a wide range of physical, mental and emotional symptoms. These can include hot flushes, night sweats, problems with sleep quality, mood changes, depression, anxiety, irritability and vaginal dryness. These symptoms are the result of changing levels in the body’s production of oestrogen and progesterone, which can also lead to a loss of bone density and an increased risk of heart disease.

No two experiences of menopause are the same. That’s why it’s so important for each of us to pay close attention to our unique experience, monitoring symptoms and looking for correlations within our daily diet and routines. 

 

The importance of exercise during menopause

Exercise plays a significant role in helping to manage the symptoms of menopause. Good old-fashioned exercise can help to reduce both the frequency and severity of hot flushes and night sweats, as well as contribute to better sleep and increased mood regulation. 

Of course, regular exercise is beneficial for everyone, not just for those experiencing menopause. It’s a research-backed way to improve cardiovascular health, increase muscle and bone density alike and can also help to reduce the risk of certain chronic diseases. 

As weight gain can also make the symptoms of menopause worse, maintaining a consistent exercise routine can help with weight fluctuations that often take place as a result of changing hormone levels.

If you’ve never had a regular exercise routine, introducing this during menopause can be extremely beneficial. Women who stay active are able to support their cardiovascular health, bone density and muscle mass, areas which are all impacted by menopausal changes. 

 

What about high-intensity exercise?

The American Heart Association defines high-intensity workouts as those which reach 70%-85% of your maximum heart rate. It’s also a term we’re likely to use as a subjective measure of how intense physical activity feels while we’re doing it – what counts as a high-intensity activity for one may feel like a simple workout for the next person.

High-intensity exercise forms can include HIIT workouts (high-intensity interval training), sprinting, weightlifting, burpees, push-ups and pull-ups, battle ropes, rowing, hill sprints and more. It can be a highly beneficial form of physical activity, offering a great way to maintain and grow fitness and cardio capacities.

 

While it offers many benefits, the question remains: is it a safe way to exercise during menopause?

Don’t worry, high-intensity fans – we’re not about to tell you to cancel all your classes. We are, however, going to highlight the fact that high-intensity exercise can increase the risk of injury, as well as potentially exacerbate symptoms like hot flushes and night sweats.

This is a great time to consider whether an alternate version of a high-intensity workout is a safer and more supportive form of movement for your body. Consider options such as cycling or water aerobics over intense HIIT workouts, where there’s more risk of injury due to sudden and repetitive movements.

As menopause also results in reductions in muscle mass, opting for exercise forms that support your changing body is crucial. Great options can include:

• Metabolism-boosting bursts of action, such as short walks after meals on a regular basis
• Consistent strength training – look for options that will focus on fortifying joints and preserving your balance, such as single-arm dumbbell rows or single-leg deadlifts
• Yoga – this has been found to soothe hormonal symptoms through stimulating glands responsible for hormone regulation
• Swimming – the safety of the water can allow for intense aerobic workouts with reduced risks of injury 

 

Don’t discount incidental exercise either!

When considering the suitability of an exercise form during menopause, keep in mind the impact of intensity, the risk of injury and how the exercise is supporting your changing body. What worked well in your 20s may not be as effective in your 50s – and rather than fighting these changes, working with your body can encourage consistency in your exercise routine, as well as ongoing enjoyment. 

 

Preparing for menopause

Shaking up your exercise routine is just one of many ways you can support your body through menopausal changes. By incorporating a number of key lifestyle changes, as well as treatment options, you can find numerous tools that can reduce the impact of menopausal symptoms. Learn more and find the support you need with our team of friendly menopause experts and health practitioners. Sign up to receive our newsletter for all the latest news and updates.