Walking, dancing and yoga could help women manage the psychological effects of menopause, according to a new study. Around 13 million women in the UK are believed to be going through menopause or perimenopause, which can bring symptoms including depression, low mood, anxiety, stress and problems with thinking and memory.
Researchers at University College London (UCL) examined which forms of physical activity might best support women’s wellbeing. Their review covered 12 randomised controlled trials involving more than 1,000 women.
The activities studied fell into two broad groups: aerobic exercise, including walking, Zumba, dance and martial arts, and mind-body practices such as yoga, tai chi and Pilates.
The findings, published in the journal Menopause, suggested that aerobic exercise had the strongest impact on reducing depressive symptoms and improving quality of life. Researchers said the release of endorphins during exercise may help explain its positive effect on mood.
Aerobic exercise programmes also generally required fewer sessions, potentially making them easier for women to incorporate into their daily routines, the researchers said.
Mind-body activities were also linked to significant improvements in psychological quality of life. In one of the trials, for example, participants took part in two 75-minute yoga sessions each week.
Professor Aimee Spector, the study’s senior author and director of the UCL Menopause Mind Lab, said: “Physical activity is an effective, accessible, non-pharmacological strategy to support psychological well-being and quality of life during midlife menopause.
“Most of the interventions were delivered in groups, which may have encouraged social connection and peer support. Both are factors associated with better quality of life during menopause.”
Menopause can affect mental wellbeing because of hormonal changes and the wider effects of other symptoms. Sleep difficulties, for instance, may increase the risk of depression and anxiety.
The benefits associated with physical activity were especially noticeable among women in early post-menopause, the period beginning one year after a woman’s final menstrual period.
Lead author Simone Saidel, an NHS clinical psychologist, said: “Treatment options for menopause are limited, with many women unable to take hormone therapy or choosing not to use it.
“There are also significant health inequalities in access to HRT, as well as ethnic differences in attitudes towards the treatment.
“This study is important because it broadens the options available for managing symptoms. Clinicians may be able to recommend physical activity as an early intervention or alongside medical and psychological treatments.”
The review drew on research from seven countries: Brazil, China, Tunisia, India, Iran, Korea and the USA. However, the researchers stressed that evidence on physical activity and menopause is still limited and that more high-quality trials are needed.
