Healthy Habits to Start in Your 40s for Your Best Years Ahead

Living longer than ever before doesn't necessarily mean living healthier. While improvements in healthcare and diet have extended our lifespan, they haven't always extended our health span. Many women find themselves facing chronic illnesses, pain, and disabilities as they age. But what if we could change that outcome for ourselves?

The good news is, we can. Emerging research shows that lifestyle changes can prevent—and even reverse—many common illnesses that tend to appear in our later years. It's not just about adding years to our life, but life to our years. Our genes may set the stage, but our environment and daily habits play a leading role in how we age. This concept, known as epigenetics, tells us that we have more control over our health than we might think.

In this post, I've given you the crucial habits to adopt in your 40s to ensure a healthier, more vibrant future. Because no matter your age, it is never too late to start promoting healthy aging, reduce your risk for chronic illnesses and stay strong, active and vibrant into your retirement.

Establishing Healthy Lifestyle Habits

PROTECT YOUR BONE HEALTH

Your bone health really matters! Your bones continuously break down and rebuild themselves to stay strong. But starting around age 30, you slowly begin to lose bone mass. That can lead to weaker bones, if you don’t take steps now to save your bone mass.

Nutrition is a key player here, and adding in some strength and resistance training will not only build muscle, strengthen bones and improve your metabolic rate, but paired with adequate protein and calcium intake it’s been proven to be hugely preventative when it comes to reducing your risk of developing osteoporosis and keeping your bones strong and healthy. 

When it comes to diet, get in the habit of having a portion of lean, quality protein at each meal and ensure you are getting adequate calcium from real, whole foods. Some examples of lean, quality protein include grass-fed beef, free range turkey and chicken, wild-caught salmon and other oily fish and eggs.

Some examples of calcium-supportive foods include bone broth, whole dairy (such as milk, Greek yogurt, and cheese), tinned sardines and salmon, and cooked dark leafy greens such as kale. 

While protein and calcium are important, your body needs vitamin D to utilise calcium. Sun exposure is the best way to get Vitamin D. Here is an article by The Irish Cancer Society with some recommendations on how to do so safely.

LEARN TO SLEEP

You know, you know—you should get more sleep. But why is it so crucial to health and longevity? Studies have linked poor sleep to heart disease, obesity, depression and anxiety. For day to day function, lack of sleep impairs reasoning, problem-solving, and attention to detail, and storing precious memories.

A good night's sleep is has a vital restorative function too. Cerebrospinal fluid, a clear liquid surrounding the brain and spinal cord, moves through your brain and clears metabolic waste (such as Beta-amyloid β (Aβ and tau proteins) from our brain tissue that accumulates over our day.

Poor sleep quality in older adults is associated with increased brain levels of amyloid-β (Aβ), a well-known Alzheimer's biomarker. This raises the possibility that certain neurological disorders might be prevented or treated by nurturing waste clearance in our brain.

Regularly getting the right amount of sleep is often overlooked in health improvement because people focus on diet and exercise. Spend time now building strong sleep skills and reap the brain health rewards in later life.

But what is your sleep is affected by a common health condition? Sleep apnea affects millions of people, but it's believed that many cases are being missed. Part of the reason is that symptoms like snoring, or waking up gasping for air, don't happen in every case. Sleep apnea can present with a number of surprising signs and symptoms, such as teeth grinding and depression.

If you have any concerns about your sleep quality, talk to your GP about a sleep study. There are treatments, like CPAP, that lower risk and improve quality of life and future health.

STEP UP YOUR STRESS MANAGEMENT

Our 40s can be a tough decade. On top of handling our careers and family responsibilities, we often begin caring for our aging parents. These responsibilities can naturally increase our stress level and take a toll on our mental health. This coupled with changing hormone levels can also increase our risk for depression during this time.

With putting so much time into caring for others, and juggling all our responsibilities, we often end up at the bottom of the list. But we MUST find a way to manage our stress so we can protect our metabolic health, nervous system and our ability to function optimally in our day-to-day lives.

