Latest news with #NaomiPotter
AU Financial Review
13-05-2025
- Health
- AU Financial Review
The 10 most common questions I'm asked about menopause
'What I love as a menopause doctor is having the opportunity to transform someone's life completely for the better,' says Dr Naomi Potter, a 48-year-old menopause specialist. 'You take a person who feels utterly broken, and you put them back together.' After 16 years working for the UK's National Health Service, Potter is now one of the Britain's leading menopause experts. She is the founder of the Menopause Care clinic (the UK's largest team of British Menopause Society-accredited doctors and specialists) and co-wrote the frank and taboo-busting book Menopausing with TV presenter Davina McCall. She is also a mother of five with three boys and twin girls.
Telegraph
20-03-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
The 10 most common questions I'm asked about the menopause
Do you have a question about menopause? Dr Naomi Potter will be on hand to answer questions in the comments from 2pm 'What I love as a menopause doctor is having the opportunity to transform someone's life completely for the better,' says Dr Naomi Potter, a 48-year-old menopause specialist. 'You take a person who feels utterly broken, and you put them back together.'After 16 years working for the NHS, Naomi is now one of the UK's leading menopause experts. She is the founder of the Menopause Care clinic (the UK's largest team of British Menopause Society accredited doctors and specialists) and co-authored the frank and taboo-busting book Menopausing with Davina McCall. She is also a mother of five with three boys and twin girls. Here are the 10 questions she's usually asked – and what she advises 1. Why is my hair getting thinner? Oestrogen affects every system in the body, including hair quality and the way it grows. In the same way that when you're pregnant, you have really noticeable hair changes e.g. its thickness, a massive hair shed. It's all driven by hormones and with menopause, that's the decrease in oestrogen. Yet women are notoriously bad at judging the true extent of hair loss and it's common to feel that it's more dramatic than it actually is. However, with everything related to the menopause, the main rule is that there are no rules. Every woman's experience is different. Some women find that their hair gets better – becoming thicker, glossier and faster growing – at menopause, and others notice a big change during perimenopause, but post menopause things settle, and then they can improve, and then they settle. Hair can also change going from being straight to curly and vice versa during this time. Dr Potter's solutions If hair's gone very dry and brittle, then moisturising shampoos might help, but anything you put on won't really influence the speed of hair growth. And while it's tempting, if you're unhappy with your hair, overtreatment can make it worse so don't just keep going to get it coloured. Make sure there's no other underlying cause – such as vitamin deficiencies, a thyroid imbalance or anaemia. Any significant changes including a receding frontal pattern or totally bald spots need to be investigated. Very slim women, or those restricting calories, may notice more hair loss because as far as your body is concerned hair isn't a priority and it will preserve nutrients for the body instead. So make sure you're eating well and cut back on alcohol. Liver conditions associated with alcoholism can cause endocrine disruption and hair loss. 2. Why am I getting brain fog? Brain fog is a common complaint, and it's a description that encompasses many different symptoms – being forgetful, struggling to find words and not remembering which way you're going, even on familiar routes. It can come and go. Not feeling as sharp or switched on can shatter confidence. Lorraine Candy, the former editor of Elle magazine, described on Dr Potter's podcast Is It Hot In Here, having to put post-it notes all over her wall to remember the most simple facts. She feared she had a brain tumour until her friend Trish Halpin admitted the same thing – and they thought it was unlikely they both had tumours at the same time. Dr Potter's solutions For Lorraine, within days of her trying hormone replacement therapy (HRT), brain fog disappeared. But it's one of those symptoms that is hard to tease out from other life things, is it actually hormones, or the pressures of work, relationships, child rearing or elderly parents? Ask yourself how you felt coping with challenges five years ago – when perhaps you were still sleep-deprived from toddlers? If you felt able to cope better with stress back then, it could well be menopause-related hormones. Think about what in your life is causing sleepless nights. For many women, quite naturally, it has to do with your children and how they're doing. We can feel the need to be in control all the time – but that's just not possible. Sometimes we have to step back and say 'OK this isn't brilliant, but I have to let them get on with it'. It's the same for elderly parents, sometimes we need to let go a bit instead of fretting. It's important to make time every day for yourself – eating properly, getting some exercise (outside, ideally) even a walk around the block counts. Breaking the alcohol/coffee cycle can help too if you're not coping. It's common when people are stressed to drink half a bottle of wine, then not sleep properly and wake feeling anxious and tired and then drink coffee and get caught in a vicious cycle. Stopping both can help. 3. Is menopause weight gain inevitable – and will HRT stop it? Our hormones influence not just metabolism but also how fat is deposited. In fertile years, females classically have a curvy physique, laying down fat on hips, bottoms, breasts and face. With