Experts Say These Are the 9 Healthy Ageing Habits Midlife Women Often Miss

Here in the UK, women live on average 3.9 years longer than men. I can’t decide if that fact surprises me. I mean, sure, we always knew we were resilient, but no one could argue we don’t have a lot to contend with. PMOS, endometriosis, PMDD, biological clocks, childbirth, the second shift, I’m looking at all of you…

Either way, research suggests that it’s true, and that a lot of the reason for this phenomenon is a biological difference in the rate our tissues age. In fact, by the time we hit mid-life (generally regarded as the years between 40 and 65 years old), studies show that our tissues tend to look biologically younger than men’s.

It’s at exactly this point in our lives, however, that we hit a gender-specific challenge: one which has the potential to impact our overall lifespan, but also our healthspan (aka the years we spend living in good health).

I’m of course talking about the transition through perimenopause and menopause - a subject long underdiscussed, but which is now finally getting the attention it deserves. Menopausal symptoms are not necessarily associated with poor health outcomes, but they are life-changing, and they can provide a strong indication of the direction our health will take for the rest of our lives. It’s why we recruited the help of a leading trainer, nutritionist and psychologist, all specialising in midlife health, to unpack the essential habits to help us unlock longer, healthier lives.

To pick their brains, read on. And to uncover more women-specific longevity content, head to our guides to the best brain-boosting daily habits, exercising for healthy ageing and the simple longevity rituals which matter more than biohacking. We’ve also got fresh thoughts from Health Editor, Ally Head, on a female-focused strength training plan that’s well worth a read.

I'm A Midlife Health Expert - These 9 Habits Are Key To Healthy Ageing

What’s the difference between longevity and healthy ageing?

“Longevity is about how long we live, but healthy ageing is about how well we live as we get older,” says Kate Rowe-Ham, midlife and longevity strength coach and author of The Longevity Solution. “It isn’t simply about adding more years to life; it’s about maintaining the physical, mental and social capacity to do the things that matter to us.”

She points out that, for most of us, it’s actually a much more useful goal than lifespan alone. It’s what will allow us to stay active, socially connected, mentally present and emotionally fulfilled. The good news? Research shows that much of it is controllable through diet and lifestyle.

Why is the midlife period so important for healthy ageing?

According to Rowe-Ham, midlife is a pivotal moment for healthy ageing because, with the shifts around perimenopause and menopause, our bodies tend to start sending signals to indicate what our future health may look like.

“The perimenopause and menopause transition can affect sleep, mood, body composition, bone density and cardiovascular risk, so this is the moment to take stock and invest in future health,” Rowe-Ham says. “You’re not just managing symptoms in the present, you’re actually protecting your energy, mobility, independence, and quality of life for the decades ahead.”

She’s right, and whilst the longevity conversation tends to centre very much around our physical body, clinical psychologist Dr Ella Woods says our brain health is equally essential. “We know that the brain’s biological age is the strongest predictor of longevity, even more than the heart or the liver,” she says, citing research from 2025 which looked at the speed of ageing across different body parts and the impact this had on overall longevity.

“The brain came out on top,” she explains, adding that, importantly, our brain age isn’t fixed and can be influenced by lifestyle factors. “The choices we make about sleep, stress, and psychological health in midlife are directly relevant to our longevity,” she makes clear, explaining that changes in brain structure and activity during the menopause transition make it a particularly important moment for our brain health. “Brain imaging research shows measurable shifts in brain energy metabolism and structural brain differences across the menopausal transition, meaning we can no longer treat this as purely a reproductive event,” she says.

Do men and women have different longevity needs in midlife?

While the foundations of longevity may be similar for all of us, Rowe-Ham is clear that women do have some distinct needs, which become particularly apparent in midlife.

“Men don’t go through the same abrupt hormonal transition that women do during perimenopause and menopause,” she says, explaining that during this period, “women see changes in cardiovascular risk, bone density, muscle mass, sleep, pelvic health and vaginal health.”

This means that, in addition to exercise, nutrition, sleep, and stress management, “women often need to pay close attention to bone and heart health, muscle preservation, and symptom support during this stage of life,” explains Rowe-Ham.

