Mental health
Lifting weights shows mental health and cognitive benefits in older women, study finds
Weightlifting can improve memory and mental health in older women, whether they lift heavier or lighter weights, a clinical trial has found.
The study suggests structured exercise could offer a non-drug way to help protect the ageing mind.
As people age, physical abilities often decline and the risk of cognitive impairment rises.
Women can also face a higher risk of depression and anxiety later in life because of menopause, hormonal changes and shifting social factors.
Over time, poor mental health can speed up physical and cognitive decline.
Medical professionals often recommend cardiovascular and resistance training to help preserve physical independence.
Beyond building muscle and strength, lifting weights may also help protect the brain.
The research team recruited 120 women with an average age of 68 who were not taking part in any structured exercise programmes.
Before the intervention, independent cardiologists screened the volunteers using diagnostic stress tests to make sure they could take part safely.
The researchers then divided the women into three equal groups based on their baseline physical strength to ensure a balanced comparison.
The first group followed a resistance training programme using heavier weights for eight to 12 repetitions.
The second performed the same exercises using slightly lighter weights for 10 to 15 repetitions. The third acted as a control group and remained sedentary throughout the trial.
For three months, the active groups visited the university fitness facility three mornings a week.
Under the direct supervision of qualified fitness experts, participants completed three sets of eight different full-body exercises. These included weight machines and free weights, with movements such as chest presses, leg extensions, seated rows and bicep curls.
As the women grew stronger over the 12 weeks, supervisors progressively increased the weight they lifted.
This ensured participants stayed within their assigned repetition range while maintaining proper breathing and movement technique. Researchers also told all participants not to start any new exercise outside the laboratory setting.
The scientists carried out a broad set of cognitive and psychological tests before the programme began and again shortly after it ended.
They used the Montreal Cognitive Assessment to measure spatial skills, short-term memory and language processing.
The team also used several standardised surveys to track symptoms of geriatric depression and general anxiety.
Other tests assessed executive function, the mental processes involved in planning, focusing attention and multitasking.
In the Trail Making Test, the women had to connect a scattered sequence of numbers and letters as quickly as possible to assess cognitive flexibility.
In another verbal test, they had to name as many words beginning with the letter F, or as many animals as possible, within 60 seconds.
The researchers also used a computerised Stroop test to assess inhibitory control. In this visual test, the women saw words such as “red” or “black” displayed in conflicting ink colours, such as green.
They had to suppress the automatic urge to read the word and instead press a button matching the ink colour.
After the three-month intervention, both groups of weightlifters showed clear improvements in their test scores.
Their performance on the overall cognitive assessment rose, and their reaction times in executive function tests fell substantially.
The control group showed no such improvements, and in some categories their mental performance worsened slightly.
The structured exercise also reduced the severity of mood disorders among the active participants.
Scores for depressive symptoms fell by roughly 34 per cent in the lower repetition group and 24 per cent in the higher repetition group. Anxiety scores fell by more than 40 per cent in both groups.
The researchers said these improvements met the threshold for a clinically meaningful difference.
In practical terms, that means the psychological benefits were large enough for the women to notice in their daily emotional state.
The trial found no major differences in outcomes between the two repetition strategies, suggesting both intensities worked equally well against cognitive decline.
The study has several caveats that may shape future research into the neurological benefits of structured exercise.
The testing relied heavily on self-reported psychological surveys, which can be affected by subjective bias or temporary changes in mood.
The team also did not closely track differences in the women’s light daily physical activity outside the gym.
The researchers also said the social structure of the fitness programme may have contributed to the emotional benefits.
For 12 weeks, the active participants exercised in a shared, supportive environment, with regular contact with peers and supervisors.
This kind of consistent social interaction can help reduce loneliness and provide psychological relief.
Future trials will need to isolate whether different exercise durations or extra social interaction change these positive neural effects.
Even so, the results suggest resistance training could offer an accessible way to help treat mild cognitive and mood problems.
Regular weightlifting may benefit the mind as well as the muscles in older adults.
Mental health
Dr-Julian helps deliver breakthrough mental health support for Black and ethnically minoritised mothers
A groundbreaking digital perinatal mental health pilot for Black and ethnically minoritised women has helped women access support faster, complete therapy at higher rates, and recover more successfully than national averages.
The partnership between digital tech company Dr-Julian and The Essential Baby Company Ltd within a new model of mental health care named haPPIE SHE Cares – who offer personalised support for women sharing their healthcare experiences, showed results well above NHS benchmarks for Black and ethnically minoritised women.
The pilot was created to help women who are less likely to use traditional mental health services during pregnancy and in the first year after giving birth.
By combining trusted community referrals, culturally aware support, and fast access to therapy through Dr-Julian’s online and virtual care platform, the programme delivered standout results.
