Do you remember your first birthday? How about your first kiss? The first time you went on a solo travel trip? And your first work promotion? You might think that as time goes on, you’ll have less “firsts”. That feeling might weigh even heavier for a 30-year-old woman who has reached an age that some of society deems the beginning of the end. But the truth is, 30 is the new 20!
Aside from the sexist implications of deeming 30 as the “age of ending” for women, it’s wrong on so many other levels too. Sure, there are some physical and health-related changes women will go through around this time period. But that’s just one piece of the whole pie, and doesn’t determine your self-worth. Your 30s are a time for discovery and — believe it or not — more freedom than your 20s. Still, there are some important things to keep in mind during this age so you can make the most of your years.
These facts are just for you — a 30-year-old woman. We’ll run through the health considerations you’ll want to keep in mind. Plus, we’ll see what’s normal and what’s not in terms of relationships. The end game is to help you understand you shouldn’t be scared of your 30s. Just stay informed and be excited to go full speed ahead!
Get comfortable with wrinkles
We’d like to know who deemed wrinkles and gray hair as something women should hide. Wrinkles are nothing to feel ashamed of. Those laugh lines are a reminder of the joys in life. The more comfortable you get with acknowledging the fact that you won’t look 16 forever, the more empowered you’ll be when these changes actually occur.
Your skin won’t change overnight as the clock strikes midnight and you become a 30-year-old woman. But bit by bit your body is changing, and it will start reflecting those changes soon enough. Your skin will regenerate new cells less frequently, causing wrinkles. But there are ways you can support your body through this change. Some examples include moisturizing your skin more frequently and using snail mucin products to support skin hydration and anti-aging.
Exercise regularly for weight management
Yes, your metabolism will slow down with time, increasing the importance of diet and exercise. You should be taking care of your body with exercise no matter what age you are. But now that you’re a 30-year-old woman, it’s extra important to live a healthy lifestyle. Adding aerobic exercise to your workout routines can help you improve your metabolism and heart health, especially if you’re prone to diabetes.[1]
Healthy adults should be getting around two hours and 30 minutes of moderate activity per week, with aerobic exercise added to combat diseases.[2] Remember to thank your body for all it’s helped you through, and repay it by staying positive and making small changes to stay healthy and mobile.
Remember: Don’t compare your body to celebrities the same age. They have an entire team of specialists, treatments, and possibly surgeries, to keep them looking youthful. Instead, focus on your goals and work towards them realistically through a healthy food, fitness, and skincare routine.
Increase your bone density
As noted above, it’s important for a 30-year-old woman to make an effort to stay active. One main reason exercise is key is because women are more at risk for decreased bone density. That’s right, it’s time to talk about your bone health. As you age, your bones lose some strength and can become thinner or more brittle, leading to easier breaks.
About one in two women over the age of 50 will develop osteoporosis, making it important that you take control of your bone health sooner rather than later.[3] Luckily, studies show that people who exercise regularly can decrease bone loss.[4] Additionally, you can get enough calcium in your diet, and do some high impact exercises a few days a week.
Support a healthy heart
Recently, there’s been an increased number of heart attacks in people under 40.[5] A number of factors go into this, such as stress and obesity. But heart health is something seemingly reserved for the elderly when, in reality, it’s important to talk about before it becomes a problem. Just like any other part of your body, your heart needs to be exercised to keep it healthy and strong. Aerobic exercise can be great for the heart a few times per week. Try adding in running or skipping rope to your workouts. These movements channel more oxygen and help protect your heart.
Plan for a healthy pregnancy
As you may already know, your fertility has an expiration date. The follicles you’re born with to hold your eggs slowly decrease in number as you age. A healthy 30-year-old woman has a 20 percent chance of getting pregnant each month they try, according to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.[6]
But the good news is if you want to get pregnant in your 30’s, it’s not as unsafe as it used it be. Countries like Finland and Sweden have seen an increase in childbearing later in life recently.[7] Thanks to modern science, there are specialized doctors who only work with high-risk pregnancies (women over 35 fall into this category). Plus, there are medical procedures you can try if you’re having trouble getting pregnant naturally. The point is, you have plenty of options, and you should talk to your doctor about what’s right for you.
Schedule preventative exams
Part of growing up is taking responsibility for your health. You shouldn’t wait for warning signs to force yourself into a doctor’s office. You should be scheduling some routine check-ups so that you’re able to live a long and healthy life. Here are a few of the most important preventative exams women in their 30s should get checked for:
Cervical Screening
You don’t need to get a pap smear annually, but it is recommended to get screened at least every five years starting in your 20s.[8] Similar to pap smears, cervical screenings should also be added to your list too. They test for HPV and can thus detect any chance of cancer earlier than a pap smear can.[9]
Breast Exam
The American Cancer Society doesn’t say that a 30-year-old woman needs a mammogram yearly. However, they do suggest to get routine breast exams and understand how your own breasts feel.[10] This way, you can go to your doctor if there’s something abnormal. Around age 40, you have the option to get yearly mammograms if you’re family history shows signs of this cancer.
Cholesterol
Did you know that cholesterol affects women differently than men? Not only that, but your good and bad cholesterol levels will change over your lifespan based on your age.[11] You see, a woman produces more estrogen, which boosts good cholesterol.
But once you hit menopause, those levels can switch and your bad cholesterol might spike.[12] It’s important to get in the habit of monitoring your cholesterol and managing it as you age because one in every four U.S deaths is related to heart disease.[13] If you have a family history of high cholesterol or heart disease, you should start getting your cholesterol tested every five years. It’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to your heart health.
