21 Health Hacks For Your Forties
‘Old Age Ain’t No Place For Sissies’
Oh, Bette Davies knew what she was talking about! The lead up to and into menopause is challenging physically, mentally, and spiritually. And at the same time there are a whole heap of other challenges to navigate - empty nest, shifting relationships, ageing parents, and other life stresses thrown in just for fun.
So, should we stay in bed and give up?
Well… I’ve got to admit, that is pretty tempting some days. But clearly, it’s not a long term solution despite Netflix’s attempts to make it so easy!
I believe that if there is just ONE thing we should all aim to do in our forties, it’s making our health and wellbeing a priority. There really is no skipping this. If we don’t start putting healthy habits in place now the likelihood is that menopause will be harder to navigate, and the years ahead will see us ageing faster and with potentially more debilitating and serious health problems.
If you take a moment to look ahead and visualise how you want to look and feel in your 60s, 70, 80s and beyond I’m pretty sure that active and healthy are two things that come to mind. For me personally, this decade is waking me up more and more to the fact that wellbeing needs to be my main focus. And it doesn’t have to be expensive, complicated, or take up loads of time. Here are 21 Health Hacks every woman can start to introduce in order to create the future (and present) she wants.
MEDITATE - there are so many studies showing how meditation improves our overall wellbeing that it is a no brainer to introduce it into your daily routine. Even if it’s just for 2 minutes, take the time to close your eyes, focus on your breath and relax. The more you practice the easier it gets. For me, it’s a daily non-negotiable.
TRACK YOUR CYCLE - taking the time to track your menstrual cycle and learn about your own inner seasons/rhythms is hugely empowering. The more you are in tune with your body the more you can be aware of changes that are taking place, which is especially useful in the lead-up to menopause. There are lots of great apps you can use on your phone to make this super simple.
MOVE YOUR BODY - whether it’s yoga, running, dancing or hula hooping, moving your body is essential for overall health and wellbeing. It makes us feel better inside and out. Menopause can cause weight gain, lethargy, depression, and anxiety. Exercise has been shown to help combat all these things, so the sooner we make movement a habit the better - but don’t forget that it’s never too late to get healthy, wherever you are on the menopause journey.
HYDRATE - not only does staying hydrated make you feel a million times better, but it also helps you look a million times better too! If you’re looking for a quick fix in terms of overall wellbeing, then drink enough water. Ditch the sugary drinks, reduce your alcohol as much as possible, get a filter and up your water intake. Adding slices of lemon, mint, oranges, etc. can make it extra tasty - but avoid buying water with anything added in as often these additives are not great for your health.
GET TESTED - having struggled with my iron levels for my whole life, and even more so now in the lead up to menopause, I highly recommend taking the time to get your blood tested to ensure you aren’t deficient in any vitamins or minerals. It can be easy to blame certain symptoms on age or menopause but sometimes we just need to up our iron, vitamin D, etc. Getting these levels right can have a massive impact on how we feel.
STRETCH - taking the time to stretch every day is super important as we get older. Sitting too much causes tightness in our muscles and over time this impacts our flexibility which can lead to injuries as we age. Spend a few minutes every morning and evening stretching and you’ll quickly notice the difference - don’t force your stretches though, just go as far as you can whilst feeling a comfortable stretch, there shouldn’t be any pain. If there is you’re stretching too far for now. Be patient, you’ll find your flexibility improves over time.
GET OUTSIDE EVERY DAY - nature is our biggest healer and too many of us spend way too much time indoors. Aim to go for at least a 20-minute walk every day, and if you can try to walk in the woods, hills, or the beach - these environments are particularly good for us and really help to clear our minds as well as get us moving. If you can’t get out for a daily walk then aim to at least sit outside for a few minutes every day - extra points if you take the time to stand with your bare feet on the earth to connect deeper with nature.
CONNECT WITH OTHERS - we are more connected and yet more alone than ever. Longevity studies have shown that connection is an important part of living longer and happier lives. Whether it’s an in-person get-together, a phone call, messenger chat or just a brief conversation with a stranger on the street, interactions are good for us. Make time for them, no matter how busy you might be.
LEARN NEW THINGS - there are so many online courses (free and paid), community activities, books, and tutorials available to us these days that there is NO excuse for not learning new things regularly. Not only does it help keep our mind sharp but learning new things also opens up new communities to us, makes us more interesting, creates new possibilities & options both in work and our personal lives, and can help combat anxiety and depression.
