Going through menopause can be a wild ride, and actress Angie Harmon is no stranger to its ups and downs. At the age of 51, the Rizzoli & Isles star opened up about how her body has changed since entering her 50s and experiencing menopause.
“The thing that I hate the most is when you’re going through menopause, your body just isn’t yours anymore,” Harmon shared with PEOPLE, highlighting the changes and symptoms she has been dealing with. “The workouts that you used to do, they don’t work anymore. And I love salt so much, and I swear to God, if I even smell it, I wake up the next morning and my eyes are almost swollen closed. My face is four times its size. I mean, I have to think about all of these things now that I didn’t used to have to think about.”
Harmon also revealed that there are times when her face gets “puffy” and “gross” to the point where she doesn’t recognize herself in the mirror. The physical changes can be overwhelming, but she’s finding ways to cope and accept them.
In addition to the changes in her body, Harmon has noticed a decrease in energy levels. But she’s learned to embrace those days when getting out of bed feels like a chore. “I think the beauty of being in my fifties is that I definitely have those days where I don’t feel like getting out of bed,” she confessed. “I’m exhausted. I just want to lay there and read a magazine about fashion or decorating, and that’s it.”
To help regulate the bodily changes that come with menopause, Harmon has turned to hot yoga. She described the practice as intense, making her “literally sweat out of [her] eyeballs,” but ultimately beneficial. While she used to be a runner and engage in various workouts, she found that hot yoga has become her go-to exercise.
“It’s just a StairMaster and hot yoga and three to five-pound weights if I’m feeling really good that day,” Harmon shared. “I’ve just become this hot yoga sort of walking woman. I was like, what, how did I get here? But on the other hand, it works, so okay, I’ll do it. At this point, it’s like they told me to drink my own urine and I’m like, alright, well, is it iced? Is it room temp? How are we doing this here? Let me know,” she joked.
Menopause and the changes it brings can be challenging, but Angie Harmon’s candid discussion about her experiences serves as a reminder that many others are going through the same transition. It’s crucial to find ways to adapt and prioritize self-care, whether it’s through exercise, relaxation, or simply allowing ourselves to rest when needed.
