The Complete Guide to Physical Wellness for Women Over 40
Your body IS a Temple
In my opinion, caring for your physical self is the most basic and important aspect of self-care. I believe that our body is our temple. It is the vessel that houses our spirit, our energy, our soul.
Without a healthy physical body you do not enjoy quality of life. I am not talking about being slim and sexy, I am talking about being strong and not sluggish.
Treat your body like a temple and the goddess in you will do the rest.
As we move into our 40s, our bodies and lives naturally shift, and with these changes come new opportunities for growth, strength, and health. This stage of life is a call to tune into our well-being in a deeper, more proactive way. We may start asking ourselves: “What does my body need now?” and “How can I give her what she needs?”
This guide provides insights and practical advice to help women over 40 navigate the unique health challenges and learning moments this time in life brings.
What Happens to Women’s Health After 40?
Starting in our 40s, women experience shifts in physical, hormonal, and metabolic functions. These can impact energy levels, muscle mass, and even our mental resilience. Women are often juggling busy careers, caring for family, and managing social commitments as well as difficult relationships —all of which can take a toll if self-care is given a back seat.
Common Changes
Hormonal Changes: Hormonal fluctuations begin to rise, with perimenopause often beginning in the mid 40s.
Metabolic Slowdown: A slower metabolism can affect weight management and energy levels.
Muscle Loss: Sarcopenia, or the natural decline in muscle mass, starts around this age, making strength training a powerful ally.
Bone Health Concerns: Bone density tends to decrease, increasing the need for calcium, vitamin D, and strength-focused exercises.
Being prepared and addressing these changes as they come up will allow you a sense of autonomy over your own body. What was once a confusing time for so many women doesn’t have to be any longer. Each of these changes is an invitation to explore how we can nurture our health and truly meet our own needs.
Pillars of Wellness for Women Over 40
Each of these pillars highlights an area to focus on, with supportive articles that dive deeper into actionable steps, tips, and knowledge to help you thrive.
Our 40s bring profound physical and mental shifts, requiring us to embrace self-care in holistic, intentional ways. Each pillar of wellness—nutrition, physical health, rest and lifestyle—presents unique opportunities to grow stronger, more resilient, and more at ease with ourselves.
Nutrition and Gut Health
Nutrition and Gut Health play a foundational role in how we feel and function, influencing everything from energy levels to strength to immunity.
At this stage in life, it is time to step away from toxic diet culture, where it’s all about losing weight and maintaining that weight loss. That mindset does not serve us anymore. Now, balancing nutrients is more important than ever, as our metabolic and hormonal needs change.
The importance of gut health, which is now understood to affect digestion, nutrient absorption, immune function, and even mood, cannot be understated. Disruptions to the gut microbiome—through stress, processed foods, or lack of fiber—can lead to bloating, fatigue, and compromised immunity. Prioritising gut health by including fiber-rich foods, probiotics, and prebiotics helps maintain a happy microbiome, supporting both physical health and mental well-being.
Better nutrition involves understanding what our bodies need daily to maintain energy, mood, and hormone health. Rather than strict diets or fads, focusing on consistent, balanced choices helps us stay healthy and vibrant. The role of protein becomes central as our muscle mass naturally declines, requiring us to consume protein-rich foods that support bone and muscle health. This is crucial to ward off conditions in later life like sarcopenia, a gradual loss of muscle mass that can impact strength and mobility.
An often-overlooked element of diet, sugar, can significantly accelerate aging and impact energy. Reducing sugar intake is beneficial to our skin health, brain function, and overall vitality. As women over 40, adopting a thoughtful approach to our diet can lay the foundation for better physical health and mental well-being.
Physical Fitness
Physical Fitness after 40 is all about adapting to the changes that come with age and focusing on maintaining strength, flexibility, and alignment. The body begins to change subtly, and being aware of these shifts can empower us to make choices that support long-term health.
Embracing strength-training not only enhances muscle tone but also helps to regulate metabolism and maintain healthy bones. Building strength isn’t just about looking fit; muscle is key to metabolic health and resilience, creating a foundation of support for joints and connective tissue.
Posture is another important focus, as prolonged desk work or simply the demands of daily life can impact spinal alignment. Good posture isn’t just aesthetic—it supports breathing, digestion, and reduces the risk of developing chronic pain. Even small, regular exercises can improve alignment and reduce aches, helping to preserve mobility and confidence as we move through midlife.
Rest
Rest is a critical pillar of health, especially as we enter our 40s and face new demands on our bodies and minds. Yet, getting sufficient rest often becomes increasingly elusive with age. Quality sleep is foundational to wellness, influencing physical health, cognitive function, and emotional stability. At this stage of life, many women find themselves struggling with sleep due to hormonal changes, increased stress, or the natural shifts in circadian rhythm that can alter sleep patterns.
Aligning with the body’s natural sleep cycle through a calming bedtime routine and lifestyle adjustments—such as reducing caffeine intake, managing screen time, and engaging in relaxing pre-sleep activities—can improve both sleep quality and overall energy.
Understanding its role in the body’s repair and regeneration processes can be game-changing. By prioritising restorative sleep, women can support their body’s repair processes and sustain the vitality needed to thrive in midlife.
Lifestyle Changes
Of all the pillars for wellness, this one is probably the most challenging, because it involves adopting new habits and breaking old ones. And it is all about consistency. And if you are able to get the hang of unlearning and relearning, lifestyle changes can have a transformative impact on both mind and body.
Many women, prone to thinking of themselves last, struggle with fitting in a fitness routine. However, practising self-prioritisation and making gradual lifestyle tweaks toward regular physical activity, whether it is parking slightly further away or making weekly pickle ball dates with girl friends a non-negotiable can not only boost physical health but also self-confidence.
Incorporating more protein into your diet, is another one, where through small changes, you can begin the journey towards fuelling your body better. Little things like this can really make a difference in energy and muscle maintenance.
Rest is equally important, yet often elusive in midlife. By making a few adjustments that respect the body’s natural cycles instead of “hacking” them can lead to a more restful experience each night.
Final Thoughts
Each of these pillars—nutrition, physical health, rest and lifestyle—together form a holistic approach to wellness that not only meets the unique demands of this age but also celebrates the strength, wisdom, and resilience that women over 40 possess. By nurturing ourselves through balanced choices, compassionate self-care, and awareness of our changing needs, we can thrive well beyond our 40s.
