"When you dive deeply into just about every health problem that we face in the world today - anxiety, depression, fatigue, digestive problems, hormone imbalances, diabetes, heart disease, or autoimmune conditions - they are all inflammatory in nature or have an inflammatory component." Dr Will Cole, author of The Inflammation Spectrum.

If you’re in your 50s or 60s and noticing more stiffness, slower recovery, fluctuating energy, or occasional brain fog, inflammation may be playing a role.

Inflammation is not inherently harmful. In fact, it’s a vital part of how the body heals and protects itself. The challenge arises when inflammation becomes chronic - quietly lingering in the background and affecting how the body and brain function over time.

Understanding inflammation, and knowing how to influence it, is one of the most powerful foundations for staying active, healthy, and mentally sharp as we age.

What Is Inflammation?

Inflammation is the immune system’s response to a perceived threat.

Acute inflammation

This is the short-term, protective response most people are familiar with. If you cut your finger or catch a virus, the immune system sends white blood cells to the area. You may notice redness, swelling, warmth, or pain - all signs that healing is underway. Once the threat has passed, inflammation calms down and the body returns to balance.

Chronic inflammation

Chronic inflammation is different. It occurs when the immune system remains activated for long periods of time - sometimes years - even when there is no immediate injury or infection to resolve.

This type of inflammation is often low-grade and invisible. You may not feel “ill,” but over time it can affect joints, blood vessels, hormones, metabolism - and the brain. It’s often described as a smouldering fire within the body, rather than a dramatic flare-up.

Why Inflammation Matters More in Midlife

Midlife is a period of significant physiological change. Hormonal shifts, cumulative stress exposure, changes in sleep, and years of dietary patterns all influence how the immune system behaves.

Over time, these factors can push the body toward a state of persistent, low-grade inflammation. This process is widespread, but it is often misunderstood as an unavoidable feature of ageing.

Chronic inflammation is now linked with many of the changes people notice in their 50s and 60s, including:

• Joint stiffness and slower physical recovery

• Reduced energy and stamina

• Blood sugar instability

• Brain fog and changes in concentration

• Increased long-term risk of cardiometabolic and neurodegenerative conditions

What matters most is this: chronic inflammation is not a fixed state. It reflects how the body is responding to its environment - including stress levels, sleep quality, diet, and gut health.

This means that decline is not inevitable. In fact, midlife is one of the most effective stages to intervene. Inflammation is highly responsive to lifestyle factors, and relatively small, consistent changes can produce meaningful improvements.

Common Factors That Keep Inflammation Active

Several everyday factors can contribute to chronic inflammation, particularly when they occur together:

• Ongoing psychological or physiological stress

• Low intake of omega-3 fatty acids

• High intake of sugar and refined carbohydrates

• Unaddressed gut issues or food sensitivities

• Poor or inconsistent sleep

The goal isn’t to address everything at once, but to understand where your greatest leverage lies.

Five Practical Ways to Calm Inflammation

1. Lower Stress

Stress has a direct biological effect on inflammation. When stress hormones such as cortisol remain elevated for long periods, they disrupt immune regulation and promote inflammatory signalling.

Lowering stress doesn’t require eliminating pressure from life. What matters is creating regular opportunities for the nervous system to return to a calmer state.

Practical strategies include:

• Slow, controlled breathing (even a few minutes can shift physiology)

• Regular low-intensity movement such as walking

• Time outdoors, particularly in daylight

• Enjoyable activities that absorb attention and reduce mental processing

• Social connection, fun and humour

These practices help signal safety to the body, allowing inflammatory pathways to downregulate.

2. Increase Omega-3 Fats

Omega-3 fatty acids are among the most studied anti-inflammatory nutrients. They are structural components of cell membranes and actively reduce inflammatory processes throughout the body and brain.

Food sources

Oily fish such as salmon, sardines, mackerel, anchovies, and herring provide EPA and DHA - forms of omega-3 that are immediately usable by the body. Eating oily fish once or twice a week can make a measurable difference.

Supplements

If oily fish is rarely eaten, a high-quality omega-3 supplement can be helpful. Algae-based supplements provide a plant-based alternative. The aim is consistency over time, not short-term dosing.

3. Reduce Excess Sugar and Refined Foods

High intakes of sugar and refined carbohydrates contribute to inflammation through multiple mechanisms, including blood sugar spikes, insulin resistance, and increased oxidative stress.

This is not about restriction or rigid rules. It’s about reducing excess, particularly from foods that offer little nutritional return.

Helpful approaches include:

• Building meals around protein, healthy fats, and vegetables

• Choosing foods that are minimally processed most of the time

• Paying attention to how energy, joints, and focus respond to different meals

Stabilising blood sugar is one of the most effective ways to reduce inflammatory load.

4. Address Gut Health and Hidden Food Sensitivities

The gut plays a central role in immune regulation. A large proportion of immune cells reside in the digestive tract, and the gut lining acts as a critical barrier between the external environment and the bloodstream.

Food sensitivities are not the same as allergies. They don’t usually cause dramatic reactions, but they can trigger ongoing immune activation and low-grade inflammation.

Options to explore include:

• Working with a qualified practitioner for testing, such as a Nutritionist

• A structured, time-limited elimination approach with guidance

• Supporting gut health by including small amounts of fermented foods that introduce beneficial bacteria.

Improving gut integrity often leads to noticeable changes in inflammation-related symptoms.

5. Improve Sleep

Sleep is one of the body’s primary anti-inflammatory tools. During deep sleep, inflammatory markers are reduced, tissues repair, and the brain clears metabolic waste.

In midlife, sleep can be disrupted by stress, hormonal changes, or inconsistent routines. While perfect sleep isn’t required, improvements matter.

Practical steps include:

• Keeping consistent bed and wake times, aiming for 7-8 hours of sleep a night

• Reducing light and stimulation in the evening

• Ensuring the bedroom is cool, dark, and quiet

• Creating a wind-down routine that signals rest

Better sleep strengthens every other strategy for calming inflammation.

A Strong Body Supports a Sharper Future

Chronic inflammation may be common in midlife, but it is not inevitable - and it is not something to simply tolerate.

Inflammation responds to how you live. When the right conditions are in place, the body down-regulates inflammatory processes and shifts back toward restore and repair.

You don’t need to change everything. One well-chosen, consistently applied step can alter how your body feels and performs over time.

A strong body is built by responding to signals, not ignoring them.

The future you are shaping is far more adaptable than you may have been led to believe.