the loss of oestrogen, you change shape, with fat depositing more centrally around the organs. Ageing generally causes fat gain and muscle loss as metabolisms slow down. So while HRT can offer some protection about where you're storing fat, it won't affect general metabolism alas. Dr Potter's solutions You may believe that by restricting what you eat, the weight will come off like it did in your 20s and 30s, but it doesn't always work during menopause. It is important to make sure that you eat well, with plenty of protein, fibre, fruit and veg. The right kind of exercise is also very important, especially strength training that will help grow muscles and boost metabolism. But finding an exercise that makes you sweaty but you actually enjoy is arguably more important to ensure you do it regularly. Be realistic about what you can fit into your life and try and get outdoors. Humans were meant to be outside and it shouldn't be surprising if we're inside all day, we don't feel good! Personally I like running four times a week to clear my head as much as for my body, and no I've never worked out with Davina McCall despite co-writing our book together. She's fiercely fit! Ultimately, it can be helpful to be more self-accepting. Is it that bad if you gain a few pounds? It's inevitable that happens as we age. 4. Why am I so tired? Hormonal changes and oestrogen loss can cause fatigue. But not everybody is affected, and it can get better on its own. Are you tired because you are having menopause symptoms at night, which are disrupting your sleep? Surges in anxiety, night sweats or getting up at night needing a wee (more common in the menopause)will all disrupt sleep making you more tired. Dr Potter's solutions If broken sleep is down to menopause symptoms, HRT would help. But if you're managing nine hours and still exhausted I'd suggest looking for other causes. The reason why multiple loo trips happen is because there are oestrogen receptors all over your urinary tract, so when you lose oestrogen the function and integrity of that system is affected. Bladder irritability (feeling like you need to empty it more frequently) is common, as are UTIs, and your bladder can shrink, so there is just less capacity to hold wee. During the day, avoid having what I call 'just in case' wees, because if you're always emptying your bladder before it's reached its full capacity, you're unwittingly training it to be smaller and get triggered at a lower volume. Ask yourself if you really need to go – chances are if you've had a wee and then a cup of tea in the morning you don't actually need to go an hour later because your bladder volume is much bigger than a cup of tea! 5. Why have I gone off sex? This is a classic complaint and worth remembering that a lot of libido is multifactorial (involving several causes). Hormones – your declining oestrogen and declining testosterone – can definitely play a role. You'll feel less interested in sex, but that's not the only part of the picture. Vaginal symptoms common in the menopause can include soreness, dryness, poor lubrication during sex, and difficulty with arousal. If you've suffered pain while attempting to have sex your body will object to doing something it associates with a previous negative experience. Testosterone declines from your 20s, and some women notice that affects libido more than others. Throw into the mix the stresses of general midlife and the fact you may have been with the same partner for a long time (which naturally becomes unexciting) it's easy to see why libido can crash. However, while less common, some women can suffer from a very high libido, which can cause women serious distress. One of my patients believes her high libido led to her affair, another one had to take herself out of the marital bedroom to pleasure herself, and one lady would have to do so when she was out shopping in Sainsbury's and had to pop to the loo. So it can seriously affect daily life, despite people's inclination to say 'lucky you'. Dr Potter's solutions Lots can be done! Local symptoms (dryness etc) can be very easily treated with lubricants, moisturisers, and topical oestrogen (in gel form used on the skin or inside the vagina) works really well. There's an argument for every menopausal woman being on topical oestrogen because unlike oral oestrogen (HRT which is absorbed into the bloodstream) topical oestrogen is absorbed mainly into the surrounding tissues where it is applied, allowing for targeted treatment of dry, itchy or uncomfortable vaginas. Now, in terms of desire, it's not as straightforward. Replacing oestrogen can help, as can replacing testosterone for some women. We don't have enough data to categorically say how many women should be on testosterone for the therapeutic benefits in the menopause, but there is data suggesting it can help low libidos. There's anecdotal evidence that it helps with more than libido, but equally, there's data suggesting there is a strong placebo effect. The absolute truth is, we just don't know. I personally don't believe women should be held back from trying it, if they want it. If these things don't help, I point my patients to a book called Mind The Gap by Dr Karen Gurney, who brilliantly explains all this. 6. Why are my joints so achey? Knee aches, frozen shoulders, plantar fasciitis and tennis elbow are all more likely to happen during the menopause, once again it's the decline in hormones to blame, affecting your muscles, ligaments and joints. For our joints to function optimally (remain pain-free and supple) there needs to be lubrication, and when your reduced hormones lessen this, you can feel more discomfort as bones endure more friction. Dr Potter's solutions HRT can – but not always – improve things. Finding the right exercise can help, cycling is surprisingly good for sore knee joints as strengthening the quad muscles can help stabilise the knee joints. For frozen shoulders, a steroid injection can do the trick, even just as a one-off. Bear in mind that just because you have that symptom now, it doesn't mean it's going to stay throughout the entire menopause and after. These issues fluctuate. 