Instead of focusing on how to eliminate stress or using coping mechanisms to pacify it, put your efforts into stress management techniques to help you feel more resilient and support a stronger you. There are two ways to manage stress in our lives:

Firstly, although we can't eliminate stress entirely, there are some ways to limit it:

Master your schedule. We often believe we have time for everything and pack our schedule and then feel under pressure every day. Do a time assessment. Simply use a paper weekly calendar or your digital calendar and input everything so it is all laid out in front of you. Some things will need to be offloaded or eliminated for your mental health. We all have seasons of life in which we work on different things.

Make a point to unplug. Constantly being stimulated by social media, the news cycle, messages and emails, and with playing online games negatively impacts our brain health. They are also a huge reason we have little quality time for ourselves. All those minutes add up. Be deliberate about turning off your notifications and setting it down for a set period of time in your day. Your mental health will thank you.

Reduce external stimulation. Your environment is a major contributor to your stress level. It's not always something we have control over. But when you do, aim to create a more calming environment for your nervous system. Think in terms of your senses, i.e. less visual clutter, adjust the lighting to appropriate levels, reduce noise (earplugs) or play some calming or joyful music and ensure you have fresh air and you are physically comfortable. All of these will reduce nervous system irritation and reduce your stress level.

Secondly, incorporate a daily practice (even minutes long) to shift your nervous state from alert to a relaxed state. There are many ways to find a sense of calm. The key is to try different things and see what works best for you. 

Take a real break. When you feel overloaded, take a screen-free microbreak away from your responsibilities to just breathe. To just be. Taking a few minutes in the middle of each day will help relieve your stress and to be more productive for the second half of your day. Even an extra wait in the car between errands counts where you can put on your favorite chill-out music and zone out.

Find a relaxing hobby. Activities like reading, gardening, playing a musical instrument or painting provide mental stimulation and are linked to living longer, healthier lives. Spend time doing something you love. Maybe that’s cooking, baking or even knitting!

Try out mindfulness or meditation. Try some classes such as yoga, Pilates or guided meditation to begin. If you don’t have time for a class. You can bring your stress level down just a few minutes of deep breathing or journalling. Spotify also has some guided relaxations available which are lovely to do while falling asleep.

If you can establish a strong daily relaxation habit, you will improve how you feel in the present and reduce your risk for many stress related illnesses in the future.

MAINTAIN YOUR SOCIAL CONNECTIONS

Your 40s can be hard on friendships given time devoted to a career, children, and marriage. Feeling connected and needed boosts your health. Your immune system works better; you have more social resources available if you need help; and you even develop fewer chronic illnesses when you are older.

Getting together regularly with good friends or family members provides emotional support and pleasure. Make time to talk on the phone, get together, or go on that trip. Other ways to foster connection includes:

• Connecting with community or faith-based groups
• Volunteering for something you are passionate about
• Joining a local group, such as a book club, walking group, or exercise class

MAKE TIME FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Physical inactivity is one of the leading risk factors for poor health and disability in later life. Sitting for hours on end also negatively impacts your posture and musculoskeletal health. So, alongside your strength workouts, being active outside the gym is a great way to keep your muscles and joints working properly and leading to a healthier life later on.

Aside from the glow you see in the mirror after a great workout, cardio exercise raises your heart rate and increases blood flow, carrying oxygen and nutrients to every cell of your body. Whether it is physically demanding chores or going on a walk in the sunshine with your friends or family instead of catching up over the phone, swimming or cycling, choose an exercise that you know you'll enjoy so that you’re more likely to make it part of your routine.

Sure, you're busy and may not think you have time to exercise. Try working exercise into your schedule for two weeks. There's a good chance you'll be able to fit exercise into your routine without giving up other important things. When you start exercising regularly, you'll have more energy; you'll sleep better and then, you'll get more done.

STOP "MIDDLE AGE SPREAD"

Middle-aged spread, the commonly accepted idea that we start to pack on the pounds around the abdomen as we age. While some women do have a genetic predisposition to carry body-fat around the waist (which becomes more apparent as they age) it's important to note that not all women will experience an increase of their waist.

So if you are experiencing tightening of your clothes, especially at your waistband, it's important to evaluate if you are gaining this fat just under your skin (subcutaneous) or if you are gaining "belly fat".

Visceral fat, aka belly fat, is the adipose tissue internal to and surrounding vital organs including the liver, stomach, and intestines. To some degree we need visceral fat to support those organs, however too much can lead to insulin resistance, increases in inflammation and heightened risk of metabolic syndromes, diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease.

