By Sophie Addison
When dealing with vasomotor symptoms (VMS), more commonly referred to as hot flashes and night sweats, the last thing any woman going through menopause will want to do is exercise. Exercising can increase core body temperature which might seem unappealing to women struggling with hot flashes.
However, researchers at the Pennsylvania State University claim that exercising does not increase the severity of hot flashes, but can, in fact, reduce their frequency. The effects of physical activity on hot flashes and night sweats are the subject of many studies.
The results are still divided, with some claiming that exercising can relieve VMS, and others claiming that exercising had no effects on VMS. Whatever the truth may be, one thing is for sure – exercising can improve your well-being.
Here are 6 exercises that can help you find relief from hot flashes and night sweats:
1. Stretching
Our bodies tend to lose flexibility with age, but you can still improve your mobility with stretching exercises such as yoga or Pilates. If you are just planning to start an exercising regime, you should begin by introducing gentle stretching exercises to prepare your body for the more vigorous workout later on. You can stretch at home or sign up for yoga or Pilates class if you like to exercise in the company of others. These types of exercises are fun and light, and the options are endless.
2. Aerobic exercise
Aerobic activities elevate the heart rate and help you burn excess energy, but they can also help with vasomotor menopause symptoms. Studies found that a 12-week exercise program had a positive effect in relieving menopause symptoms such as insomnia and depression. Although exercises effect on relieving VMS is still inconclusive, aerobic exercising will strengthen your heart which may make menopause symptoms such as hot flashes more bearable.
3. Weightlifting
With age, we tend to lose muscle mass, and our energy levels become depleted. To counteract these effects, lifting light weights will help keep your lean muscles and heart strong and active. Women who struggle with VMS can feel that their energy levels are low. Weight lifting exercises can help improve your energy levels and strength. Other than that, strength exercises are proved to help increasing bone density. Bone density becomes lower with the loss of estrogen in menopause.
4. Tai Chi
A traditional Chinese martial arts practice, Tai Chi, is said to bring balance and harmony to your body and mind. It does so by incorporating soft and hard techniques – slow movements along with hand pushing. Women going through menopause might feel they have lost balance and harmony in their health which is why some take balancing supplements such as black cohosh extract found in products like Remifemin to relieve menopause symptoms. You can read more about cohoch extracts in Remifemin reviews. Tai Chi is another way to get rid of excess heat by restoring balance in your body along with dietary supplements.
5. Squats
In their “Exercising beyond menopause: Dos and Don’ts” article, The Journal of Mid-Life Health suggests that, along with taking calcium supplements, menopausal women practice core exercising three times a week. These exercises can prevent osteoporosis, but they might also improve other menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats. Squats are one of those core strength exercises that look easy but require a lot of strength. You can squat with or without weights. The goal is to squat until your thighs are parallel with the ground and stand up straight, repeat as much as you find it comfortable.
6. Walking
Simple walking can have many positive effects on health such as increased in oxygen levels in the blood, improved posture and provide a general feeling of well-being. Women will usually seek menopause treatment for symptoms such as night sweats because these can cause sleep disturbances. If you find that night sweats are disrupting your sleep, walking will help you sleep better according to research conducted on 173 midlife women. To get a good night’s sleep, moderate walking every day will ensure that you wake up refreshed and ready to go.
To conclude, we still do not know if exercising can guarantee relief from menopausal hot flashes and night sweats. However, some researchers have found that exercising reduced the frequency of VMS in women who were physically active in contrast to women who were sedentary. Introducing exercising will help you with many menopause symptoms such as osteoporosis, depression, and insomnia. To see if you belong to the lucky ones who find relief from hot flashes through exercising, begin your regimen today.
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References:
2. http://news.psu.edu/story/148232/2012/06/27/menopausal-women-could-work-out-their-hot-flashes
Author Bio:
Sophie Addison is a popular blogger and writer on beauty related tips and articles. She is very passionate about health and beauty. She has posted articles on skin care, weight loss and celebrity beauty news. In recent years, she had the opportunity to review synerflex. Apart from work she likes gardening and listening music. You can also contact her on Facebook, and Pinterest.
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