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Exercise During Menopause
Chapter from the book:
Karakurt,
P.
&
Fırat,
M.
(eds.)
2023.
Health Sciences Research: Nursing & Midwifery- V.
Synopsis
Menopause, from the Greek words man (month) and pause (stop), is defined as the end of a woman's reproductive life following the loss of ovarian follicular function, which usually occurs in the late 40s to early 50s. There is evidence that the main cause of menopause-related symptoms is the loss of estrogen levels in women. Menopause is often associated with a variety of health complaints, such as hot flashes, urinary disorders, joint pain and psychological distress. Women who report menopausal symptoms generally have worse overall health. During and after menopause, many women experience symptoms of depression (unhappiness, irritability, tearfulness, lack of energy) or anxiety (mood swings, insomnia, heart palpitations, panic attacks, forgetfulness, or problems focusing and concentrating). Exercise is a cost-effective alternative method with few known side effects, and exercise has also been shown to have a positive effect on menopausal symptoms, depression and quality of life. It is also clear that exercise has many benefits on bone, cardiovascular, metabolic, diabetes, cancer, longevity, psychological health and overall quality of life. Therefore, it is appropriate for women to be physically active during and after the menopause transition period. As a result, it is important for health professionals to encourage women to exercise and raise awareness in order to protect and improve women's health during and after menopause, which has an important place in women's lives.