Exercise Can Reduce 
The Symptoms Of Menopause

By: Daniel Green

Menopause, which is defined medically as cessation of menses for 12 months and is caused when the ovaries stop making the hormones estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, brings with it a number of physical complications. For many years, the very subject was considered taboo. But recent developments establishing the role that physical fitness can play in managing those symptoms has lead to more discussion on the topic. And since up to one half of a woman's life can be post-menopause, it about time we began talking about how to improve that portion of women's lives. 

The symptoms of menopause include: hot flashes, night sweats, bladder and reproductive tract changes, insomnia, headache, lethargy and fatigue, irritability, anxiety, depression, heart palpitations, and joint pain. Exercise can help not only in the management of these menopause-related symptoms, but also in the controlling of such age-related concerns as heart disease and osteoporosis.

Exercise has the most effect of mood and energy level-related symptoms. For example, regular exercisers, no matter what age or gender, experience improved self-esteem and reduced feelings of anxiety and depression, as well as an increase in energy-level throughout the day. So in women going through menopause, these positive effects become even more important and manifest more clearly. The severity of hot flashes, one of the most common and troubling effects of menopause, can be reduced through exercise, with some research suggesting that this is the result of increased estrogen levels after exercise. Exercise will also help women sleep better.

Available research also shows that it is never too early or too late to start fighting the effects of menopause and aging through exercise. By remaining active during the childbearing years, women reduce the risk of breast cancer, which becomes more prevalent after menopause. In addition, the earlier you get started on a regular strength-training program the more time you have to build up bone strength-thereby fighting osteoporosis-and improve overall health. 

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Daniel Green is the Managing Editor for the American Council on Exercise (ACE) and an ACE-certified Lifestyle & Weight Management Consultant. He is also a Contributing Editor to both ACE Fitness Matters and ACE Certified News. Visit the ACE Web site at www.acefitness.org.

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