Women In Sport Menopause Research | Being active can be a new beginning during menopause!
Why is it important to stay active through menopause?
Positive Pause asked the charity Women In Sport (WIS) to share their research findings that prove staying active through menopause and beyond is vital for women’s physical and mental health.
The charity was founded in 1984, with the goal of giving every woman and girl in the UK the opportunity to experience the transformational rewards of sport.
At Women in Sport, our vision is a society where women and men have equal opportunities. We know that many women and girls are still missing out on the lifelong benefits of sport. There are nearly three quarters of a million more inactive women than men in England, doing less than 30 minutes exercise of physical activity per week[i].
Our research tells us that menopause offers women a chance to take physical activity into the next stage of their lives, and we want to help women harness that opportunity. Health wise, menopause can put women at increased risk of osteoporosis (weakened bones), as well as other conditions such as diabetes, stroke and heart disease[i]. Taking part in regular sport and exercise has so many benefits, not only in helping prevent or manage these conditions but also in promoting wider wellbeing. This includes but is not limited to:
Feeling good! Some women may experience anxiety, depression and low confidence in menopause and in the years after. Being active can help to transfer this into positive energy and improve mental health and wellbeing.
Helping combat side effects such as hot flushes, sleeplessness, sore muscles and joints and decreasing energy levels; exercise can re-energise and revitalise women!
Physical benefits: Improving balance, increasing cardio fitness, strengthening muscle and preventing bone decline[ii].
Women in Sport’s interest in the menopause developed when we conducted a piece of research with women aged 55 and over, looking at the barriers they experienced to staying active. This culminated in a report called Silver Linings. We heard from women in this research that the menopause created specific challenges for them, and we wanted to understand why. There was very little research out there so in 2018 we conducted our own research, surveying and speaking to over 450 women aged between 45-60 about their experiences of being active or inactive throughout the menopause.
Almost one third of the women we surveyed told us that they were less active throughout their menopause. They faced a range of barriers, including:
Menopause symptoms: 82% of women surveyed experienced menopause symptoms, with 70% saying these had a moderate to severe impact on their life.
Low confidence in their capabilities to exercise, combined with a lack of knowledge about what to do and how to exercise safely.
Stigma of menopause: feeling judged by others for being in menopause.
Lack of social support, feeling isolated and alone in their experience.
All of the above resulted in women having low motivation to be active.
Whilst women spoke about the sense of loss they experienced throughout the menopause, it was also clear that this was a time to reflect, reappraise their lives and re-focus on themselves. Those women who remained active throughout, found that physical activity was a way to empower themselves; taking back control of their lives by managing their symptoms and health through exercise.
The good news is that for those women not meeting the recommended guidelines for exercise (150 minutes per week) in our research, the desire to be more active was high at 84 percent! Additionally, if a health professional recommended physical activity, 90 percent said they would consider it. These stats are encouraging and show that with the right support, women can and do want to be more active throughout menopause and beyond.
If you are a woman looking to introduce some exercise into your life, you have come to the right page! Many exercise classes now specifically cater for women going through menopause, such as Menohealth. Menohealth was set up by Julie Robinson, to provide fun exercise classes, practical support, weekly meet ups and social support amongst women going through menopause. Each class includes time to talk with other like-minded women. If they don’t have classes in your area, there may be other similar initiatives going on close to you. There are a variety of free or low cost, flexible mainstream activities that take place, catering for a range of ages, run through local councils and leisure centres, such as walking groups, pilates, yoga classes and swimming sessions.
British Cycling also run their free women-only cycle rides through their Breeze programme. Taking a friend or family member with you the first time you go can help to make it more social, whilst helping you to feel more confident.
We are currently seeking funding to take this important work to the next stage. If you want to get in touch with us about our research and work or if you are a woman wanting to share your menopause and physical activity story with us, please get in touch here.
Clare Taylor - Women in Sport Insight Officer
2019
(i) Sport England (2019) Active Lives Adult Survey: November 17/18 report.
(ii) British Menopause Society (2017) Vision for Menopause Care in the UK
(iii) Mishra et al (2011) Exercise beyond menopause: Do’s and don’ts. Journal of midlife health. 2011Jul-Dec; 2 (2): 51-56.
The Menopause Movement Directory
It’s the place to find a menopause trained health & fitness coach
If you’re looking to find a menopause trained health professional or fitness pro, drop in to our DIRECTORY to find a qualified Menopause Movement coach in your area.
Look for this stamp of approval on their website.
Head over to our video section to watch Positive Pause trying various menopause workouts!