7. What exactly are hot flushes? Also known as ' hot flashes' (a US term that's been adopted here), this is when you experience a sudden rise in heat, often from your chest up into your neck and face. But it can also affect your whole body. This is caused by your blood vessels dilating and – as they get bigger and open up – the blood rushes to the surface of your skin in an attempt to cool you down. You may start sweating more, too. Essentially this happens because fluctuating oestrogen affects a part of the brain that regulates temperature, and a body lacking oestrogen is tricked into thinking you're already hot. As your body attempts to cool itself down, you experience this flush. In my podcast, the presenter Lisa Snowdon describes her confusion as she suffered hit flushes in her early 40s when she was still thinking she might have children and not realising what they were. You can get them several times a day or just now and then, or never at all for some women. Women can also actually suffer the reverse of this, a 'cold flush,' in which your body cools you down even though you're not hot. Fewer people complain of this because it's less well recognised as a symptom, but is also less debilitating – if you're suddenly freezing cold you can put on a jumper. If you suddenly become red-faced during a work presentation, say. Dr Potter's solutions HRT can be very good for this, but if you don't want to take it, and this is the only symptom bothering you, there are other medications available to address flushes. It's also useful to learn what your personal triggers are so you can avoid them. Stress, spicy food (or food that's hot temperature-wise) alcohol and smoking are all common triggers. 8. Why do I feel so anxious? Anxiety is often the first symptom women notice in perimenopause and this is because your hormones impact brain chemistry. Its impact is different for every woman but, for some progesterone causes a really nice calming effect. So when that drops in menopause, you feel more anxiety. We don't really understand how oestrogen or progesterone impacts serotonin and dopamine, the neurotransmitters that affect mood, learning, and behaviour, or why some women are affected more than others. It's all connected, and while not every menopausal woman will suffer anxiety, there are many who have never suffered it before and then it creeps in towards the late 30s and early 40s and they're not used to it and it's overwhelming. Dr Potter's solutions Lots can be done and mostly it's about looking at your lifestyle. Drinking coffee and alcohol increases anxiety, both are stimulants causing adrenaline surges (which feel similar to anxiety) – cut back or stop and see if it helps. Reducing stress, whether through mindfulness or meditation will also help, and exercise is wonderful for combatting anxiety. Some people find alternative therapies helpful – there are many herbal remedies for anxiety and some swear by things like acupuncture, massage, or Reiki. I'm not against anyone trying anything they feel works for them, so as long as it's ripping women off. It makes me annoyed when I see hugely expensive supplements marketed for menopause which contain the same ingredients you'd find cheaper at the supermarket. There are no supplements I'd particularly recommend, some women say magnesium before bed can help calm restless legs, and I think there's a little bit of evidence that it works and won't do any harm. 9. I think I smell differently – and why is my skin breaking out? Because oestrogen changes the environment of your skin, and the way you smell partly depends on the bacteria that live on the surface of your skin, women can sometimes notice a slight change in their smell – in their sweat or vaginal discharge. It's likely temporary, but any offensive discharge odour needs to be investigated by a doctor as it's more likely to be an infection. It's not uncommon to have hormonally driven skin breakouts, whether it's rosacea (little spots over your nose or across your cheeks) or cystic acne that can form around the chin. This is often down to the change in the balance of testosterone, so even if your testosterone level has remained relatively unchanged, dropping oestrogen will create an androgenic shift in the balance (making male hormones more dominant than before), which can lead to breakouts. Dr Potter's solutions In addition to the common sense lifestyle changes – eating well, exercising, and getting enough sleep, there are also topical antibacterial medications available, such a benzoyl peroxide for acne and topical metronidazole for rosacea. 10. Why can't I sleep through the night? Those 4am awakenings can be caused by a sudden surge of adrenaline that wakes you up and then you feel anxious and unable to get back to sleep. It's complex why this happens, and it's about the activity or hormones in our brains, but we don't really know why it happens, or why with depression falling asleep isn't as much the problem as staying asleep. Dr Potter's solutions Good sleep hygiene is crucial, and part of that is only going to bed when you're sleepy. If you don't fall asleep straight away, get back up and only return to your bedroom when you feel ready to sleep. Spending two hours in your bed wide awake only sets you up for failure for the subsequent nights. However little sleep you've had, set your alarm at the usual waking time and get up the next morning and keep doing this routine as it should help retrain your habits.
