New research has found that most of us in midlife no longer consider 50 or even 60 old – because we’re staying more active and expect our lives to be fuller and more rewarding for much longer than previous generations. In fact, nearly two-thirds of middle-agers feel younger than our parents did at this age, according to the Healthspan ‘We Got You’ survey.
All of which is cause for celebration. But the downside of enjoying more fulfilling middle years is that our fifty-something bodies can sometimes struggle to keep up with their busier lives – leading to what the research has revealed as a new set of ‘midlife health moans’.
Indeed, the new report found that a third of people over 45 find themselves regularly griping about poor sleep, another third moan about low energy, while a quarter complain about aching joints. And over 60% of midifers admit that these health issues can prevent them doing the things they love.
‘Midlife today looks very different to previous generations,’ says evolutionary anthropologist Dr Anna Machin who worked on the research. ‘People are staying active, taking better care of their health and expecting a fulfilling life for longer — however this has led to a mismatch between culture and biology.’
In other words, we want more from life than ever before and are justifiably annoyed when it feels like our bodies are letting us down.
‘Women in the survey agreed the solution lies not in just accepting ‘old age’ but in maintaining our health in more proactive ways,’ says Dr Machin.
Here, experts give smart, science-backed advice to beat back these everyday ageing body niggles — so you can get on with enjoying your extended youth.
PREMATURELY ACHY JOINTS
If your knees and hips feel older than the rest of you, it isn’t just bad luck – there is a genuine physiological reason that many women develop joint pain from their mid 40s onwards, explains Belfast-born GP Dr Gareth Patterson.
‘As oestrogen levels begin to decline during perimenopause, you’re losing one of your joints’ key protectors, which plays an important role in maintaining cartilage — the flexible connective tissue that protects our joints —and inhibits the inflammation that speeds up its breakdown,’ he says. ‘This means cartilage wears away faster, leading to more joint stiffness and a higher risk of arthritis, particularly in the knees, hips, and hands.’
What you can do:
The best evidence for protecting joint health points to low-impact exercise says Dr Patterson, which means swimming, cycling, and brisk walking – all of which maintain joint mobility and stimulates synovial fluid production to lubricate the joints, without the repetitive joint stress caused by high-impact activities such as running.
Resistance training (using weights) is increasingly recognised as essential, as having strong leg and core muscles acts as shock absorbers for the joints, significantly reducing pressure on the knees and hips. ‘Yoga and Pilates are great too, particularly for improving your range of motion and addressing the morning stiffness that becomes more pronounced in this age group,’ adds Dr Patterson. Regular exercise will also help keep your weight down, which evidence shows will further reduce the stress on your joints.
‘On supplements, the evidence is modest but well worth noting,’ says Dr Patterson. ‘Omega-3 fatty acids have demonstrated some anti-inflammatory benefit in joints, and curcumin (the active compound in turmeric) shows promising results in trials.’
Some studies have even found that taking turmeric may provide similar pain relief for arthritis sufferers as ibuprofen.
Try: Healthspan Opti-turmeric
(€16.99 for 30, healthspan.ie).
Mid-life moans: Eating for your microbiome can help with tummy issues while yoga is a good way to strength train
TEMPERAMENTAL TUMMY
Many of us find as we get older our digestion isn’t what it used to be, with key complaints being more bloating and constipation. And a growing body of research suggests that changes in our gut microbiome during the perimenopause may be a key driver of these symptoms.
‘Before menopause, oestrogen helps support a diverse, stable gut microbiome,’ explains Dr Jennifer McKew, a GP and menopause specialist from Belfast (vitalishealth.co.uk. ‘It also interacts with a group of gut bacteria sometimes called the estrobolome – special microbes that help regulate oestrogen levels in the body. But as oestrogen levels fall and progesterone levels fluctuate during the perimenopause and menopause this relationship shifts.
‘A healthy gut thrives on variety and after menopause, studies show a drop in diversity — meaning fewer types of beneficial bacteria – in particular the species Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli associated with healthy digestion, all of which can lead to these irritable bowel type symptoms.’
What you can do:
First of all you need to sort your diet out says Dr McKew. ‘A healthy gut needs plenty of fibre – at least 18g per day – which means fruit, vegetables, beans and whole grains. And don’t forget to also drink plenty of water as fibre needs plenty of fluid to keep it moving through the gut. Including fermented foods such as yoghurt, kefir, sauerkraut has also been found to boost levels of good bacteria in the gut and help digestion.”
Try a probiotic supplement. A 2022 review by University College Cork found that restoring healthy gut bacteria was associated with improved ageing, while a 2025 review by the University of East Anglia found taking pre and probiotics could be beneficial in alleviating menopausal symptoms, including digestive issues. ‘It’s also important to only use antibiotics when necessary and take a probiotic if you do need to take a course and continue it for a full two weeks after completion of the course,’ adds Dr McKew.
