Moving into Better Health

A room of women shot from the back with hands up

Feeling invisible at work is driving women to quit

For many years the word I have heard most used by women in midlife and older to describe themselves is “invisible.” Invisible seems to be a catch-all term for how many women feel they are viewed in the workplace and, more generally, in day-to-day life. Because I wanted to know if...

Why social wellness is the midlife health superpower

One of the things that suffered the most during the first part of the pandemic was social networks (and not the online kind). With all the benefits that working from home provided, it also meant that our social outlet at work (and for many, their regular social life) all but disappeared...

Why strength training is so important for women as they age

Choosing high-quality workplace wellbeing programs has taken on a new urgency given reports of increased stress, burnout, self-reported poor health and ultimately attrition of women in the workplace. Well-rounded wellbeing offerings include a physical training component that can serve a dual...

woman standing on a hill looking out shot from the back

Brain fog, brain health and midlife. What's really going on?

If you work with women in midlife and older, you may not know that one of the more alarming things going on for many of us is something referred to as “brain fog.” Many women report struggling with memory and forgetfulness, especially during the perimenopausal years. This is...

Let's #breakthebias on the playing field too

In 1967 Katherine Switzer made history by sneaking into the Boston marathon under a male name and wearing an oversized hoody. The race director spotted her, jumped onto the course and tried to rip off her entry number. Switzer's partner intercepted the attack and famously yelled, "Run like hell!"...

Why sleep is one of the most overlooked wellbeing issues for midlife women

Sleep issues (getting too little or too much) are associated with health problems. When sleep issues become chronic, women are at higher risk for increased inflammation, problems related to weight gain, increased sensitivity to pain, fatigue, the risk for injury, and reduced cognitive and...

Looking at the bigger picture of employee wellbeing

Lately, I've thought a lot about the concept of age-friendly workplaces. For context, I've spent much of the past decade working on projects to help cities become more age-friendly by using a framework developed by the World Health Organization (WHO). The framework includes eight interrelated...

A heart-to-heart about improving your midlife health

For most midlife women, taking care of themselves is one more thing on a long list of daily tasks. We tell ourselves that we'll exercise or work on lowering our stress when we have more time. Unfortunately, many women don't have the time to prioritize their health until they face a chronic...

women wrting on a white board in a meeting

Not recognizing the impact of menopause on the workplace can be a costly mistake

An increasing body of research suggests employers who don't recognize the impact of the menopausal transition on employees may face significant financial consequences. In a large US study of over a quarter of a million women in the workplace, researchers found that untreated menopausal vasomotor...

Author