More frequent physical activity was associated with a lower burden of perimenopause symptoms in an international survey of more than 1,800 respondents, according to research presented at the 2026 Annual Meeting of The Menopause Society in San Diego.
The findings add evidence to a question that has received relatively limited attention: whether the frequency of regular movement is related to how people experience the physical and psychological changes that can occur during the transition to menopause. The research does not establish that exercise caused symptoms to improve. It does, however, identify a consistent association between higher reported activity frequency and lower symptom scores.
What the study examined
Perimenopause is the transition before menopause, when hormonal changes can be accompanied by symptoms that affect daily life and quality of life. The study assessed symptoms in three broad areas: somatic symptoms, psychological symptoms and urogenital symptoms.
Participants were users of the Flo app living across 87 countries on six continents. They completed an online survey that asked them to characterize their activity frequency on a scale ranging from not physically active to active more than five days each week. Researchers then assessed symptom severity with the Menopause Rating Scale, or MRS.
The MRS is designed to capture symptoms across the three domains considered in the study. The researchers used multivariable linear regression models to examine the relationship between reported physical-activity frequency and MRS scores.
Lower scores across three symptom domains
In the unadjusted analysis, mean total MRS scores showed a statistically significant inverse association with increasing physical-activity frequency. In plain terms, respondents reporting more frequent activity tended to report lower symptom scores.
The pattern extended across the urogenital, somatic and psychological domains measured by the survey. That breadth matters because perimenopause can involve more than one type of symptom at the same time, and symptom burden can be experienced differently from person to person.
The researchers also accounted for a set of prespecified factors in their analysis. These included age, body mass index, smoking status, comorbidities, health-care access and each country’s Socio-Demographic Index. Including these factors is intended to help assess the association between activity frequency and symptom scores while recognizing that health, access to care and social conditions can also be related to symptom experiences.
Psychological symptoms stood out
According to Dr. Liudmila Zhaunova, the benefits associated with physical activity appeared strongest for psychological symptoms, including low mood, irritability and anxiety. These symptoms can have a substantial effect on everyday functioning, making an accessible lifestyle measure especially relevant if future work continues to support the relationship.
Regular physical activity is already associated with a range of health benefits, including improved sleep, lower blood pressure, reduced anxiety, stronger muscles and bones, and help with weight control. The new analysis suggests that perimenopause symptom management may be another area where activity could be useful.
That does not mean a single activity plan will suit everyone. The study categorized participants by frequency, rather than presenting a specific exercise prescription. It therefore supports a broad message about regular movement, not a conclusion that one workout type, intensity or duration is required to reduce symptoms.
Why the results are useful
Perimenopause symptom burden remains underexplored in global populations. This survey drew responses from a wide geographic range, offering a view that is broader than studies limited to one health system or country. Its size and international scope are notable features of the work.
The findings also focus on a potentially modifiable factor. While people cannot choose whether they will enter perimenopause, physical activity can be adapted to individual circumstances, preferences and ability. The researchers describe it as a lifestyle intervention with relevance to symptom management.
For clinicians and people navigating perimenopause, the study is a reason to discuss regular movement as part of a wider approach to wellbeing. It should not be read as a replacement for medical evaluation, particularly when symptoms are severe, new or disruptive. The survey did not test treatments or compare exercise programs, and it did not establish whether activity changes symptoms over time.
What remains to be answered
Because the study used self-reported survey responses, it captures an association rather than a direct causal effect. Respondents reported both their activity frequency and their symptom experiences, and the available description does not show whether activity preceded lower symptoms or whether lower symptom burden made frequent activity easier.
Further studies could help clarify the direction of the relationship, identify which forms of movement are most practical, and determine whether benefits differ by symptom type or individual health circumstances. Studies that follow participants over time would also be useful for examining changes in activity and symptoms together.
For now, the results provide a data point from a large, international sample: more frequent reported physical activity was linked with lower reported perimenopause symptom burden. The association was observed across physical, urogenital and psychological domains, with psychological symptoms emerging as an especially notable area in the researchers’ interpretation.
This article is based on reporting by Medical Xpress. Read the original article.
Originally published on medicalxpress.com