The Independent
07-03-2025
- Health
- The Independent
The menopause: How does it impact mental and cognitive function?
Menopausal symptoms may be linked to increased risk of cognitive decline, a new study suggests. Researchers found that women reporting more intense menopausal symptoms also experienced greater difficulties with thinking, learning, and memory later in life. The study, published in PLOS One, involved 896 post-menopausal women with an average age of 64. Participants rated the severity of 11 common menopausal symptoms, including hot flashes, brain fog, and mood swings, on a scale of zero to 10. Canadian researchers discovered a correlation between higher symptom scores and reported cognitive difficulties. Furthermore, the study indicated a link between increased menopausal symptoms and mild behavioural impairment, encompassing changes in personality, reduced motivation, and impulse control issues. While these findings highlight the potential importance of the menopausal phase in assessing dementia risk, researchers emphasize the need for further investigation. We've consulted experts to help explain the science behind how menopause can affect our mental and cognitive abilities… Mood 'During perimenopause, your hormones – mainly oestrogen and progesterone – start fluctuating,' says Dr Naomi Potter, menopause specialist and founder of Menopause Care. And these hormonal shifts can take a toll on mood and mental wellbeing, as well as the body. ' Oestrogen plays a big role in brain chemicals like serotonin and dopamine, which help regulate mood,' explains Potter. 'When oestrogen levels drop, serotonin production can slow down, making you feel lower, more irritable, and more prone to anxiety. 'These ups and downs can also make emotions feel more intense, so anxiety can feel even more overwhelming during perimenopause.' 'Between 40-60% of women experience sleep disturbances during the menopause transition,' highlights Potter. 'This can be caused by hormonal changes themselves, as well as symptoms like hot flushes, night sweats, and frequent trips to the bathroom at night. 'Poor sleep can make it harder for your body to handle stress and emotions, leading to lower tolerance, brain fog, and heightened feelings of anxiety.' Oestrogen and testosterone play an important role in memory and cognition. 'When the levels of these hormones drop during menopause and perimenopause, it can lead to an array of symptoms including poor memory, difficulty finding words, difficulty staying focused and a feeling that the brain feels 'fuzzy' or 'cloudy',' explains Dr Angela Rai, GP at The London General Practice. 'This is often described as 'brain fog'.' Longer-term issues Some women experience symptoms of depression during menopause. Unlike temporary mood swings or the worry that comes with anxiety, depression is more persistent, affecting emotions, behaviour, and daily life in a way that doesn't just pass with time, highlights Potter. 'Depressive symptoms are most common during perimenopause – the transition leading up to menopause – when hormone fluctuations are at their peak,' explains Potter. 'This makes it a particularly vulnerable time, so it's important to stay aware of changes in mood and wellbeing during these years. 'While less common, depression can also develop later in menopause, though more research is needed to fully understand why.' What advice would you give to women who are experiencing mental or cognitive impacts from menopause? Seek professional advice 'Even mild emotional or psychological struggles during menopause are a valid reason to seek support,' says Potter. 'There's absolutely no shame in talking to a doctor – no one should have to suffer through menopausal symptoms alone.' Look into medication options for specific symptoms 'Beta-blockers, such as propranolol, can help with the physical effects of anxiety, like a racing heartbeat, flushing, and shaking, by blocking certain stress-related chemicals in the brain,' says Potter. 'Whereas medications like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) can help regulate mood by increasing levels of serotonin and dopamine, often referred to as the brain's 'happy hormones'.' Exercise regularly 'Staying active is one of the most effective ways to boost mood,' highlights Potter. ' Studies suggest that exercise is 1.5 times more effective than medication or therapy for mild to moderate anxiety.' Practice relaxation techniques 'Practices like mindfulness, meditation, deep breathing exercises, and menopause yoga can help manage stress and anxiety,' notes Potter. 'These techniques encourage present-moment awareness, helping to break cycles of anxious thoughts and reduce emotional reactivity, which can be heightened by hormonal fluctuations.' Eat a healthy diet 'A well-balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals can positively impact both physical and mental wellbeing,' adds Potter. Lean on your support system 'Talking to friends, family, or a support group can provide emotional relief,' says Potter. 'Knowing you're not alone in your experience can be incredibly reassuring.' Make sleep a priority ' Sleep and anxiety can create a vicious cycle, so maintaining good sleep hygiene is crucial,' stresses Potter.
