07/11/2025
🍁 New Study Outlines How Lifestyle Changes Can Help Menopausal Symptoms 🍁 By Don Sena, October 18, 2025
Menopause typically occurs between ages 45 and 55 and is preceded by years of hormonal ups and downs known as perimenopause. While menopause isn’t a disease, the transition can bring hot flashes and night sweats, sleep and mood changes, weight gain around the middle and rising risks for heart disease and bone loss. The study authors conclude that an approach that starts with everyday behaviors can help women feel better now and protect their health later.
🟢 Six “Pillars” of Lifestyle Medicine:
🟡 1-Healthy eating
Diets centered on vegetables, fruits, whole plant foods, and unsaturated oils—such as Mediterranean and DASH patterns—are associated with better blood pressure, cholesterol, insulin sensitivity, and weight regulation.
For midlife women, nutrition also matters for bones: the paper reiterates guidance that most women over 50 need 700–1200 mg of calcium daily and adequate vitamin D, which can be harder to get from sun exposure with age.
🟡 2-Physical activity
Exercise appears to help on several fronts—even when the scale barely moves. Aerobic activity supports vascular health and fitness, while resistance training helps preserve or build lean muscle and bone.
Multiple studies link regular activity with fewer or less intense vasomotor symptoms and better quality of life. Combining modalities (for example, strength plus cardio or interval training) may deliver the broadest benefits, including improvements in body composition and inflammatory markers.
🟡 3-Mental well-being
Midlife often brings stacked stress—from careers to caregiving—which can worsen menopausal symptoms. Programs that teach cognitive and relaxation strategies improve coping and can dial down hot flashes and perceived stress.
The review also points to emerging tools—mobile health apps, wearable trackers, and conversational AI—that show promise for stress reduction and behavior change, while noting that menopause-specific trials remain limited.
Pairing human coaching or motivational interviewing with self-monitoring technologies may be especially effective.
🟡 4-Avoidance of risky substances
Smoking is tied to earlier menopause and worse symptoms; quitting improves quality of life even if weight rises modestly, which the paper reports does not appear to worsen key cholesterol risk factors.
The study authors detail complex, sometimes contradictory findings on alcohol. While low to moderate intake has been linked in some studies to certain metabolic benefits, alcohol can raise estrogen levels and is a known risk factor for conditions such as breast cancer.
The review’s bottom line: any potential benefits must be weighed against well-documented risks, and reducing consumption is a good choice for many.
🟡 5-Restorative sleep
“Restorative” sleep, waking refreshed and functional, matters as much as sleep duration.
Poor sleep and frequent awakenings are common during the transition and are associated with slower thinking speed, lower bone density, higher insulin levels, and increased cardiovascular risk.
Non-drug steps like consistent bedtimes, a cool and dark room, daytime activity, and limiting evening caffeine and alcohol can help.
For persistent insomnia, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia is recommended as a first-line approach and is effective with or without concurrent hot flashes.
🟡 6-Healthy relationships
Social connection isn’t just nice to have, it’s linked to better control of chronic conditions, reduced risks of heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, and even lower overall mortality.
Strong, supportive networks also appear to buffer hot flashes and improve mood and life satisfaction.
Conversely, loneliness and social isolation correlate with higher rates of stroke, metabolic syndrome, disability, and fractures.
The quality of relationships matters: close, trusted ties appear more protective than large but distant networks, and partner education about menopause can improve relationship quality and well-being.
The full article available as per below link:
https://nifty50plus.com/2025/10/18/new-study-outlines-how-lifestyle-changes-can-help-menopausal-symptoms/health/