Tetanus
The last time you had a tetanus booster shot was probably in high school or college. It’s required for most students. You should have one every 10 years, so do the math and check in with your doctor about staying up to date on this immunization.
Remember what NOT to spend money on
You’re 20s are over. That means you’ll want to start prioritizing your spending — so yes, a real budget might help. To help get you started, here are some things you should stop spending so much money on.
Cheap clothes and trends
Yes, the cute in-season top might seem like a steal at $20, but don’t you already have two just like it? Stop shopping for things that you don’t really need, and shop only when you have a reason. Not to mention, this will give you more permission to buy higher quality items (when you finally do shop) that will last longer and give you more happiness in the long run.
Eating out
It’s a no-brainer that you save money by cooking meals at home as opposed to eating out. But you’re also saving your health too. Studies say that cooking at home promotes better diet quality.[14]
This means you can feel better about what you’re putting into your body, learn a few new dishes, and put those extra dollars saved to better use elsewhere. Of course, the occasional $15 margarita will slip into your routine now and again. Don’t feel bad about it when it does. Just balance it out by inviting friends over one night to share some wine instead of having an expensive night out.
Remember what TO spend money on
Now that you’ve crossed off some items on your monthly budget. Let’s add a few important things in.
Travel
Whether or not you’ve traveled much, your 30s are a perfect time to take a few short or even long trips abroad. The unwritten rule that traveling is only for your 20s or retirement should be tossed in the trash.
As a 30-year-old woman, you might be focused on your career or growing your family, which is understandable as well. But take advantage of the money you’ve saved for extra spending and the energy you still have to explore just a bit of the world beyond your front door.
Your health
How do you take care of yourself now? Do you use a moisturizer with chemicals and hard to pronounce ingredients? Are you forbidding yourself a gym membership because it’s a waste of cash?
Now is the time to switch up those thoughts and spend the money you have on quality, useful things for your health. This can include a skincare routine that actually works for you, a monthly massage for your lower back, or natural supplements like turmeric to keep you aging gracefully.
Understand the 50/20/30 rule
This is a popular budgeting method that even banks like Chase use to advice customers.[15] It basically states that 50 percent of your income should go to your needs (rent, groceries, utilities, healthcare). Then use 20 percent for savings or debt (credit card debt, loans from college, or retirement savings). The last 30 percent is for your extra wants, like that margarita we talked about earlier.
Spend more time with family
The importance of family grows as you grow with it. Your parents and siblings are aging too and it might be nice to set aside more time to prioritize those holidays or calls together. If you’re already settled with a family of your own, don’t take this time for granted either.
Getting swept up in the hectic daily nonsense of work, cleaning, cooking delicious recipes, socializing, and caring for kids is overwhelming. But make those spare moments count by taking five minutes with your partner to cuddle on the sofa, or call your dad even though it’s been a while.
Tip: Now that you are a 30-year-old woman, it’s time to start planning ahead. Make a vision board for the next two, five, and ten years of your life. Post pictures, quotes and write goals. This way, you can see your future materializing and then make actionable steps to achieve the future you want.
Don’t worry about having fewer friends
You may have noticed your social circle is shrinking. Don’t take it personally. It’s actually perfectly normal for your friendships to shift from focusing on quantity to quality now that you’re a 30-year-old woman. Evidence suggests that you can actually be happier with a smaller group of friends that are close to your heart.[16] As you age, your focus is less on how many events you attend for fear of missing out, and is instead on making the interactions you do have meaningful to encourage emotional closeness.[17]
Say goodbye to negative influences
You’ve heard it before, but we’ll say it again — stress is a huge factor in your mental and physical wellbeing. Sometimes, stress comes from negative relationships. This can go back to relationships with family or friends, or even relationships between your work life and personal life.
Self-care and love are important measures to maintain, even it means cutting toxic people or practices from your life. Does your boss make you feel belittled or unappreciated? It might be a good time to change your workplace. Do you have a friend who tears you down constantly? Kindly dismiss them from your circle. As noted above, your time is precious. Between the chaos of daily life you shouldn’t waste it on people or cycles that aren’t lifting you up.
Conclusion
The bottom line is turning 30 is a big deal in society for all the wrong reasons. It’s not about your first gray hair or wrinkle. It’s about making the most of this amazing time in your life. You will have some bodily changes, sure, but that doesn’t mean your quality of life can’t actually increase. As a 30-year-old woman, you’re at the perfect age to make a major shift in your career or life course, and focus on what really matters to you.
References
- [1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5741557
- [2] https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/2013/11/20/physical-activity-guidelines-how-much-exercise-do-you-need//
- [3] https://www.nof.org/preventing-fractures/general-facts/what-women-need-to-know/
- [4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5684300/
- [5] https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/03/190307081026.htm
- [6] https://www.reproductivefacts.org/news-and-publications/patient-fact-sheets-and-booklets/documents/fact-sheets-and-info-booklets/age-and-fertility/
- [7] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2729989/
- [8] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1492158/
- [9] https://www.cancer.org/healthy/find-cancer-early/cancer-screening-guidelines/american-cancer-society-guidelines-for-the-early-detection-of-cancer.html
- [10] https://www.cancer.org/healthy/find-cancer-early/cancer-screening-guidelines/american-cancer-society-guidelines-for-the-early-detection-of-cancer.html
- [11] https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/why-cholesterol-matters-for-women
- [12] https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/why-cholesterol-matters-for-women
- [13] https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm
- [14] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5401643/
- [15] https://www.chase.com/news/121817-budgeting-your-money
- [16] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4363071/
- [17] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4363071/
