Evidence library · Fatigue

Does general physical activity affect fatigue in menopause? What 10 studies found

Studies of general physical activity in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women that measured fatigue. 7 reported an improvement and 0 found no difference against the comparison group.

  1. Breast cancer surgery patients did an 8-month exercise program delivered face to face or by phone, reporting better quality of life, fitness and fatigue than usual care, with no difference in other side effects.

    Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 194 women · 32 weeks · 2013Midlife womenCited 146 timesPubMed

  2. A systematic review of seventeen studies found physical activity was associated with improved overall and breast cancer specific survival, with possibly greater benefit in older or postmenopausal women.

    Reported an improvementSystematic review · 2013Midlife womenCited 32 timesPubMed

  3. Inactive postmenopausal breast cancer survivors using a wearable-based activity program for 12 weeks reported small fatigue improvements but no change in overall quality of life versus a waitlist group.

    Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 83 women · 12 weeks · 2020PostmenopausalCited 28 timesPubMed

  4. In 1440 postmenopausal women with advanced breast cancer, those reporting higher physical activity had longer progression-free survival, fewer treatment side effects, and better quality of life and fatigue.

    Reported an improvementCohort study · 1,440 women · 2024PostmenopausalCited 5 timesPubMed

  5. In breast cancer survivors aged 35 to 68 starting a one year exercise trial, higher physical activity correlated with better quality of life, while fatigue and depression were linked to worse quality of life.

    Direction not statedCross-sectional study · 537 women · 2011Midlife womenCited 75 timesPubMed

  6. In 140 Iranian women, an educational program promoting physical activity based on a behavior change model reduced sleep problems, depression, irritability and anxiety two months later.

    Mixed resultsControlled trial · 140 women · 8 weeks · 2022PostmenopausalCited 6 timesPubMed

  7. A pilot lifestyle programme adapted for midlife women with HIV, ages 40 to 59, reported increased physical activity, cardiovascular disease knowledge, and improved fatigue and mental health.

    Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 14 women · 2021Midlife womenCited 8 timesPubMed

  8. In 27 postmenopausal breast cancer survivors, higher physical activity correlated with greater vigor and vitality, but no relationship was found between activity level and bone density.

    Reported an improvementCross-sectional study · 27 women · 2002PostmenopausalCited 10 timesPubMed

  9. A narrative review of psychological and mind-body approaches, including yoga, found empirical support for improving quality of life and symptoms like hot flushes and sleep during menopause.

    Reported an improvementOther · 2024Midlife womenCited 3 timesPubMed

  10. Interviews with 26 postmenopausal breast and gynecologic cancer survivors found they preferred flexible, at-home physical activity like walking, dancing and muscle-strengthening during and after treatment.

    Direction not statedOther · 26 women · 2024PostmenopausalPubMed

How to read this. Each line is one study, summarised in plain language from its PubMed abstract, with the authors' own sentence underneath on the study page. A count of studies is not a verdict: trials differ in size, length and quality, and a result in one group of women may not hold in another. Nothing here is medical advice.

Summaries are generated, then checked by machine against the abstract they came from; any summary that could not be matched word for word was left out. Our clinical lead is reviewing the summaries topic by topic, and this note will change when that is done. Corpus last refreshed 2026-11-03. Spotted a mistake? Tell us and we will fix the summary or remove the study.

Other exercise types and fatigue