60 & +

• • Your advantages

Women’s risk for heart disease goes up during menopause (about age 51), so it’s especially important to keep the heart health convo going with your doc at your yearly check-up. Also watch for symptoms such as feeling unusually tired and short of breath during everyday activities.

LESS STRESS Studies show happiness levels increase, starting in our 50s! Yay! MORE TIME If you’re an empty nester or have retired, you may find yourself with more free hours. Put them to good use and volunteer. Research shows people over 50 who volunteer about 4 hours a week are 40 per cent less likely to have high blood pressure.

HEART ATTACK SYMPTOMS ARE DIFFERENT FOR WOMEN!

Although chest pain is common for both men and women, women are more likely to experience:

Pain in the shoulder, neck, jaw, upper back or arms. Unexplained light-headedness or fainting, sometimes with palpitations. Shortness of breath or trouble breathing without chest pain. Clammy sweat. Stomach pain, abdominal pressure or nausea. Unusual weakness, fatigue or inability to perform simple tasks. Heartburn itself isn’t related to heart disease, but a nagging, burning sensation that radiates from your stomach to your chest can cause discomfort that may feel like a heart attack. Don’t ignore it – especially if it isn’t related to anything you’ve recently eaten. However, if it’s quickly relieved by taking an antacid pill or chewable, and you have no other symptoms, it’s probably heartburn, which can become more common as we age.