Menopause is not a choice, but quality of life is – Why is the lifestyle of your 30s and 40s critical for your later decades?
2025-02-21
Menopause is a stage of life that affects all women.
We can’t avoid it, we can’t decide it – but how we experience it and what quality of life awaits us afterwards is largely up to us. According to the latest research, our lifestyle – especially in our 30s and 40s – has a more significant impact on our postmenopausal years than we previously thought. This period is not only about change, but also about laying the foundation for a new quality of life.
Menopause officially begins when a woman has not had a period for 12 consecutive months. The average age at which this occurs is around 51, but it can vary from person to person. The decline in ovarian hormone levels can have a number of physical and mental effects: hot flashes, sleep problems, osteoporosis, increased risk of cardiovascular disease, mood swings, and more.
The good news is that we don’t have to accept that the years around and after menopause necessarily mean a decline in quality of life. Science is increasingly supporting the idea that lifestyle choices we make in our 30s and 40s can affect our health and well-being decades later.
According to the latest research, 80% of our postmenopausal health is determined by lifestyle factors, while inherited genetic factors only account for 20%. This means that we are not completely in the hands of fate – with conscious choices, we can significantly reduce unpleasant symptoms and the risk of chronic diseases.
As a gynecologist, I also clearly experience that my patients who consciously pay attention to their lifestyle from their early 40s experience the menopause much more easily. They experience fewer hot flashes, sleep better, and feel more energetic even after 50-60. The decisions we make today determine our quality of life years later.
Menopause is inevitable, but our quality of life is not. The choices we make in the past – including nutrition, exercise, stress management, sleep and mental activity – are key to staying energetic, healthy and happy after menopause.
Blue Zone residents, who are among the world’s longest-living people, do exactly that: natural movement, a nutrient-rich, balanced diet, strong social connections, and mindful living. These are not special genetic traits, but habits that we can incorporate into our daily lives.
If we pay attention to our lifestyle now, menopause will not be the end of an era, but the beginning of a new, healthier and more fulfilling life.
If you would like to learn more about how you as a woman can support your body before and after menopause, follow us both here, on the Blue Zone project page, and on femy.info and find out how you can build your own healthy future with simple lifestyle changes!
Dr. Sipos Andrea
obstetrician-gynecologist