A meta-analysis of 11 trials found mind-body exercises like tai chi, yoga, and qigong improved bone density, sleep quality, anxiety, depression, and fatigue in peri- and postmenopausal women.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 1,005 participants pooled · 2024Midlife womenCited 40 timesPubMed
An umbrella review and meta-analysis of yoga trials in peri- and postmenopausal women found yoga reduced hot flushes and psychological symptoms compared with controls, with quality of life rarely reported.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 927 participants pooled · 2017Midlife womenCited 21 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of 26 RCTs in postmenopausal women found exercise reduced depression, with mind-body exercise ranked most effective, and also improved anxiety.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 2,170 participants pooled · 2024PostmenopausalCited 12 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 meta-analysis of 18 trials in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women found mind-body therapies such as yoga and qigong improved sleep quality, depression and anxiety compared with usual care.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 1,572 participants pooled · 2025Midlife womenCited 7 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 network meta-analysis of 33 RCTs in postmenopausal women found resistance, mind-body, aerobic, and combined exercise all reduced depressive symptoms, with resistance and mind-body exercise ranking highest.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 2,607 participants pooled · 2025PostmenopausalCited 2 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
A network meta-analysis of 23 RCTs found aerobic exercise, multimodal exercise and stretching were most effective at reducing depressive symptoms in peri and postmenopausal women.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 2025Midlife womenCited 9 timesPubMed
A network meta-analysis of 23 trials in postmenopausal women found exercise generally improved anxiety and depression more than control, with mind-body training ranking most favorably.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 2,298 participants pooled · 2026PostmenopausalPubMed
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
Breast cancer survivors with hot flashes did an 8 week Yoga of Awareness program and reported greater improvements in hot flash frequency, severity, joint pain, fatigue and sleep than a wait-list group.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 37 women · 8 weeks · 2009PostmenopausalCited 182 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.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 164 women · 16 weeks · 2007Midlife womenCited 138 timesPubMed
A review of controlled trials found exercise trials for hot flushes gave mixed results, while one yoga trial reduced hot flushes and improved cognitive symptoms more than exercise.
Mixed resultsSystematic review · 2014Midlife womenCited 27 timesPubMed
A review of 31 studies found yoga, walking, exercise, and stretching improved sleep quality in menopausal women, with inconsistent effects on depression.
Mixed resultsSystematic review · 2023Midlife womenCited 17 timesPubMed
Among sedentary peri and postmenopausal women randomized to yoga, aerobic exercise or usual activity plus omega-3 or placebo, omega-3 did not improve hot flush frequency, bother, sleep or mood versus placebo over 12 weeks.
Direction not statedRandomised trial · 355 women · 12 weeks · 2014Midlife womenCited 63 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.
Direction not statedRandomised trial · 40 women · 12 weeks · 2015Midlife womenCited 84 timesPubMed
A systematic review of 13 RCTs with 1,470 perimenopausal and postmenopausal women found aerobic exercise, yoga, Pilates, resistance training, stretching and relaxation improved sleep quality and psychological wellbeing.
Reported an improvementSystematic review · 1,470 participants pooled · 2025Midlife womenCited 2 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 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
Previously low active middle aged women who did a four month walking or yoga program did not improve overall self-esteem but reported gains in esteem related to physical condition and body attractiveness.
Mixed resultsRandomised trial · 164 women · 16 weeks · 2007Midlife womenCited 42 timesPubMed
Perimenopausal women did an 8 week mindfulness program including meditation and yoga; participants reported fewer depressive symptoms, less anxiety and improved sleep compared to a waitlist group.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 95 women · 8 weeks · 2021PerimenopausalCited 31 timesPubMed
Women aged 40 to 60 took an 8 week Hatha yoga course and reported significantly lower perceived stress scores than a no-intervention control group.
Reported an improvementControlled trial · 63 women · 8 weeks · 2013Midlife womenCited 28 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
In 16 postmenopausal women with rheumatoid arthritis, 10 weeks of yoga classes reduced pain and depression scores and improved balance, with no significant change in cortisol patterns.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 16 women · 10 weeks · 2009PostmenopausalCited 38 timesPubMed
Ten postmenopausal breast cancer survivors with aromatase inhibitor joint pain did twice weekly yoga for eight weeks and reported pain relief and improved quality of life themes in interviews.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 10 women · 8 weeks · 2012PostmenopausalCited 36 timesPubMed
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
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.
Reported an improvementOther · 2009Midlife womenCited 66 timesPubMed
This narrative review summarized medical literature finding that regular exercise in midlife and postmenopausal women is linked with reduced obesity, cancer, dementia, mood symptoms, and osteoporosis.
Reported an improvementOther · 2015Midlife womenCited 56 timesPubMed
A single postmenopausal breast cancer patient given 43 days of integrated naturopathy and yoga therapy reported reduced pain, stress and depression and improved sleep quality.
Reported an improvementBefore-and-after study · 1 women · 6 weeks · 2022PostmenopausalPubMed
A qualitative analysis of journal entries and interviews from menopausal women aged 40 to 65 found yoga supported problem and emotion focused coping with symptoms.
Reported an improvementOther · 12 women · 2019Midlife womenCited 2 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
A review described how regular physical activity including aerobic exercise, resistance training and yoga in midlife women supports cognition, sleep, mood and reduces chronic disease risk.
Reported an improvementOther · 2025Midlife womenCited 1 timesPubMed