Women in their 40's

The focus on health ratchets up a little when you reach your forties. Somewhere along the line during this decade of life, you may notice small signs that your body isn’t getting any younger.

Joints may start to ache. If you used to go for a run a few times a week, you may eventually need to change it to a fast walk instead to save yourself knee pain.
You’ll probably notice the signs of perimenopause, the phase that signals the transition from menstruation to menopause.
You may find yourself much more interested in going to bed earlier at night than you used to be (that may already have started in your thirties).
Your vision is likely to change—it’s common to begin to develop farsightedness, which is why you may find yourself holding papers farther away than you used to for the print to come into focus.

The fewer health risk factors you have when you enter your fifties, the higher your chances of preventing heart disease, diabetes, some cancers and other health problems. In your forties, it’s time to take a serious look at your health status and make healthy changes in terms of food choices, exercise, health screenings, stress management. Make sure you know what your blood pressure is, what your blood fats are and what you need to do to change them if they’re too high. It’s time to take action on anything that can help you enter your next decade with controllable risk factors under control.


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	These are basic recommended guidelines for health screenings that should take place when you're in your 40s. But every woman is different, with her own health history. Be sure to talk with your doctor about which screenings you should have, and how frequently you should have them. Blood pressure (every 2 years) Get Screening Reminder Diabetes (every 3 years at 45) Get Screening Reminder Eye exam (every 2 to 4 years) Get Screening Reminder Hearing test (once every 10 years after age 18) Get Screening Reminder Mammogram (every 1 to 2 years) Get Screening Reminder Pap test (every 1 to 3 years) Get Screening Reminder Skin health (every year by a doctor) Get Screening Reminder Thyroid test (every 5 years after age 35) Get Screening Reminder find a doctor near you