THE ARISING · Longevity & Healthspan
Review of 12 Trials Finds Exercise Eases Depression and Mood in Menopause
Women in midlife often face low mood, anxiety and poorer quality of life, and not every woman can or wants to use drug or talking treatments. A new pooled analysis of randomized trials suggests that physical activity may help. 12 trials
The work is a systematic review and meta-analysis, published in the journal Menopause in 2026. It combined 12 randomized controlled trials with 1,003 women aged 40 to 65, in perimenopause (the years around the final period) or early postmenopause. Randomized trials are the strongest design for testing an intervention, and pooling them gives a broader picture than any single trial. The review is only as strong as the trials inside it.
The authors searched five research databases up to April 2025. Activity programs were compared with another activity program or with treatment as usual. The team pooled the results and checked each trial for risk of bias. The results are reported as effect sizes, a standard way to compare outcomes measured on different scales. Physical activity significantly improved depression (g = -1.37, 95% CI -1.96 to -0.79). A negative number here means less depression. It also improved mood (g = 0.84), psychological quality of life (g = 0.66) and overall quality of life (g = 1.10). The confidence intervals are wide, so the true size of the benefit is uncertain.
Depression fell in both stages. The figure was g = -1.57 in perimenopause and g = -1.14 in early postmenopause. The study says the other outcomes improved in early postmenopausal women.
The team also split the trials by type. Aerobic-based programs improved mood (g = 1.05) and overall quality of life (g = 1.41). Mind-body programs improved psychological quality of life (g = 0.80). Sensitivity analyses, which test whether results hold up under different assumptions, largely supported the findings. The authors conclude that both types may be beneficial.
According to the University College London press coverage carried by News-Medical, the aerobic group included walking, Zumba, dance and Taekwondo. The mind-body group included yoga, tai chi, Pilates and stretching. The coverage said aerobic programs had the strongest effects on depressive symptoms. It gave examples such as walking for 30 minutes three times a week, and reported that most programs were group-based. Senior author Aimee Spector, as quoted there, called physical activity "an effective, accessible, non-pharmacological strategy" for well-being in midlife. Lead author Simone Saidel said clinicians may recommend it as an early intervention or alongside medical or psychological treatment.
The limits matter. The authors write that further high-quality trials with clearer menopause staging are needed, and their wording is cautious: activity "may seem to improve" these outcomes. The coverage adds that studies varied widely and many were judged at high risk of bias. The trials compared activity with other activity or usual care. They did not test it head to head against hormone therapy or psychological treatment. The review also cannot say which activity, how much, or for how long works best.
This review looks at a different group from the frailty review The Arising reported on October 21. That one concerned older adults and muscle and function. Both point toward exercise as a benefit, but in different people and for different outcomes. Larger, better-designed trials that define menopause stage clearly and compare specific types and amounts of activity.