A meta-analysis of randomized trials found yoga improved sleep quality in women overall, but four trials in peri or postmenopausal women showed no significant improvement.
No difference foundMeta-analysis · 1,832 participants pooled · 2020Midlife womenCited 85 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of four trials totaling 660 middle-aged women found 12 to 16 weeks of programmed exercise improved sleep quality scores but did not significantly reduce insomnia severity.
Mixed resultsMeta-analysis · 660 participants pooled · 16 weeks · 2017Midlife womenCited 97 timesPubMed
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
A review of 6 studies including postmenopausal women found that yoga, tai chi, resistance and aerobic exercise improved subjective sleep quality and reduced insomnia severity.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 295 participants pooled · 2022Midlife womenCited 17 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 12 RCTs found exercise such as yoga, walking, and fitness qigong improved sleep quality in perimenopausal women, with qigong over 10 to 12 weeks most effective.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 1,493 participants pooled · 2023PerimenopausalCited 10 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 44 trials in menopausal women found exercise, along with yoga, mindfulness and other nonpharmacological therapies, significantly improved sleep quality compared with control.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 2025Midlife womenCited 2 timesPubMed
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
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.
Reported an improvementSystematic review · 2014Midlife womenCited 27 timesPubMed
A meta-analysis of 17 RCTs found non-pharmacological treatments including yoga improved sleep quality and insomnia severity scores in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women with chronic insomnia.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 2026Midlife womenCited 1 timesPubMed
A network meta-analysis of 31 RCTs in peri and postmenopausal women found combined exercise and flexibility exercise were most effective for improving sleep quality, with mind-body and aerobic exercise also helpful.
Reported an improvementMeta-analysis · 2025Midlife womenCited 1 timesPubMed
Pooled analysis of peri and postmenopausal women with insomnia and hot flashes found aerobic exercise reduced insomnia severity more than control but less than CBT-I over 8 to 12 weeks.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 546 women · 10 weeks · 2018Midlife womenCited 65 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
A review of 31 studies found yoga, walking, exercise, and stretching improved sleep quality in menopausal women, with inconsistent effects on depression.
Reported an improvementSystematic 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
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 164 previously low-active midlife women, 4 months of walking or yoga did not significantly improve perceived sleep quality compared to a control group.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 164 women · 16 weeks · 2007Midlife womenCited 63 timesPubMed
In 120 perimenopausal women, 8 weeks of yoga reduced hot flushes, night sweats and sleep disturbance and improved memory and attention test scores more than supervised physical exercise.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 120 women · 8 weeks · 2008PerimenopausalCited 54 timesPubMed
In 186 menopausal women with hot flashes, 12 weeks of yoga or aerobic exercise did not significantly change objective actigraphic sleep measures versus usual activity.
No difference foundRandomised trial · 186 women · 12 weeks · 2017Midlife womenCited 36 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
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
Menopausal women did eight online laughter yoga sessions over four weeks; the yoga group reported lower vasomotor symptom scores and better sleep quality than controls.
Reported an improvementRandomised trial · 36 women · 4 weeks · 2025Midlife womenCited 3 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
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
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
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 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