We all know keeping active is an important part of looking after our cardiovascular health. Research shows that just 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity a week can significantly reduce the risk of heart disease.
But it’s not just cardio or aerobic exercise, i.e. activities that get the heart rate up, like brisk walking, dancing or jogging, that we need to be thinking about. Giving our muscles a workout is also key – and while there are benefits to staying strong at any age, it’s particularly important for women in their 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond due to the impact of perimenopause and menopause.
BHF’s Strong Woman Challenge, which takes place throughout October, highlights this message. By taking on 31 days of strength training, participants will be helping fund BHF’s lifesaving cardiovascular research and kickstarting a habit that will boost their own wellbeing and help protect their future health.
Why it matters
Before menopause, women have a lower chance of cardiovascular disease. But this risk increases when menopause causes oestrogen levels to drop, because oestrogen has a protective effect on the heart.
Around 4 million women in the UK are currently living with cardiovascular disease. Coronary heart disease, the most common type of cardiovascular disease, kills more than twice as many women in the UK each year than breast cancer.
The drop in oestrogen that occurs in midlife can also cause women to lose muscle mass more rapidly. BHF recently surveyed 2000 women aged 40-70 from across the UK and more than a third (34%) admitted they were not aware of the link between menopause and loss of muscle mass.
When asked what health benefits they associated most with strength training for women in perimenopause and menopause, protecting bone health was the most popular answer (41%), followed by helping maintain a healthy weight (34%) and improving mental wellbeing and confidence (29%). Only a quarter (26%) selected improving cardiovascular health.
Staying strong is essential for maintaining mobility and independence as we age, reducing the risk of falls and injury and helping us stay fit and active.
However, strength training isn’t just about what we can see on the outside. It also helps lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases, such as heart attack and stroke. Keeping muscles strong helps improve blood pressure and cholesterol and helps maintain a healthy weight.
Ways to get stronger this autumn
Just one in 10 (10%) of respondents in BHF’s survey said strength training was something they currently do regularly. Almost a third (31%) said they’d like to start but it wasn’t something they currently do, with many saying they’re not sure where to start, were unable to afford a gym membership or they didn’t feel confident enough.
BHF’s Strong Woman Challenge aims to tackle these gaps. By signing up, participants will receive a training plan featuring a strength building exercise to complete each day, along with a wall planner to track progress and access to video tutorials plus our friendly Facebook community.
There are three programmes available – Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced – and many of the exercises can be done seated. Minimal kit is required. For beginners, a tin of beans from the cupboard or a filled water bottle can make a great weight. Participants from last year have told us completing the Strong Woman Challenge inspired lasting changes.
To sign up to BHF's Strong Woman Challenge, visit www.bhf.org.uk/strongwoman
