Denise Austin, 64, Shares Her Best Tips for Beating Menopause-Induced Mood Swings
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At 64, Denise Austin is feeling better than ever. “I love aging. I feel great,” she tells Prevention.com. The fitness icon prioritizes a daily fitness routine, because staying “forever young in muscles and flexibility is of the utmost importance,” she says.
One of Austin’s secrets to healthy, happy aging has been her approach to menopause. Everyone goes through it (the average age is 50), and Austin believes her positive attitude and healthy lifestyle helped her cope.
Symptoms of menopause will vary from person to person, but typical symptoms can include hot flashes, joint pain, difficulty sleeping, changes in sexual desire, shifts in mood, and vaginal dryness. “When I turned 50, I first began to notice hot flashes and night sweats,” Austin says. “I also experienced anxiety, mood swings, and changes in my sleep during my menopausal years.”
Austin says she stayed focused on the things you can control during menopause: “what you eat, how you move, and what you think,” she says. “All three are so important during your menopausal years and will help you get through.” Below, the fitness expert outlines four things that helped her feel her best during menopause and beyond.
She practiced yoga.
As someone who has tried every workout under the sun in her decades-long career in fitness, Austin decided to take up daily yoga during her menopausal years to relieve her anxiety and reduce lower back pain. “I felt more anxious during my menopausal years, so I did more yoga and it helped me,” she says. “Yoga is a great way to ease your nervous system and relieve lower back pain and neck tension.”
The fitness instructor adds that, for women who are not super active, yoga is a great way to begin exercise because it’s low impact. “You can also practice yoga outside, in a studio, or at home with online classes, so it can be pretty flexible with your schedule,” she says. Also, she says to not give up on your fitness routine once you hit 50. “Health is wealth! Our health is the only thing we really have. Find ways to stay active and motivated,” she says.
She set up a new sleep schedule.
Once she turned 50, Austin said she began to have trouble sleeping. According to the National Sleep Foundation, sleep disorders affect 39 to 47% of perimenopausal women and 35 to 60% of postmenopausal women, mainly due to hot flashes, insomnia, and changes in mood. Austin decided to shift her bedtime routine so she could catch more Zzz’s.
“I decided to set a strict bedtime and would always go to bed at the same time,” she says. “Most nights of the week I would go to sleep at 10 p.m. and wake up at 6 a.m., so I was conscious of creating a good sleep pattern so my body could rest and recover.”
She leaned on her girlfriends for support.
Austin says it can be easy to feel isolated during your menopausal years, but so many women are having similar experiences, so you can find comfort in connection. “You’re not alone,” she says. “Talk to your girlfriends about what you’re going through!” The fitness icon said she had three older sisters to lean on for support about menopause, and she’d also have girl’s night with her friends to discuss what they were all going through. “Menopause is a part of life, and every woman goes through it,” she says. “Most of the symptoms will subside in a few years, so just lean on your friends and loved ones to help get you through it.”
She maintained a positive attitude.
For Austin, the most important tip she has for getting through your menopausal years with grace is to stay optimistic. “When I began to have more anxiety, I felt my mood become grouchier, especially when I wouldn’t sleep well,” she says. “You have to choose to think positively and drive yourself to be optimistic through your mood swings.” The fitness icon recommends having a daily gratitude practice, such as writing down in a journal three things you are grateful for. “Being happy is a choice, and it’s up to you,” she says.
Ultimately, you can enjoy your menopausal years, Austin says. “I think it’s a fabulous time because you can do so much to feel good by staying active, eating healthy foods, surrounding yourself with loved ones, and staying positive,” she says. “It’s also a good time to try new things.” The fitness expert said she recently took up rock climbing and flew in a helicopter. “Find things that you’re passionate about and focus on just enjoying life,” she says.
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