The good news is, visceral fat responds to lifestyle changes!

Get your sleep. Too little is bad. A five-year study found that adults under age 40 who slept five hours or less a night accumulated significantly more visceral fat. This again show the power of sleep on our metabolic health.

Don't smoke. The more you smoke, the more likely you are to store fat in your abdomen rather than on your hips and thighs.

Be Active. Duke University Medical Center researchers have demonstrated that physical inactivity leads to a significant increase in visceral fat, while low amount prevent visceral fat and high amounts of exercise can lead to significant decreases.

Cut down on Ultra Processed Food. Certain ingredients seem to encourage belly fat. One of them is trans fats, which are found in ultra processed foods. So read the labels and avoid ingredients like “hydrogenated”.  But not all fats, your body needs polyunsaturated, monounsaturated, and saturated fats on some level to keep your body healthy and working well as you age.

RESTORE CORE STRENGTH

Having strong core muscles is important at any age. (Your core includes the muscles in your abdomen, pelvis and back.) But it’s especially important to begin working on this in your 40s. Menopause also affects the strength of our pelvic floor and this can show up as incontinence later in your life.

Begin working on your core strength sooner rather than later. I have a complimentary Pelvic Health programme that you can begin with. Pilates is also a great workout method to strengthen your entire core.

If you have ongoing back pain, though, be sure to check in with your doctor. Certain types of arthritis that affect the spine and pelvis can set in at this stage of life. Pelvic Organ Prolapse and certain gynecological conditions can also cause back pain and should be investigated and treated.

BLOOD SUGAR ROLLERCOASTER

As we age, our pancreas will produce less insulin and our muscle and other tissues become less sensitive to this insulin. This means that sugar (glucose) and fat (triglycerides) remain in the bloodstream longer, leading to poorer blood sugar and blood lipid control.

Why does this matter? Poor control of blood sugars and fat can lead to metabolic syndrome and/or Type 2 diabetes if left unmanaged. Diabetes can cause many complications including cardiovascular disease, stroke, chronic kidney failure and damage to your feet and eyes. 

So what can you do?

Cut Back on Your Sugar Intake. Prevent spikes in insulin and then a crash in your blood sugar by avoiding the root cause. Read product labels carefully to know how much and what types of sugars you are eating. Fructose, glucose, dextrose, lactose and maltodextrin are all types of sugar. The longer you wait to cut back on low fibre, sugary sweet foods, the tougher it is to recalibrate your behaviour down the road.

Have your carbs with protein and fibre. When you eat starchy carbs by themselves, your body converts them into glucose (aka sugar) faster than it would if you were eating something else at the same time that slows digestion, like protein or fibre. Eating this combo will set you up with longer lasting energy, keeps your blood sugar controlled, and prevents you from crashing and craving later in your day.

Eat plants with every meal. You may have heard author Michael Pollan's signature phrase: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."  Eating plenty of vegetables, fruit, beans, legumes, nuts and seeds will help boost your micronutrient status to keep you healthy for life. Aim for a variety of colours to provide you with an abundance of bioavailable nutrients. They are also a fabulous source of fibre which will keep your gut happy and healthy and bowel movements regular (very important for reducing your risk of bowel cancer).

An easy way to work towards this habit is by filling half of your plate or bowl with non-starchy veggies at each meal. mixing in the fruit, nuts, beans, legumes and seeds where they fit in your meals and snacks. This is an easy rule of thumb to remember when you're crafting meals all throughout your life.

WATCH FOR PERIMENOPAUSE SYMPTOMS

Many women in their 40s are taken by surprise by perimenopause. The average age for menopause is 51. But the perimenopause transition usually kicks in during your 40s.

As you near the end of your menstrual years, you may have several symptoms. These include:

• Periods that change in length and intensity
• Difficulty sleeping
• Hot flashes
• Mood changes
• Libido changes

Blame them on changing levels of the female sex hormone estrogen, which are starting to decrease.

Perimenopause symptoms are normal. But it can be hard to cope with them. It's always important to stay on top of any issue that may arise. See your doctor if you’re having issues and prepare to have open, candid conversation about what you are personally experiencing.

