Your health in your 40s

Posted on 21 July 2015

As you enter your 40s, you’ll find you’re older, wiser… and not as young as you used to be. Here’s a look at what to expect, health-wise, in this crucial decade.

Your 40s are, for better or worse, a time of transition. (Hey, it’s called ‘midlife’ for a reason…) But by focusing your health on prevention – rather than trying to cure or fix things as they go wrong – this decade really can represent the best years of your life.

We’re not going to lie: it can be a difficult decade, with demands on your career, your children getting older, and your parents needing more and more care. The stress that comes with all of that can be a slow killer… so it’s more important than ever to keep an eye on your own all-round well-being.

Here are four typical health issues that men and women face in their 40s… along with tips on how to beat them.

#1 It’s all about lifestyle
Dr Lawrence Archer, a GP at Mediclinic Newcastle in Colenso, KwaZulu-Natal, lists the top three health threats he finds in men in their 40s: ‘The number one health threat for men in this decade is smoking, which brings with it the risk of heart disease, hypertension and cancer. That’s followed by alcohol abuse, which includes injuries and accidents; and then obesity, as the beginnings of insulin resistance again increases a man’s risk of heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and cancer.’

Healthy living, then, becomes even more important now – for men and for women. Not smoking and drinking only in moderation will take care of Dr Archer’s first two threats. Eating well and exercising regularly will fight off the third.

#2 Your youth starts catching up with you
Trouble is, if you were a hell-raiser in your teens and 20s (back when you were young and foolish, and not the mature pillar of society you are today), some of those youthful indulgences will start coming back to haunt you now. The blistering sunburn you got that summer in the early 1990s? It might now present itself as skin cancer. Get screened regularly for all major cancers, and check your family history for your genetic risk areas.

#3 Life will start taking its toll
Stress and depression (about work, family, your fast-fading dreams of playing rugby for the Springboks) are two of the biggest silent killers of people in their 40s. Dr Archer also warns about the poisonous effects substances can have on men as they face that infamous mid-life crisis. ‘Another health threat for men in this decade is drugs,’ he says. ‘Prescription drugs, abuse of illicit drugs, and general exposure to toxins, including sugar and trans fatty acids.’ Don’t use addiction – to cigarettes, alcohol, food or over (and under) the counter drugs – to manage alleviate your stress. Speak to a doctor and consult a mental health professional if you need to.

#4 You’ll start feeling your age (mostly in your back and belly)
Women in their early 40s could already start presenting the signs of menopause – increasing the risk of bone loss and the need for calcium. Menopause tends to cause sleepless nights, so be sure to get plenty of sleep. (Getting a good night’s rest is good advice for men too… no matter how young or old they are.)

Ensure that you get regular exercise to help counteract the little aches and pains your body might start to experience – and to fight off the dreaded ‘middle-aged spread’.

The information provided in this article was correct at the time of publishing. At Mediclinic we endeavour to provide our patients and readers with accurate and reliable information, which is why we continually review and update our content. However, due to the dynamic nature of clinical information and medicine, some information may from time to time become outdated prior to revision.