I’m sure you’ve heard the term high intensity interval training (also known as HIIT) in relation to exercise routines. HIIT workouts can be beneficial for everyone, no matter your age, ability, or goals. If you’re a woman in your 40’s and beyond, interval training can not only help with efficient fat loss, but also with navigating the hormonal changes in this season of life.
Let’s start talking about the “fun stuff” we go through as women in midlife when our hormones can’t decide whether or not they want to stay at healthy levels, go super high, or drop to an all-time low. This can vary from woman to woman and from day to day. You could be feeling like everything is going great one day, then wake up the next day with a wave of anxiety. You might not remember what you walked into the kitchen for or why you opened another tab in your web browser (this is me on daily basis!). You might all of a sudden feel like it’s 5,000 degrees in the room and then frantically grab the nearest blanket a few hours later. Or you might look at your partner and wonder why you hate them so much for no reason at all. The struggle is real, Ladies!
Yes, these are all real-life challenges that many fabulous midlife women like you and I experience. On one hand, it’s an interesting season in life that can be confusing and frustrating at times. On the other hand, it can also be a time where you don’t really give a #%&@ about what anyone thinks about you and finally take the risks you’ve been wanting to take. Or it could be a little bit of both.
Thankfully there are ways you can mitigate the anxiety, mood swings, brain fog, and other perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms with lifestyle habits. One of them is exercise.
Before we dive into how exercise can improve the “fun stuff”, let’s learn a little bit about the changes that could be happening with your hormones and how it’s affecting your ability to remember where you put your keys or the anxiety you’re feeling for no reason at all. I’m not going to get into the nitty gritty science of how hormones affect your brain but I think it’s important to have a basic understanding of what’s happening. I’ll make it super simple to understand.
Let’s start with fun facts about hormones and your brain. Your central nervous system (CNS) is the system in your body that controls just about everything: appetite, sitting down, standing up, muscles, heart rate, blood pressure, etc. Your CNS is made up of your brain and spinal cord. It’s a pretty important system in your body since it literally keeps things running efficiently.
When your brain isn’t getting enough estrogen, you may experience brain fog, difficulty concentrating, or other memory issues. Progesterone helps stimulate your feel good hormones such as serotonin and GABA. When your progesterone levels are low, you may experience anxiety, depression, and mood swings.
Ever notice just before your period starts you feel moody, anxious, and like you want to rage over your kids misbehaving or your partner not doing the dishes? Or if you ever feel like a raccoon and get distracted too often by shiny things. You’re not crazy. It’s your brain’s response to your estrogen and progesterone levels being low during this phase of your cycle. If you’re cycle is regular, these hormone levels will start to increase as you get closer to ovulation. You should start to feel relaxed and focused after you start your period.
If you’re in perimenopause (the menopause transition), your story might be a little different. When your cycles become irregular and your hormones fluctuate more frequently, it can be harder to predict when your estrogen and progesterone levels are low. There are tools you can use at home (I use Mira Menopause Transition Kit here) to measure your hormones to give you a better understanding of what’s happening inside. Sometimes not knowing what’s going on can add a layer of frustration to your emotions. Knowing what your hormones are doing can help you be more strategic about your exercise routine to minimize anxiety, boost your mood, and be able to concentrate better.
Now lets talk about how interval training can help with memory, mood, and concentration.
High intensity interval training is known to stimulate the brain by using glucose (a.k.a. carbs) for energy. This will help you stay alert and focused throughout the day and boost your energy levels. If you feel like your anxiety is skyrocketing, a lower intensity interval workout such as a walk or hike with occasional hills can help your body produce more feel good hormones and reduce stress. If you really need to get some frustration out, take a medicine ball or any kind of ball that’s tough and start slamming it on the ground. This is a great way get any rage out of your system without harming anyone else.
An effective mindfulness exercise that will help you improve your concentration is to focus on one thing during your workout. For example, paying close attention do your form during a movement will help you prevent injury, work your muscles effectively, and teach you focus skills. You can also pay close attention to your breath to make sure you’re breathing properly throughout the movement. One of the worst things you can do is get in the habit of holding your breath during a movement, especially one that’s difficult. Breathing through the movement by inhaling during the easy part and exhaling during the difficult part will help you move through the movement efficiently.
To wrap it up, when you feel like you’re going crazy or simply don’t feel like yourself go for a walk, take eight deep breaths, or push heavy weight around. This will send a message to your brain and you’ll feel better afterwards. You may not feel 100% but you’ll definitely see an improvement in your mood. If you can’t find anything that works for you, go here and schedule a call with me. We’ll figure it out together.