CATCH HEALTH PROBLEMS EARLY

Don't think that just because you are "only" in your 40s you are not at risk for chronic illnesses. Diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and other lifestyle illnesses may be already starting in your body. Early intervention is crucial as many of these, when caught early enough can be treated and reversed. 

Routine blood work testing is determined by your GP but usually includes cholesterol, blood sugar. thyroid function, liver function and levels of critical vitamins and minerals.

I began these myself in my late 30s, I book one after my birthday each year, it's an easy reminder that will definitely arrive without fail. My first two years picked up two problems, pernicious anaemia and very low B12 (critical for brain health and energy) and zinc and selenium deficiency (critical for thyroid health). Because I has this information, I was able to help myself.

These yearly appointments are also a great time to check in with your doctor about anything that’s bothering you and discuss preventative healthcare for anything concerning you in your family history too. Which brings me to...

Know Your Health History

You need to know your own personal medical history, your risk factors, and your medications. Your record will help you (and your GP) quickly understand any problems that come up in the future, prevent errors in treatment and diagnosis, and help decide what preventative tests you may need.

You'll also want to begin getting your family history too. If certain diseases such as breast or colon cancer run in your family, you may need to start screenings earlier. I seem to be following in my mothers health history, gallstones, B12 deficiency and possibly thyroid next. I am actively working on preventing developing everything.

Get Your Eyes Checked 

If you wear glasses, like me, you will be used to regular eye exams. But if you don't, it's time to schedule one. While eye exams can pick up on eye health issues, they can also detect conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, and multiple sclerosis, health issues you want to address as early as possible and have under control.

Take Care of Your Skin

This one is close to my heart as my father died of skin cancer. His melanoma was on the sole of his foot, not related to sun exposure. Spotting skin cancer early could save your life. Start by getting to know what is normal for your skin. After that it will be easier to spot any changes. Schedule a skin check if you haven’t had one yet. That way the dermatologist can check and possibly remove any suspicious moles.

9 out of every 10 cases of skin cancer are caused by UV rays from the sun or sunbeds. Research shows that sunscreen can help prevent melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer. Wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher every day. If you haven’t yet made that a habit, now is the time to start. It is important to use shade, clothes and sunglasses too.

Care for your Breasts

Each year in Ireland, more than 3,400 women are diagnosed with breast cancer.  It is more common in women over 50, but it can affect younger women too. It is important that every woman is breast aware. This means knowing what is normal for you, so that you can spot any changes.

The sooner you notice a change the better, because if cancer is found early, treatment is more likely to be successful. Get into the habit of looking at and feeling your breasts every month. This will help you to notice any change if it occurs.

If you have a family history, talk to your doctor about earlier breast cancer screening. A mammogram is an X-ray test that looks for changes in breast tissue. It’s a proven tool for catching breast cancer early. If you have dense breasts, the doctor may also suggest an ultrasound of your breasts.

My mother caught her breast cancer very early and was given the all clear after her treatment. She never missed her mammogram appointments.

AVOID SMOKING OR VAPING

Lung cancer is the 5th most common cancer in Ireland, with almost 2,600 people being diagnosed each year. Smoking is the biggest cause of preventable death and disease in Ireland. Smoking can also cause premature metabolic aging; people who smoke are more likely to experience heart problems at an earlier age than people who don't smoke. And smoking contributes to osteoporosis (thinning and weakening of your bones).

The single most positive thing you can do for your health is to quit smoking. If you're ready to quit smoking, you can get lots of help. Call the National Smokers’ Quitline on 1800 201 203 and speak with a stop-smoking adviser who will talk you through all your options.

You can also visit www.quit.ie, which includes handy, practical tips for quitting and describes the treatments available that can help you quit for good.

CUT DOWN OR AVOID ALCOHOL

Despite the hype over red wine and longevity, alcohol should be used only in moderation, and for many women, not at all. Alcohol is classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Group 1 is the highest-risk group, which also includes asbestos, radiation, and tobacco. This fact is still not widely known to the public. Women who have three drinks per week have a 15% higher risk of breast cancer and the risk goes up another 10% for every additional drink they have each day.