The Independent
06-03-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Can menopause impact our mental and cognitive abilities?
New research suggests that women who experience greater menopausal symptoms are more likely to face memory and thinking problems as they age. In the study, 896 post-menopausal women, averaging 64 years old, were given a list of 11 symptoms – such as hot flushes, brain fog, and mood swings – and were asked to score them between zero to 10 based on how often they experienced them. The Canadian researchers found that women who recalled experiencing more symptoms also reported facing greater difficulties with thinking, learning, and memory. Published in the journal PLOS One, these findings also noted that these women also had more mild behavioural impairment symptoms, such as changes in personality, decreased motivation or impulse control issues. The academics said these findings suggest that the menopausal phase could be important for assessing dementia risk, but added that more work is needed on this topic. We've consulted experts to help explain the science behind how menopause can affect our mental and cognitive abilities… Mood 'During perimenopause, your hormones – mainly oestrogen and progesterone – start fluctuating,' says Dr Naomi Potter, menopause specialist and founder of Menopause Care. And these hormonal shifts can take a toll on mood and mental wellbeing, as well as the body. ' Oestrogen plays a big role in brain chemicals like serotonin and dopamine, which help regulate mood,' explains Potter. 'When oestrogen levels drop, serotonin production can slow down, making you feel lower, more irritable, and more prone to anxiety. 'These ups and downs can also make emotions feel more intense, so anxiety can feel even more overwhelming during perimenopause.' Sleep 'Between 40-60% of women experience sleep disturbances during the menopause transition,' highlights Potter. 'This can be caused by hormonal changes themselves, as well as symptoms like hot flushes, night sweats, and frequent trips to the bathroom at night. 'Poor sleep can make it harder for your body to handle stress and emotions, leading to lower tolerance, brain fog, and heightened feelings of anxiety.' Memory and concentration Oestrogen and testosterone play an important role in memory and cognition. 'When the levels of these hormones drop during menopause and perimenopause, it can lead to an array of symptoms including poor memory, difficulty finding words, difficulty staying focused and a feeling that the brain feels 'fuzzy' or 'cloudy',' explains Dr Angela Rai, GP at The London General Practice. 'This is often described as 'brain fog'.' Longer-term issues Some women experience symptoms of depression during menopause. Unlike temporary mood swings or the worry that comes with anxiety, depression is more persistent, affecting emotions, behaviour, and daily life in a way that doesn't just pass with time, highlights Potter. 'Depressive symptoms are most common during perimenopause – the transition leading up to menopause – when hormone fluctuations are at their peak,' explains Potter. 'This makes it a particularly vulnerable time, so it's important to stay aware of changes in mood and wellbeing during these years. 'While less common, depression can also develop later in menopause, though more research is needed to fully understand why.' 'Even mild emotional or psychological struggles during menopause are a valid reason to seek support,' says Potter. 'There's absolutely no shame in talking to a doctor – no one should have to suffer through menopausal symptoms alone.' Look into medication options for specific symptoms 'Beta-blockers, such as propranolol, can help with the physical effects of anxiety, like a racing heartbeat, flushing, and shaking, by blocking certain stress-related chemicals in the brain,' says Potter. 'Whereas medications like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) can help regulate mood by increasing levels of serotonin and dopamine, often referred to as the brain's 'happy hormones'.' Exercise regularly 'Staying active is one of the most effective ways to boost mood,' highlights Potter. ' Studies suggest that exercise is 1.5 times more effective than medication or therapy for mild to moderate anxiety.' Practice relaxation techniques 'Practices like mindfulness, meditation, deep breathing exercises, and menopause yoga can help manage stress and anxiety,' notes Potter. 'These techniques encourage present-moment awareness, helping to break cycles of anxious thoughts and reduce emotional reactivity, which can be heightened by hormonal fluctuations.' Eat a healthy diet 'A well-balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals can positively impact both physical and mental wellbeing,' adds Potter. Lean on your support system 'Talking to friends, family, or a support group can provide emotional relief,' says Potter. 'Knowing you're not alone in your experience can be incredibly reassuring.' ' Sleep and anxiety can create a vicious cycle, so maintaining good sleep hygiene is crucial,' stresses Potter.
