Women's health changes - what’s it all about?

Wondering why you are feeling more tired, anxious, achy, struggling to sleep during your late thirties or early forties? People have mentioned menopause or perimenopause, but you’re not really sure what that means? 

Here is an extract from our recent women’s health day covering some of these points. As a woman, yoga teacher, chartered psychologist, mum and daughter I feel so strongly that exercise, yoga and understand can really help women through this stage in life. I am launching a new 25 minute monthly class for women to practice getting used to weight lifting exercises, especially if they are a little nervous about hitting a gym! 

Read on and find why you should be lifting some weights and other changes that occur as a women during the perimenopause stage. 

Here’s the science…  

The monthly release of the egg follicle and production of the sex hormones are triggered by the pituitary gland in the brain sending chemical messages called the follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and lutenising hormone (LH). These carry instructions for ovulation. 

The store of eggs in the ovaries will vary from woman to woman, but by midlife most women will be coming to the end of their supply. During this time, the ovaries are less responsive to FSH and LH, there are months when no egg is released – this is called anovulation (no period occurs).  

During perimenopause the woman may sporadically miss her cycle and it may be lighter or heavier. 

Eventually she will miss it for 12 months and then it is then called Menopause.  

However at this time, the brain is telling the adrenal glands to work harder and produce a lower grade level of oestrogen (oestone) and fat cells and other tissues are told to produce androgens, which are converted to a form of oestrogen. This switching of hormones to “help out” can make a woman feel drained of energy and very much out of sorts.  

Essentially there are messages being sent around the body though oestrogen and its variations, to communicate to ovulate, but the eggs are depleting and therefore not able to release any more.   

Remember - This is important read it slowly! Oestrogen is not just a fertility hormone, is it needed for healthy functioning of an entire womans body. The are oestrogen receptors in almost every tissue and cell including the brain, muscular skeletal system (bones and joints), cardiovascular system (heart and lungs), urogenital system (bladder, uterus and vagina) as well as nails, hair and skin. No wonder we feel unbalanced when the hormonal upheaval will be affecting every part of our anatomy.  

Note – post menopause the adrenal glands are thought to produce 85% of required oestrogen in the form of oestrone.  

Bone and Tendon Health  

Bones  

Throughout our life time our bones are constantly renewing themselves which is called bone remodelling, we have bone cells called osteoclasts which take up old bone and osteoblasts which lay down new bone. Osteoporosis occurs when there is an imbalance in the normal process of bone remodelling. 

Osteoporosis is characterized by low bone mass and structural changes within the bone. It is a painless condition that increases risk of a fracture, it is often not diagnosed until a person sustains a fracture. 

Menopause has a significant impact on our bone health due to decreased oestrogen which plays an important role in maintaining our bone mineral density and strength. 

Menopause is a critical period for bone health as there is shown to be a rapid phase of bone loss in a 3-year period around the final menstrual period. The lack of oestrogen after menopause causes a significant loss in bone strength placing postmenopausal at increased risk of osteoporosis and fracture. This risk is increased with early menopause.  

In order to promote bone health and improve bone mineral density an exercise approach focused on weight bearing, impact and strengthening is recommended. 

I will pop some exercises onto my youtube channel you can have a go at home, to allow you to get familiar with some simple exercises you can do at home with ordinary equipment.

Weights for women's health