Women's health
“These are my 10 essential habits to feel healthier and happier in midlife”
When it comes to midlife wellbeing, few know it better than our founder, Liz Earle.
Midlife is a time of big change, both physically and emotionally. We may be navigating the challenging symptoms of menopause, or dealing with big life changes, such as children leaving home or romantic relationships breaking down.
Here, we share Liz’s non-negotiables, learned from her 35 years in the health and wellbeing circuit, to help you feel happier and healthier in midlife – and truly thrive!
Liz Earle’s essentials for midlife wellbeing
Eat more protein
As she has moved into midlife, Liz has become increasingly aware of the importance of getting enough protein.
Protein is essential, especially for midlifers, as it’s key for maintaining muscle mass, for brain health, and even for hormones.
Liz’s top tip when building a plate of food is to prioritise protein first, and then add fibre and healthy fats around the dish.
Eggs, greek yoghurt, meat, fish, tofu, lentils and beans are all good sources of protein. Liz has found it beneficial to cut back on refined carbs for weight management and her energy levels, too.
Start the day right
Liz aims to get out in the early morning sunlight each day to help set her circadian rhythm.
This might be for a workout outside, a quick walk down the road or even just opening a window and taking in the light. It’s both free and easy.
There’s evidence to suggest that becoming better acquainted with your circadian rhythm can help you to get a good night’s sleep and feel more energised – something Liz has found first-hand.
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Sleep
Sleep is fundamental to our wellbeing, and a bad night can have a negative knock-on effect the next day. We might feel tired, grouchy and lacking in energy.
Not only that, but consistently not getting enough sleep has been linked to a number of serious health conditions, including diabetes and high blood pressure. That’s why it is important to establish a solid sleep routine.
Liz’s non-negotiables for sleep include ear plugs and a sleep mask to block out noise and light, a magnesium glycinate supplement in the evening to help her relax before bedtime, and a few drops of lavender essential oil on her pillow to soothe.
She also avoids caffeine after 2pm (yes, that often includes dark chocolate!) and keeps her phone out of her bedroom, opting for a classic alarm clock instead.
Stress less
Liz knows the importance of keeping stress levels to a minimum. Feeling a little under pressure might not seem like a big deal, but prolonged stress can have a huge impact on our wellbeing. It can disrupt our hormones and weaken our immune system.
Liz is a fan of breathwork and meditation for keeping her stress levels low. They are easy and free to try at home.
Move more
Making time for movement is key for midlife women, keeping bones and muscles strong with age. Exercise is also beneficial for our mental health, as it releases endorphins.
Liz ensures she moves her body every single day where possible, and lifts weights around three times a week.
As a result, she says she feels stronger and fitter in her 60s than she did in her 50s and even in her 40s.
Look after your gut
From our immunity to our skin, looking after our gut is key to all-round health.
In midlife, we may be experiencing issues such as bloating or gas due to changing hormones too. Looking after our gut may help with these changes, and benefit for our overall wellbeing.
Liz is a huge fan of fermented foods, such as kefir and kimchi, for their gut-loving properties.
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Supplements
Liz likes to include supplements in her daily routine for additional wellbeing support. She suggests most midlife women would benefit from supplementing vitamin D3, magnesium, omega-3s, zinc, creatine and collagen.
View Liz’s exact supplement routine – what she takes, why and when – here.
HRT
As we move through midlife and menopause, our fluctuating, declining hormones can wreak havoc on our wellbeing. We may experience well-known menopause symptoms such as hot flushes and mood swings, along with lesser-known ones, such as tinnitus and dry eyes.
Just as Liz does, replacing our missing hormones with HRT can help to alleviate these symptoms.
It’s worth keeping a symptom diary before discussing with your GP.
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Herbs
As well as supplementing key vitamins and minerals for midlife, Liz has found some adaptogenic herbs and mushrooms to be beneficial for her too.
These include ashwaghanda, a traditional Ayurvedic herb used for stress and anxiety, as well as lion’s mane mushroom, which may have benefits for our brain.
Love, purpose and connection
One area of wellbeing that is often overlooked is connection and our relationships to those around us. Midlife can also be a big time of change, with children flying the nest and sometimes romantic relationships crumbling.
Liz’s advice? Find a sense of purpose, don’t be scared of change, stay positive and connected.
For more of Liz’s tried and trusted midlife wisdom, purchase her new book A Better Second Half here.
