4 longevity mistakes that catch up to women after menopause

Key Points:

• Dr. Robin Berzin highlights that habits formed in a woman’s 20s to 40s can negatively impact health during menopause, which typically begins around age 52 but can start a decade earlier.
• One common mistake is focusing on cardio to stay small instead of strength training to build muscle, which supports metabolism, bone health, and longevity; research shows strength training reduces mortality risk in older women.
• Women often misinterpret normal blood sugar levels as metabolic health, but insulin resistance can develop silently over years, increasing the risk of diabetes and associated complications, which may be more severe in women.
• Heart disease remains the leading cause of death for women, with menopause increasing cardiovascular risks; many women underestimate this threat despite changes in cholesterol and other markers during this transition.
• Poor sleep and chronic stress are frequently dismissed but have serious long-term effects on metabolic, hormonal, and cardiovascular health, especially as declining estrogen reduces the body’s ability to manage stress during menopause.