Hit your weekly exercise target to halve early death rate

Staying active is more important in midlife than you thought. At a time when ‘age’ is creeping in, it’s vital to keep moving through midlife to give us the strength to live longer.

Hormonal changes, particularly during perimenopause and menopause, can lead to reduced muscle mass, lower bone density and slower recovery.

A new study published in PLOS Medicine reinforces this, finding that women who meet recommended physical activity guidelines have around half the risk of dying from any cause compared to those who are inactive.

Researchers from the University of Sydney analysed data from 11,169 women born between 1946 and 1951 (aged 47-52 at the start of the study) over more than 15 years. Participants, part of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health, completed nine surveys between 1996 and 2019.

They reported how often they met the World Health Organization guideline of 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per week between 2001 and 2016.

Just 5.3 per cent of women who met the activity guidelines died during the study, compared with 10.4 per cent of those who didn’t. In other words, staying active throughout midlife was linked to roughly half the risk of death.

Similar trends were seen for deaths from cardiovascular disease and cancer, although smaller sample sizes made these findings less conclusive. Researchers were also unsure whether starting exercise later – in your mid-50s or 60s – offers the same benefits as staying active consistently through midlife.

‘Staying active throughout midlife can make a real difference for women’s long-term health,’ said study author Dr Binh Nguyen, from the Prevention Research Collaboration at the University of Sydney’s Charles Perkins Centre and School of Public Health. ‘Maintaining recommended levels of physical activity over multiple years helps protect against early death,’ she added.

Like WHO, the NHS recommends 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous activity a week for adults aged 19-64.

Moderate activity includes brisk walking, cycling or active yoga (vinyasa). Vigorous exercise includes running, HIIT exercises, mountain hikes and sports such as football or tennis.

Try to include strength training at least twice a week to support bone health, reduce body fat and boost metabolism.

Staying active during midlife can be challenging, particularly if you’re dealing with lower energy levels or physical symptoms linked to hormonal changes, so always remember to listen to your body, And if you can’t face a workout, take yourself on a walk, get some fresh air and take in the beauty around you. Feeding the mind and the soul should never be underestimated.