Women’s Health Week, held annually in September, focuses on helping women prioritise their health and wellbeing. The good news is that exercise can be beneficial for managing health conditions, particularly for matters of the heart.
Heart health in women
Due to the changes in hormones during menopause, women are at greater risk of a number of conditions that impact the heart including cardiovascular disease which is the leading cause of death of women globally.
Cardiovascular disease refers to any condition affecting the cardiovascular system, including high cholesterol, high blood pressure, peripheral or coronary artery disease, or heart disease (which is an umbrella-term which includes any condition where the structure or function of the heart is affected).
For women who served in the Australian Defence Force, they can face a higher risk of cardiovascular disease due to non-traditional factors from their military service, including post-traumatic stress disorder.
Statistically, women are also less likely to be treated for a heart attack or angina in hospital compared to males. This is in-part due to the difference in symptom presentation, where only 1 in 3 women experience the stereotypical heart attack symptoms of chest pain, or pressure or tightness of the chest.
Stress is another major contributor to cardiovascular disease and general poor heart health. Hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline, are released when we are stressed, and in chronic stress these put prolonged stress on the heart and other systems resulting in symptoms of high blood pressure.
For veterans who were trained to block out stress signals so they could perform effectively in combat and other high-pressure situations, this conditioning can leave them less aware of their own stress, even when their bodies are showing clear signs of it.
The benefits of exercise for your heart
Exercise is excellent for hearts, after all – the heart, your veins, and arteries all contain muscle!
By exercising regularly, this will help strengthen the heart muscle, lower blood pressure, improve blood flow, lower bad cholesterol, and help manage weight and blood sugar, all of which reduces the risk of heart problems,
If you have been diagnosed with a heart condition, it is important to first get the all-clear from your cardiologist to exercise to ensure you are clinically safe.
To help prevent heart disease, cardiovascular disease or other major health conditions, a general guideline for exercise is between 150-300 minutes of cardiovascular exercise per week, or 30-60 minutes a day for 5 days of the week.
Remember that the most beneficial exercise is the one you enjoy the most, ensuring it consists of both cardiovascular exercise and resistance training.
You can also try adding more incidental exercise into your day, such as parking further away at the shops, taking the stairs, or “exercise-snacking” throughout your day which could be dancing in the kitchen, doing some lunges or squats, or playing with the kids.
The body behaves and functions differently during the menstrual cycle (i.e., energy levels, strength, flexibility, pain tolerance, etc.), and it can be helpful to adjust your training accordingly throughout it.
During and post-menopause there are further physiological changes for consideration relating to exercise, many of which will be specific to your body and your experience.
If you are looking to improve your health and fitness through exercise and are unfamiliar with adjusting your training based on your cycle, you may wish to speak to an exercise physiologist or physiotherapist with experience in women’s health and physiology.
Other lifestyle changes to improve your health
Alongside regular exercise, the following lifestyle strategies can help you stay active, healthy and independent for longer as we age:
Support at Mates4Mates
We provide support for women and their heart health at Mates4Mates through our physical rehabilitation and mental health services.
Our mental health team consisting of psychologists, counsellors and social workers can help you find ways to self-manage stress and develop helpful coping strategies.
The physical rehabilitation team consists of exercise physiologists and physiotherapists who can provide you with safe and effective exercises to improve your heart health and reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and other conditions.
The Heart Health Workshop is also delivered by our Mates4Mates physical rehabilitation team and was designed to help veterans gain a better understanding of cardiovascular conditions and treatment strategies. The next intake is running in Stafford and Maroochydore in October, with expressions of interest opening early September.
Other support available for veterans includes the DVA Heart Health programme which operates in multiple locations across Australia.
To find out more about how Mates4Mates can help support you, reach out to us on 1300 4 MATES (62 837) for a confidential chat.
Written by Andrew Crawshaw, Mates4Mates Exercise Physiologist
Women’s Health Week, held annually in September, focuses on helping women prioritise their health and wellbeing. The good news is that exercise can be beneficial for managing health conditions, particularly for matters of the heart.
