True Balance Fitness

I just wish I’d done it earlier.

Thats the sauna.

Personally, I’ve noticed fewer night sweats, better sleep, and a noticeable reduction in my overall stress levels since making sauna sessions a regular habit. And I experience the opposite when I miss sessions because of travel or time constraints.

Unfortunately, there aren’t many long-term studies looking specifically at sauna use in women over 40 (trust me, I’ve looked). Most of the research has been done on middle-aged men, so we can’t automatically assume the exact same results apply to women. They aren’t just small men after all.

But the evidence we do have is promising.

Regular sauna use has been linked to:
✔️ A lower risk of cardiovascular disease
✔️ Improved circulation and blood pressure
✔️ Better sleep
✔️ Reduced stress and improved overall well-being

Why does this matter for women over 40?

Because this stage of life often comes with rising cardiovascular risk, disrupted sleep, and more stress on our bodies. While I’ll always put strength training, nutritious food, and daily movement at the top of the list, I think sauna sessions can be a great complement to those existing habits.

If you’re interested in trying it, a practical target is:
🔥 3–4 sessions per week
🔥 15–20 minutes per session
🔥 Remember to stay hydrated and leave if you start to feel sick, or light headed.

I’d love to hear from you: Have you tried using a sauna consistently? If so, what changes have you noticed?

Perimenopause has been kicking my butt lately. Disrupted sleep, low energy, and just feeling off.

But I’ve still been showing up for my workouts. Checking the box, even if I haven’t been able to fully push it.

Today was no exception. I was supposed to do interval runs. I started my warm-up jog and instantly knew… I didn’t have it in me today.

So I pivoted.

Instead of forcing all-out efforts, I chose a comfortable 3-mile run instead. Because the thought of pushing through hard intervals sounded miserable.

Old Andrea would have forced it. If it was written in the program, it got done no matter what.

But with age and experience, I’ve learned that listening to your body is part of training intelligently. Sometimes that means reducing the intensity, lowering the volume, or skipping the workout altogether.

That’s how you win the long game.

You learn to adjust when stress is high, sleep is off, hormones are fluctuating, and life feels heavy.

This is how you protect your relationship with exercise.
This is how you avoid burnout and resentment.
This is how you stay consistent year after year.

I coach my clients the same way. I may have a plan written out, but I train the person standing in front of me that day, not the version of them I hoped would show up.

Meet yourself where you are at. That flexibility is what keeps you moving forward for life.

If this resonated with you, like and share it with another woman who needs the reminder.

Follow for realistic strength and nutrition advice for women 35+.