Best Low-Impact Exercises for Perimenopause
Discover the best low-impact exercises for perimenopause to protect joints, support bone density, and ease symptoms without overdoing it.
Why Low-Impact Exercise Matters in Perimenopause
Declining estrogen changes how your body handles physical stress. Joints become more prone to inflammation, recovery takes longer, and high-impact workouts that felt fine at 35 can leave you sore for days at 45. Low-impact exercise lets you stay consistent without the toll. Consistency is what drives the real benefits: better sleep, more stable mood, reduced hot flash frequency, and protection against bone loss. The best low-impact exercises for perimenopause are the ones you will actually do week after week. This list covers the options with the strongest evidence and the most practical fit for busy, often exhausted midlife women.
Walking
Walking is the most underrated exercise in perimenopause. A brisk 30-minute walk five times a week improves cardiovascular health, supports bone density in the hips and spine, reduces cortisol, and lifts mood through endorphin release. Research from the Nurses Health Study found that women who walked at least 2.5 hours per week had significantly lower rates of heart disease, one of the conditions that rises sharply after menopause. You do not need special equipment, a gym membership, or a recovery day. Start with 20 minutes if you are not currently active and build from there. Walking outside in daylight also supports your circadian rhythm, which helps the sleep disruption so common in perimenopause.
Swimming and Water Aerobics
Water-based exercise is particularly valuable when joint pain is a problem. The buoyancy of water reduces load on knees, hips, and the lower back by up to 90 percent, making movement accessible even on painful days. Swimming laps builds cardiovascular fitness and works all major muscle groups without any impact. Water aerobics classes add a social element, which matters for mental health. The cool water environment can also reduce the frequency and intensity of hot flashes during the session itself. If you have not been in a pool since school, many leisure centres run beginner lane sessions specifically for adults returning to swimming.
Yoga
Yoga improves flexibility, balance, and stress resilience, three things that decline during perimenopause without targeted attention. Yin yoga and restorative yoga work deeply into connective tissue and the nervous system, lowering cortisol and improving sleep quality. Vinyasa and hatha yoga build functional strength alongside flexibility. Studies in menopausal women have found yoga reduces the frequency of hot flashes, improves mood scores, and supports better sleep compared with control groups. The breathwork component is especially useful: slow, controlled breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which counteracts the anxiety and racing heart that accompany hormonal fluctuation.
Pilates
Pilates targets the deep core muscles that support the spine and pelvis, which is directly relevant to the posture changes and lower back pain many women develop during perimenopause. Mat Pilates requires no equipment and can be done at home with free online sessions. Reformer Pilates, available in studios, adds resistance for greater muscle-building stimulus. Both forms improve pelvic floor function, which is important given that weakening estrogen affects bladder control. A 2021 trial found that 8 weeks of Pilates significantly reduced severity of menopausal symptoms including fatigue and mood disturbance. It pairs well with walking: Pilates builds the stability and alignment that makes every other form of movement safer.
Strength Training with Light to Moderate Weights
Resistance training is not high-impact when done correctly. Bodyweight squats, dumbbell lunges, resistance band rows, and machine-based exercises all preserve muscle mass and bone density without stressing joints the way running does. This matters enormously in perimenopause: women can lose up to 10 percent of muscle mass per decade after 40 if they do not train for it, and bone density drops sharply once estrogen falls. Two sessions per week of 30 to 45 minutes is enough to see significant benefit. Focus on compound movements (squats, deadlifts, rows, presses) that work multiple muscle groups at once. If you are new to weights, a single session with a personal trainer to learn form will prevent injury and make your independent sessions far more effective.
Cycling
Cycling, whether outdoors or on a stationary bike, gives a strong cardiovascular workout without loading the knees. Seated cycling is particularly gentle on the joints, while standing climbs add muscular demand. Indoor cycling eliminates weather as an excuse and allows you to control intensity precisely. Aim for 20 to 40 minutes at a moderate effort level, where you can still hold a short sentence of conversation. Cycling three times a week has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity, reduce visceral fat, and support cardiovascular health. It is also a genuinely enjoyable activity for many women, and enjoyment is one of the most reliable predictors of long-term exercise adherence.
Related reading
Get your personalized daily plan
Track symptoms, match workouts to your day type, and build a routine that adapts with you through every phase of perimenopause.