A meta-analysis of 13 RCTs with 1306 women found yoga reduced total menopausal symptoms, including vasomotor and psychological symptoms, compared to no treatment, similar to other exercise.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 1,306 participants pooled · 2018Midlife womenCited 48 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of 24 RCTs in menopausal women found yoga improved menopausal symptoms, sleep, anxiety, depression, BMI and blood pressure, but not hot flushes or quality of life.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 2,028 participants pooled · 2025Midlife womenCited 9 timesPubMed
A systematic review of 18 trials found that yoga, tai chi, meditation and relaxation practices often improved overall menopausal symptoms, hot flushes, mood, sleep and musculoskeletal pain.
Reported an improvementSystematic review · 882 participants pooled · 2010Midlife womenCited 58 timesPubMed
A review of 23 studies found exercise-based and mind-body interventions improved quality of life, menopausal symptoms and depression in Asian perimenopausal women, but not hot flashes.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 2020PerimenopausalCited 14 timesPubMed
An overview of 17 reviews covering 80 studies found yoga improved physical, urogenital, and total menopause symptoms, while aerobic exercise findings were inconclusive.
Reported an improvementSystematic review · 8,983 participants pooled · 2024Midlife womenCited 21 timesPubMed
A review of workplace interventions for menopausal women aged 40 to 60 found Raja yoga and health promotion programs including physical training significantly improved menopausal symptoms.
Reported an improvementSystematic review · 293 participants pooled · 2023Midlife womenCited 18 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of 12 trials with 1,050 women found exercise and mind-body exercise improved menopausal symptoms, quality of life, anxiety, and depressive symptoms compared with controls.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 1,050 participants pooled · 2026Midlife womenPubMed
A systematic review of 11 studies in peri and postmenopausal women found pelvic floor and mind-body exercise programs most linked to improved sexual function, while aerobic exercise showed inconsistent results and resistance training showed no benefit.
Direction not statedSystematic review · 2020Midlife womenCited 42 timesPubMed
A systematic review of seven studies found insufficient rigorous evidence that yoga reduces menopausal symptoms compared with walking, exercise or no treatment.
No difference foundSystematic review · 2009Midlife womenCited 46 timesPubMed
164 previously low-active midlife women did walking, yoga, or no exercise for 4 months; walking and yoga groups reported improved positive mood and menopause-related quality of life.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 164 women · 16 weeks · 2007Midlife womenCited 138 timesPubMed
Postmenopausal women with insomnia practiced yoga for 4 months and reported lower insomnia severity and climacteric symptoms and higher quality of life than control or stretching groups.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 44 women · 16 weeks · 2012PostmenopausalCited 124 timesPubMed
Breast cancer survivors averaging age 49 did 12 weeks of Hatha yoga and meditation, reporting lower menopausal symptoms, less fatigue, and better quality of life than usual care at 12 and 24 weeks.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 40 women · 12 weeks · 2015Midlife womenCited 84 timesPubMed
In 120 perimenopausal women, 8 weeks of yoga reduced vasomotor symptoms, stress and neuroticism more than a supervised physical exercise control group.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 120 women · 8 weeks · 2008PerimenopausalCited 67 timesPubMed
In 164 previously low-active midlife women, 4 months of walking or yoga did not significantly improve perceived sleep quality compared to a control group.
Direction not statedRandomised trial · 164 women · 16 weeks · 2007Midlife womenCited 63 timesPubMed
In an 88 woman 12 week RCT, postmenopausal women practicing Hatha yoga reported lower menopausal symptom and depression scores and higher quality of life than control and exercise groups.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 88 women · 12 weeks · 2016PostmenopausalCited 48 timesPubMed
Peri and postmenopausal women practiced yoga for 20 weeks and researchers found reduced menopausal symptoms and improved sleep quality compared with controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 208 women · 20 weeks · 2022Midlife womenCited 28 timesPubMed
In 40 breast cancer survivors with menopausal symptoms, a 24-week yoga program's benefits on menopausal symptoms, quality of life and fatigue were partly explained by increases in self-esteem.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 40 women · 24 weeks · 2017Midlife womenCited 18 timesPubMed
In an RCT of 80 menopausal women, one year of Sudarshan Kriya Yoga improved vasomotor, psychosocial and physical quality of life domains more than brisk walking, with no change in reproductive hormones.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 80 women · 52 weeks · 2021Midlife womenCited 13 timesPubMed
Women practiced supervised yoga for 90 days; menopause rating scale scores fell significantly across all subscales compared with a no-yoga control group.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 13 weeks · 2011Midlife womenCited 29 timesPubMed
In 146 postmenopausal women, 8 sessions of laughter yoga, acupressure, or mindfulness-based stress reduction each reduced menopause rating scale scores and improved quality of life versus controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 146 women · 8 weeks · 2024PostmenopausalCited 4 timesPubMed
Menopausal women aged 40 to 60 who practiced yoga twice weekly for 10 weeks reported lower menopause symptom scores than a no-intervention control group.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 62 women · 10 weeks · 2024Midlife womenCited 2 timesPubMed
Menopausal women doing yoga three times weekly for 24 weeks with psychological support showed reduced depression, anxiety, menopausal distress and improved sleep quality versus controls.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 106 women · 24 weeks · 2020Midlife womenCited 21 timesPubMed
Breast cancer survivors took part in a 12-week yoga and meditation program and interviews afterward described positive emotional, physical and behavioral experiences with the intervention.
Direction not statedRandomised trial · 9 women · 12 weeks · 2024PostmenopausalCited 1 timesPubMed
Sixty-four postmenopausal women received self-care education combined with laughter yoga, which authors reported reduced menopausal symptoms, perceived stress, and salivary cortisol compared to controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 64 women · 2026PostmenopausalPubMed
A quasi-experimental trial found 6 to 24 months of Shivam Yoga practice in women aged 40-65 reduced climacteric symptom scores and increased estrogen and testosterone levels versus controls.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 182 women · 104 weeks · 2026Midlife womenPubMed
A controlled trial of 102 sedentary climacteric women with metabolic syndrome found 24 months of Shivam Yoga reduced fasting glucose, blood pressure, waist circumference and menopausal symptom scores.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 102 women · 104 weeks · 2026Midlife womenPubMed
Across MsFLASH trials of over 1,300 women, researchers found yoga or exercise did not reduce hot flashes compared with usual activity.
Direction not statedOther · 1,300 women · 2020Midlife womenCited 18 timesPubMed
Women in the menopausal transition completed a 10 week yoga program and reported changes in menopause symptoms and quality of life.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 10 weeks · 2015PerimenopausalCited 7 timesPubMed
Midlife women who had done a walking and yoga trial were surveyed two years later; increased physical activity and fewer menopausal symptoms were linked to higher menopause-related quality of life.
Reported an improvementOther · 2009Midlife womenCited 79 timesPubMed
A review of trials in menopausal women reported that aerobic exercise and yoga were linked to improved mood, quality of life, insomnia and some vasomotor symptoms compared with no exercise.
Direction not statedOther · 2009Midlife womenCited 66 timesPubMed
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
A planned 18 week yoga program will be tested against a waitlist control for musculoskeletal complaints in women on endocrine therapy for breast cancer, with results not yet reported.
Direction not statedOther · 140 women · 18 weeks · 2026PostmenopausalPubMed
In interviews, 18 women aged 40 to 60 described using strength training, yoga and cold-water immersion to navigate menopause, reporting symptom relief, self-awareness and identity development.
Reported an improvementOther · 18 women · 2026Midlife womenPubMed