The Independent
29-01-2025
- Health
- The Independent
What's Jennifer Aniston's Pvolve workout and could it help with menopausal symptoms?
New research highlights the benefits of fitness program Pvolve, endorsed by actress and fitness icon Jennifer Aniston as a 'game changer', for improving physical function during menopause. Led by the University of Exeter and funded by Pvolve, the study investigated whether the low-impact resistance program could enhance strength, balance, and body composition, and whether menopause status affected these improvements. Published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, the study involved 70 moderately active women aged 40-60 in the South West of England, none of whom were on hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Participants were split into two groups: 45 did Pvolve for 12 weeks, while 25 followed a standard exercise routine of 150 minutes per week. The results showed that the Pvolve group experienced significant improvements, including a 19% increase in hip function and lower body strength, a 21% boost in lower body flexibility, and a 10% improvement in balance and stability, compared to the standard exercise group. But what does the Pvolve workout actually involve, and to what extent could it benefit women going through menopause? What physical changes often occur before, during and after menopause? Menopause brings about hormonal fluctuations that can affect multiple organs and bodily functions. 'These changes can impact bones, muscles, collagen, and soft tissues, often leading to increased inflammation, body aches, and discomfort,' explains Dr Naomi Potter, menopause specialist and founder of Menopause Care. 'As a result, conditions such as plantar fasciitis and tennis elbow may become more likely during the menopausal transition.' Menopause can also increase the risk of osteoporosis, a condition where your bones become brittle and more prone to breaks, she adds. 'The decline in oestrogen accelerates bone density loss, particularly affecting areas such as the hips, spine, and wrists in postmenopausal women,' notes Potter. 'This increases the likelihood of fractures.' What does Pvolve actually involve and could this type of low-impact activity help women going through menopause? Pvolve workouts are a combination of low-impact functional fitness and resistance-based equipment that can be done at home or in one of the brand's US or Canada-based studios, according to Pvolve's website. Many of the sequences, which include bending, reaching, twisting and pulling, are meant to mimic everyday movement. Commenting on the publication of the study, Professor Francis Stephens, from the University of Exeter who led the research, said: 'The great thing about these simple resistance exercises is they can easily be performed at home, and we've now shown they're effective at improving strength and balance in women during and post-menopause. 'In fact, some measures of balance appeared to increase to a greater degree in post-menopausal women, suggesting that these exercises are not hindered by the menopause transition.' Pvolve president Julie Cartwright also added: 'Women undergo tremendous physical change during the menopause transition, and this research shows that the Pvolve method can serve as an intervention, helping women to live better and feel better throughout their lives.' Potter describes these findings as 'exciting' and agrees that resistance training is great for improving bone density and increasing muscle mass. 'These latest research findings around resistance training for menopause are very exciting indeed,' says Potter. 'In general, resistance training is known to improve bone density, build strength and increase muscle mass, as well as improve flexibility and balance. 'So, it makes sense that this would benefit people of all ages, including women going through menopause.' Could it help with any other menopause symptoms/changes? 'Exercise is great for managing menopause symptoms, improving your mood and increasing your strength,' highlights Potter. 'Ultimately, any habit, behaviour or lifestyle choice that supports overall wellbeing can help manage menopause symptoms.' Which type of physical activity would you recommend for women going through menopause? For Potter, the most important thing is to find an exercise you enjoy so you can make a habit of it. 'The specific exercise can be very broad, just make sure it's the exercise you enjoy so that it's easier to incorporate into your lifestyle,' advises Potter. 'Ideally, you want to be getting a bit out of breath, so cardiovascular movement as well as strengthening exercises are great for that.' Yoga and cold water swimming in particular have a plethora of benefits. 'If you're looking for exercises to try, extensive research shows that yoga can significantly improve psychological, somatic, and urogenital symptoms,' says Potter. 'Additionally, it may help lower the risk of age-related health conditions, including osteoporosis, muscle loss, and cardiovascular disease. 'Cold water swimming during menopause can also help soothe the parasympathetic nervous system, and boost your energy levels.'