She also points out that, often, women still remain the primary caregivers during midlife; a fact which adds additional burden with genuine health implications. The research here is especially interesting because caregiving is actually associated with a 9% longer lifespan. And yet, studies have shown female caregivers to have worsened menopause symptoms, long-term depressive symptoms and functional limitations compared to non-caregivers, demonstrating that longevity doesn’t always equate to healthy ageing.

This is where mental health becomes just as important to the ageing process. “The chronic, unmanaged, low-grade stress that many women carry accelerates ageing at a cellular level, essentially speeding up the biological clock inside every cell in your body,” says Dr Woods, who points to research showing that women with better psychological wellbeing were significantly less likely to die from heart disease. “The same association wasn't found in men,” she notes. “For women specifically, psychological health appears to be one of the most important factors in how long and how well we live.”

9 Daily Habits For Healthy Ageing, Which Many Midlife Women Overlook:

1. Eat breakfast within 90 minutes of waking

Where better to start with a healthy habit than first thing in the morning? And whilst this may sound incredibly simple, nutritionist and hormone specialist Hannah Alderson says we’d be surprised by how many of us still skip breakfast.

“Eating a protein-rich breakfast within 60 to 90 minutes of waking is one of the most impactful habits I encourage women to adopt during perimenopause and menopause,” she says.

Why? Well, as Alderson explains, “cortisol naturally rises as part of the awakening response, helping us to feel alert and energised.” This is a good thing, but “if we skip breakfast, or eat it too late, cortisol can elevate too much, thanks to a dip in blood sugar. This creates a cycle of cortisol dysregulation, blood sugar highs and crashes that can cause havoc for stress levels,” explains Alderson.

With chronic stress far from longevity’s best friend, Alderson instead recommends a protein and fibre-rich breakfast early doors. “This helps to provide a dose of energy, which provides the building blocks for our hormones and neurotransmitters, whilst supporting muscle maintenance and promoting stable blood sugar levels.”

In practice, this looks like combining 25-30g of protein with fibre from foods like flaxseeds, chia seeds, nuts, pumpkin seeds and high-quality breads like sourdough and rye. “And don’t forget the colour,” adds Alderson, whose top tip is “a kiwi a day, with the skin on.”

2. Protect your sleep

We all know the importance of sleep, which, frustratingly, tends to get disrupted through the menopause transition. “During deep sleep, the brain runs its own waste-clearance system, flushing out toxins and waste material, including the proteins associated with Alzheimer's disease,” says Dr Woods. “It’s also when we consolidate memory, regulate emotions and restore metabolic balance, which makes protecting it one of the most important health behaviours we have.”

Easier said than done, for sure. But fortunately, Rowe-Ham has some practical tips. “Maintain a regular sleep schedule, avoid late naps, and treat persistent sleep changes as a concern worth discussing with a healthcare professional, rather than just putting up with them,” she advises.

3. Keep up with health checks

How many times have you put off a visit to the doctor with the rationale that ‘it’s probably nothing’? In my case, it’s more than I’d like to admit.

But these visits really can be the difference to a longer, healthier life, especially when it comes to cardiovascular conditions like heart disease, says Rowe-Ham. “The menopause transition is associated with accelerated cardiovascular risk,” she explains, "which makes it a critical window.”

Her advice? “Take exercise seriously, eat well, and keep up with health checks and don’t brush off changes in blood pressure, cholesterol or weight.”

4. Practice self-compassion

Even I found myself surprised to be including this one. We know self-compassion is good for us, but rarely do we view it as a genuine longevity principle; a fact Dr Woods is quick to pull me up on.

“The research behind it is strong,” she says. “Inner criticism is not just mentally uncomfortable; it becomes another chronic stressor, activating the same physiological stress response as any external pressure.”

She’s also clear that self-compassion is very different to giving up or letting yourself off the hook. “It actually means speaking to yourself in a way that helps your nervous system feel safer, and when the nervous system feels safer, better overall health becomes possible. In the context of chronic stress and biological ageing, the way you speak to yourself is not a small thing; it is part of how you age.”