MIDLIFE HANGOVERS
If your hangovers feel significantly worse in your 40s and 50s than they did in your 20s, you’re not imagining it. Many women at this time of life develop a sudden intolerance to alcohol and there are several factors are at play to cause this, says GP Dr Gareth Patterson. ‘Firstly, women already have naturally lower levels of a gut chemical called ‘dehydrogenase’ that helps breakdown alcohol than men do, which means more alcohol gets to reach their bloodstream, so they feel drunker faster. And as you age, this enzyme declines even further, so alcohol is processed even more slowly and reaches higher concentration in your blood,’ he explains. Women’s body fat changes with age meaning less muscle and more fat, particularly around the middle. ‘This is significant because muscles contain more water than fat which helps dilute circulating alcohol – so higher fat results again in higher blood alcohol levels from the same intake’
And the final piece of the puzzle says Dr Patterson is the decline in oestrogen during perimenopause, which appears to reduce the liver’s efficiency in clearing acetaldehyde — the toxic byproduct of alcohol responsible for the telltale headache, nausea, and fatigue of a hangover.’ The net effect is that alcohol is just more potent in perimenopausal women and one drink can feel like two once did,” he adds. “So for many women, even consumption within Ireland’s recommended weekly limit of 11 standard drinks — with two to three alcohol-free days — may be too much.”
What you can do:
The practical advice is straightforward: drink less, always with food, and match every unit of alcohol with water says Dr Patterson or try zero and low-alcohol drinks. And for extra motivation, reducing your intake doesn’t just help your hangovers – it also lowers your risk of breast cancer, cardiovascular disease, and liver disease.
EARLY MORNING SLEEP DISTURBANCES
That frustrating 3am ‘wide awake for no reason’ feeling is one of the most common sleep complaints during menopause — and it’s caused by a perfect storm of hormonal, neurological and physical changes that disrupt normal sleep patterns during midlife says Dr Jennifer McKew.
‘Specifically, the sharp decline in the hormones oestrogen and progesterone during perimenopause can mean disturbed sleep and waking up too early.
‘This is because oestrogen helps regulate body temperature and supports the production of sleep-related brain chemicals such as serotonin, while progesterone has a naturally calming, sedative-like effect on the body and brain,’ she continues.
‘So as these hormones fall, sleep can become lighter and more fragmented.’
Menopause symptoms such as night sweats and hot flushes can further add to sleep problems and occur because the brain’s temperature control system — the hypothalamus — becomes more sensitive with fluctuating and lower levels of oestrogen, so you overheat more often. Thankfully there’s plenty you can do to restore a good night’s sleep.
What you can do:
HRT (hormone replacement therapy) is still the best frontline treatment which can significantly improve sleep by stabilising your hormone levels says Dr McKew.
‘Keeping the bedroom cool and well-ventilated and using cotton sheets and loose night clothes all help too, as does good sleep hygiene – which means consistent bed and wake times,’ she says. ‘Limiting caffeine and alcohol is sensible too as both worsen night sweats, anxiety and sleep quality. Meanwhile meditation and breathwork (slowing your breathing with guided exercises) has been shown to help regulate your nervous system and improve sleep and there are some great apps to teach these techniques such as Calm or Headspace.’
UNTRUSTWORTHY BLADDER
Frequent trips to the loo and urine leaks increase with age and are something our mothers often silently put up with. But the new Healthspan research found that many midlife women today are not prepared to let this problem stop them exercising or socialising. And the answer could lie in fixing something you may never have never heard of— your vaginal microbiome.
“When oestrogen levels fall in perimenopause and beyond, the effects are felt across the entire genital and urine system,” says Eleanor Gardner, pelvic floor physiotherapist and founder of Pelvic Relief online health store.
‘What many women don’t realise is that oestrogen also drives glycogen production in vaginal tissues, and glycogen is the food source for the protective lactobacilli bacteria that make up the vaginal microbiome and help keep your vagina and bladder healthy.
‘When oestrogen declines, glycogen drops, lactobacilli reduce, and vaginal pH rises, disrupting the protective cycle that normally keeps harmful bacteria at bay,’ she continues.
‘This is why women from their 40s onwards can find themselves more susceptible to symptoms like urinary urgency, frequency, recurrent infections and discomfort — even when they do pelvic floor exercises and everything else right.’
What you can do:
Vaginal oestrogen — in the form of cream or pessaries — is the first-line treatment and restoring it locally can make a significant difference to both tissue health and the microbiome so speak to your GP who can prescribe this to help.
‘Targeted Lactobacilli probiotics will also directly support the bacterial environment that helps protect against infection,’ says Gardner.
Try: VJJ Ultimate UT which combines both (€30, pelvicrelief.co.uk). Other nutrients which can help include isoflavones (found in plants such as soya beans) which have been shown to help tone and strengthen a weak bladder.
You could also try Healthspan Bladder Support with Go-Less (€29.99, healthspan.ie) which contains a mixture of pumpkin seed extracts, soy germ and vitamins B6, D3 and zinc – all of which can help maintain good bladder function and help support normal urine flow.
