Health Tips For Women in Their 40s

Turning 40? It’s not too late to make some simple changes that can help reduce your risks of chronic health issues down the road.¹ As we get older, our bodies change and we’re at higher risk for certain chronic health conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and arthritis.² Here’s what you need to know.

Staying Healthy in Your 40s

Welcome to your 40s! Celebrate your fourth decade by resolving to be the healthiest version of you. Aging gracefully is more than avoiding wrinkles and laugh lines, it’s also about being healthy and feeling great. Luckily, it’s never too late to start down the road to a healthy lifestyle. Here’s what you need to know about turning forty and feeling fabulous.

Changes in Women’s Health

You’ve hit a major milestone on your 40th birthday. Many of us hit middle age still feeling young at heart. But as we age and our bodies change, you may start to feel those workouts a little more, have more trouble seeing and hearing, have a harder time keeping off the extra pounds, and are finding it difficult to sleep.³ Now is the time to take stock of your health and make any necessary changes, like exercising regularly and eating a heart-healthy diet.

Tips on Healthy Aging

As we age, certain changes happen for everyone — wrinkles, hair thinning or loss, vision changes — but here are a few health tips just for women in their 40s so you can age healthily and gracefully:

• Don’t skip routine screenings - Since middle-age is when risks increase for many chronic illnesses, like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and colon cancer, it’s important to keep up with recommended exams and screenings as well as schedule routine wellness exams with your primary care physician.³ Ask your doctor about the exams you need.
   
• Take care of your heart - Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women over the age of 40. Along with your routine screening, take steps to improve your heart health like exercising regularly.⁴
   
• Get regular mammograms - As women age, their chances of getting breast cancer increases.⁵ And the earlier it’s detected, the better the outcome.
   
• Lift weights - Add weights to your workout routine to reduce the rate of bone loss and strengthen the muscles around the joints⁶. As a bonus, increasing your muscle mass improves your metabolism.⁷
   
• Ask about supplements - During your annual wellness exam, ask your doctor about any possible supplements you should be taking. Many women experience vitamin deficiencies as they age³.
   
• Know the risks of blood clots - Women in their 40s are at a greater risk of developing blood clots. It’s important to understand your risks and the signs and symptoms⁴.
   
• Re-evaluate your skincare routine - As you age, your skin changes and that may mean it’s time for a new skincare routine.
   
• Manage menopause - Between hot flashes, night sweats, and mood changes, menopause can make you feel out of sorts. Talk to your doctor about symptoms and ways to ease the discomforts.
   

Don’t let the idea of aging get you down. Make the most of your 40s with these healthy tips that will keep you going into your 50s, 60s, and hopefully into your 90s!

1 cdc.gov/chronicdisease/about/prevent/index.htm
2 https://www.businessinsider.com/diseases-to-look-out-for-in-your-40s-50s-60s-and-beyond-2018-12 
3 https://bestlifeonline.com/over-40-body-changes/
4 https://www.burgesshc.org/byh/womens-health-what-to-look-out-for-over-40/
5 https://www.cancer.gov/types/breast/risk-fact-sheet
6 https://www.thehealthy.com/aging/healthy-aging/health-changes-at-40/
7 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3661116/