5. Don’t underestimate social connection and support

“Social connection matters much more than many women realise,” says Rowe-Ham. “Our emotional wellbeing, relationships and community all influence how well we age.”

Dr Woods agrees here. “As midlife women we are carrying an enormous invisible load; remembering appointments, managing family emotions, planning meals, holding work responsibilities, organising children and a home, supporting ageing parents and keeping everyone else regulated simultaneously. This keeps the nervous system in a state of constant low-level alert, and women will find that the effects of this will accumulate over time.”

Shared systems, she says, are one way to reduce the impact of these stressors. “Although it can feel hard, focusing on boundaries, delegation, shared systems, and having fewer things left unfinished is a way of protecting our health.”

6. Prioritise muscle through strength training

Exercise is a staple for longevity, but in midlife, preserving muscle mass becomes more important than ever as a loss of oestrogen puts our bone density at risk.

It’s here that strength training takes centre stage. “This is one of the most overlooked habits for midlife women,” emphasises Rowe-Ham, who says that it doesn’t need to be complicated. “It can be as simple as resistance training two to three times a week using weights, resistance bands or bodyweight exercises,” she reassures. For tips on where to get started, check out our guide to the five best exercises for strength and longevity, as chosen by a PT.

7. Stop skipping meals to create nutritional safety

Though many of us now know better, the hangover of the old ‘eat less, do more’ narrative is persistent, and can still linger in the back of our minds. But as Alderson emphasises, pushing back against it is one of the most important things we can do for our longevity.

“During perimenopause and menopause, when hormonal changes are already creating additional demands on our system, restrictive eating patterns can exacerbate symptoms such as fatigue, cravings, poor concentration and disrupted sleep,” she explains.

Rather than focusing on restriction, she encourages us to maximise our intake of nourishing foods which will support our gut microbiome, bone health and energy levels. “The goal is to age with strength,” she says. “Eat consistently throughout the day via three main meals built around protein, healthy fats and colourful fibre.”

Her reasoning? “This creates a more stable internal environment, supports energy production and helps reduce the physiological stress associated with frequent blood sugar fluctuations.”

Her other top tip? Keep your meal times the same as far as possible. “It might not sound sexy, but the body loves routine,” she explains. “Keeping your three meals close to the same time each day is a good idea.”

8. Pay attention to anger

If you’ve noticed an increase in anger and irritability during menopause, know that you’re not alone. Dr Woods says that this is driven by hormonal changes affecting the brain’s emotional regulation centres, and that finding healthy ways to express these emotions is important for healthy ageing.

“Chronically suppressed emotion carries physiological costs, including elevated stress hormones and increased cardiovascular risk,” she explains.

Given that many of us spend decades minimising or hiding our anger, learning to express it might feel unfamiliar at first, which is why Dr Woods shares her advice. “The first step is to notice anger without immediately trying to manage it,” she says. “It can be helpful to ask ‘what is this trying to tell me?’ as it may be pointing to exhaustion, an unmet need, or a boundary that needs protecting. Keep a brief note of when anger shows up, what triggered it, and where you are in your cycle - this can help you explore whether it is hormonal, situational, or both.”

Then, she says, it’s about emotional completion. “Anger that is suppressed doesn't disappear; it gets stored,” she explains. “Allowing it to move through your body by taking a brisk walk, shaking out your hands, or even naming it out loud helps the nervous system complete its own stress response cycle.”

9. Support your nervous system through food, not just supplements

“When we talk about healthy ageing, longevity and menopause, we often focus on what supplements to take,” says Alderson. “But foods rich in magnesium, omega-3 fats and polyphenols can support a healthy stress response and overall wellbeing. Think oily fish, nuts, seeds, extra virgin olive oil, berries, leafy greens and legumes. Adding more green tea is wonderful too!”

She says taking this kind of food-first approach allows us to shift from chasing individual nutrients to creating a well-rounded dietary pattern that’s both enjoyable and sustainable. “It sends the body a consistent message of safety and nourishment,” she explains. “When the nervous system feels supported, it becomes easier to make choices that benefit long-term health, energy and resilience.”

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