Every woman who joined the pilot started therapy, 90 per cent completed treatment, and 74 per cent recovered; well above the NHS benchmark of around 52 per cent.
Women referred through community organisations accessed support in just one day on average, compared with around 21 days through many standard services.
Even the programme’s regular referral route reduced waits to 13 days.
The findings come as NHS leaders continue to focus on maternity inequalities and unequal access to mental health care.
Black and ethnically minoritised women can face barriers including stigma, language needs, lack of trust in services, childcare pressures, and difficulty navigating complex systems.
The haPPIE SHE Cares model was designed to break down those barriers by working with trusted community groups, offering culturally informed support, and where possible matching women with therapists who understood their background or language.
Gemma Poole for The Essential Baby Company said: “Too many women who need help feel unseen, unheard or unable to get support when they need it most.
“This project shows that when services are built around trust, culture and community, women engage, recover and thrive.
“This early success could provide a blueprint for reducing inequalities in maternal mental health care across the UK. Behind every statistic is a mother who felt supported, a family that benefited and a woman who found her voice.
“Mental healthcare must work for every community. This partnership shows that when high-quality therapy is combined with culturally responsive support, outcomes improve and women get help faster.
We are proud to have provided the therapists, virtual care systems and digital pathways behind this programme. We believe this model could help NHS organisations nationwide cut waiting times and improve recovery rates.”
Women who took part described the programme as life-changing, saying it reduced isolation, gave them confidence speaking with healthcare professionals, and made them more willing to seek help.
With growing pressure on maternity and mental health services, leaders behind the project say the pilot offers a practical solution that improves care while helping cut long waiting lists.
Plans are now being explored to expand the model through training, regional partnerships, and future funding.
Poor sleep may signal higher Alzheimer’s risk in older women with greater genetic risk, a study suggests.
Older women who reported poorer sleep also showed greater memory difficulties and more Alzheimer’s-related brain changes, the study found.
That pattern appeared only in women with higher genetic risk, suggesting sleep complaints may be a stronger warning sign for some women than for others.
Researchers examined 69 women aged 65 years and older taking part in the Women Inflammation Tau Study, an ongoing project focused on ageing and Alzheimer’s disease risk.
Participants completed questionnaires about their sleep quality, underwent memory testing and received brain scans measuring tau. Tau is a protein that accumulates abnormally in Alzheimer’s disease.
The study found that poorer self-reported sleep was associated with worse visual memory performance and greater tau accumulation in brain regions affected early in Alzheimer’s disease, but only among women with higher genetic risk.
Women with lower genetic risk did not show the same relationship between sleep complaints, memory and tau build-up. The finding was specific to visual memory and was not observed for verbal memory.
Researchers said the results add to growing evidence that sleep disturbances and Alzheimer’s disease may reinforce one another over time.
Previous studies have suggested that disrupted sleep can contribute to the build-up of abnormal tau proteins, while Alzheimer’s-related brain changes may also interfere with healthy sleep patterns.
Because women account for nearly two thirds of Alzheimer’s cases and frequently report poorer sleep quality than men, the researchers said sleep may represent an important and potentially modifiable risk factor in older women.
The authors noted that self-reported sleep assessments are inexpensive and easy to administer, raising the possibility that sleep complaints could help identify people who may benefit from closer monitoring or early intervention.
They also suggested that improving sleep could become a target for future Alzheimer’s prevention strategies, particularly for women at elevated genetic risk.
Women over 40 are seeking raves for mental and physical wellbeing, with a study suggesting the benefits go beyond nightlife.
The findings challenge the idea that nightlife and electronic dance music events are mainly for younger people.
Published in Psychology of Music, the study focused on the common misconception that nightlife is only for younger audiences.
Researchers surveyed 136 female clubbers aged 40 to 65 about their experiences at electronic dance music events.
The study, carried out at the University of Leeds in England, found women reported mental and physical wellbeing benefits from attending these events.
Seeing favourite DJs was the most common motivation, but many women also described dancing as a way to relieve stress and find emotional support.
The research found that 65.9 per cent of participants described attending a rave as “spiritual”, while 62.9 per cent said it offered an escape from everyday life.
A further 58.3 per cent said they felt like a different version of themselves in a club environment.
Nine in ten participants said they felt at home at electronic dance music events, with many pointing to a shared passion for music and the sense of community around it.
The study also suggested physical fitness played a role, with some women saying they had made clubbing part of their regular exercise routine.
However, the findings also highlighted challenges for older women in nightlife spaces.
One fifth of participants said they felt visibly out of place because of their age.
Nearly half reported unwanted physical contact, leading some to seek out different venues or attend only with friends.
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