SWITCH OFF REGULARLY - phone and tech addiction isn’t just for kids. If you find yourself using your phone whilst watching TV or reaching for it as soon as you wake up in the morning, then it’s time to cut back. Too much time on our phones is making us less happy, less focused and it’s damaging relationships - romantic and non-romantic. It’s also using up time that could be spent on things that have a far more positive effect on our health and wellbeing. You’ll find some useful hacks over here to help you cut back on your phone time.
MASSAGE - this isn’t just about having a pamper session - although it is amazing for that. Most of us spend a lot of time sitting, hunched over computers or phones, and have an excess of stress in our life that causes us to hold tension in our shoulders, necks and backs. Over time these things can become painful and more serious. Massage is a great way to alleviate this tension, plus it gives us time out to just relax which is vitally important for our wellbeing
GET YOUR FRUIT AND VEG IN - taking a good look at your diet is important as we age. Most of us aren’t eating as well as we could and it needs to change if we want to age well. Upping your fruit and veg intake not only helps you feel better on the inside but it also helps you look better on the outside. ‘We are what we eat’ could have been written for those of us aged 40 and over.
LISTEN TO MUSIC - this is one of my favourite pleasures and it’s unusual to come into my house and not find music playing - dancing in the kitchen is a common event! Although it might seem odd to include this in a list of health hacks, music has been shown to have a positive effect on our overall wellbeing, especially classical music. Listening to songs that we associate with positive memories is also beneficial, and upbeat tunes can leave us feeling more energised. Creating a morning playlist that boosts your mood is a great trick to get you starting your day right.
GET ENOUGH SLEEP - lack of sleep causes a whole host of issues and needs to be taken seriously as most of us are sleep deprived. Women, in particular, are likely to be more sleep-deprived than men. If you struggle to get your 7-8 hours then take a look at these ideas, and also look at whether you could start to introduce a daily nap - this can be the perfect way to get some extra z’s in.
JOURNAL - stress is bad for us, we all know that, and journaling can be a great way to remove stress from our lives. Writing daily and using that time to clear our minds and examine things that are going on, helps to give us more clarity, perspective, and space to reduce stress.
TALK IT OUT - journaling is great, but sometimes we need to talk it out. Holding onto feelings isn’t healthy and sharing with trusted friends, a partner, or a professional, is important. We all need to be heard and supported. Our mental health is important at any age, but even more so as we age and hormones start to shift and affect our moods (and perspective).
SLOW DOWN - there is a bit of a negative association with slowing down, especially as we get older, but it can actually be hugely beneficial. When we rush or fill our days to the max we ramp up the stress levels and drown out things like intuition, connection, being connected to the present moment. Life is pretty short really and it’s far better to savour the moment, really take notice and enjoy whatever activity you are engaged in. We don’t have to do ALL the things, so slow down and breathe in the moment.
DECLUTTER - our physical environment has a big impact on how we feel. Ditching things we don’t need or love is incredibly liberating. Not only do you end up with less stuff to actually clean/take care of, but you also free up your time and mental space to focus on other things.
BUILD YOUR POWER TEAM - this is crucial during the menopause years. You need a team around you to support you emotionally, physically and even spiritually. Your team should include people such as health professionals, wellbeing practitioners, fitness trainers or teachers, friends who you can rely on, etc. Anybody who is going to help keep you in top condition, inside and out.
LET GO OF OLD STORIES - one of the things that often happens during the lead up to and into menopause is that our old stories start to run wild, it’s like they’ve had a hit of steroids and they just won’t stop. They can be relentless. Doubts, fears, insecurities, areas of shame - they can all rear their heads again. And it can undo you if you’re not careful. Taking the time to work through these things asap is crucial. Whether it’s through journaling, coaching, therapy, etc. now is the time to heal any old wounds, let go of old patterns and beliefs, and allow yourself to move into the next stage of your life without these things weighing you down anymore.
FALL IN LOVE WITH YOURSELF - in order to truly love our life after forty, we need to love ourselves first. That means the good and the bad, the wrinkles, the cellulite, the quirks… everything. It’s time to accept ourselves, embrace ourselves and make peace with ourselves just as we are. Life is too precious to waste time going to battle with ourselves every day. We’re going to change, we’re going to look older and get older, there is no getting away from that, and we can choose to make ourselves feel bad about it, or own it with pride and love. How you age is up to you, but doing it from a place of love has to be the best way, surely?
What health hacks would you add to this list? Let me know in the comments below xox