Alcohol also impairs your overall metabolic health. It’s causing inflammation in the body. It’s preventing you from sleeping soundly and deeply throughout the night. And it’s shutting down your prefrontal cortex, making it harder for you to keep up with healthy food choices not only that evening but the next day as well. For most, alcohol actually drops your blood sugar, eventually leading to sugar and carb cravings later in the evening and/or the next morning.

Now, I am not just going to tell you to ditch the booze instantly, that would just be unrealistic. Remember, the more you drink, the more harmful it is, so begin cutting down. What if you chose 1-2 nights per week to enjoy a couple of drinks of your choice instead of 1-2 drinks every single night of the week? What if you replaced your evening “wind-down” drink with a fun mocktail, herbal tea, a walk with your partner, or a sparkling beverage in a wine glass?

As long as you understands the risks, there are times you may drink a toast to your good health!

MAINTAIN A HEALTHY BODY WEIGHT

Your weight can only tell you so much about your overall health. Overall health and wellbeing is total picture with many factors. Your weight is just one of these factors. Focusing on your weight only undoubtedly detracts from the real sources of health problems and chronic disease.

The belief that your weight is a primary determinant of health is an arguably outdated–approach to health. Focusing on healthy habits like exercising, eating and enjoying nutritious food, mindfulness, and meditation, all make a difference in improving your heart rate, cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and blood sugar, independent of your weight on a scale.

As a Health Coach, the problem I experience with a weight centric focus, is women making progressive and beneficial behavior changes and when they don’t see weight loss quickly enough, they become discouraged and quit what the healthy habits they have built up. Which to me is totally missing the point!

Now what about someone who will benefit from fat loss? Perhaps reducing liver and visceral fat, reducing the impact on their joints (knees and ankles) or simply because they have a lot of adipose (fat) tissue (there is an upper limit to the amount of body fat that our bodies can store without cellular malfunction). There is also the mental health aspect of living in a larger body in a society that places value on thinness.

If you do want/need to work on reducing your body fat levels, it is easier the younger you are. This is primarily because, with increasing age, your lean muscle mass will decrease, leading to easier weight gain and harder weight loss. But keep in mind that fad diets don't work, and your greatest hope for success lies in making sustainable changes which nurture your metabolic health while helping reduce calories to a small calorie deficit.

A Lifestyle for Vitality

The "secret" to aging more gracefully lies in the healthy habits you adopt while you're young. How you maintain your health and well-being now will largely determine your health for the rest of your life. If you have read this far, I'm betting you are thinking of making some changes.

On my Initial session with a new client, we always discuss their deeper motivations, their "why" behind wanting to feel and live differently. This deeper why will be their daily motivation to stay consistent with their actions and keep them progressing toward their dream wellness vision. Do you know your "why" behind wanting to make some changes?

Maybe to reverse a current medical diagnosis? Maybe to prevent future disease and illness? Maybe so that you can run around and play with your children now and grandchildren in the future? Maybe to feel more confident in your clothes? Maybe to have more energy?

These examples are much more motivating in tough times than wanting to look good for an upcoming wedding, for example. That can be used for a little urgency instead. Once you know what you want to achieve, next is figuring out what habits to form to help get you there?

When I'm working with clients we only work on one major habit change or two smaller changes at a time. How we decide is through a habit evaluation. This allows me to spot areas you can improve in. We may also discover old habits that once served you in your former years but are no longer contributing to how you want to feel in your 40s and beyond.

I check for the habits I've gone through above (and more): getting enough sleep, eating a nutritious, enjoyable diet, being physically active, managing the stress in your life, not smoking, limiting alcohol, and maintaining social support. As you read through the article, I'm sure some of the habits stood out to you.

Don’t wait to start making proactive changes for your health and quality of life as you age, pick an area to improve upon and experiment and make adjustments along the way. The secret sauce of lifestyle change is finding what works for you as an individual in each area of good health. And by experimenting you also figure out what doesn't work. The only way to fail here is by giving up and become complacent about your health!

As a health coach, I can guide you through these lifestyle changes, offering personalized support and strategies tailored to your needs. Together, we will work on finding your 'why', figuring out which habits will have the biggest impact for you and 

Let's take these steps together to ensure not just a longer life, but a healthier, more fulfilling one. If you are curious about Health Coaching, you can read more about it here. Or sign up for my newsletter below where I share more like this article and explain more on what coaching is like.