Is Cycling Good for Mood Swings During Perimenopause?
Cycling helps stabilise mood during perimenopause by regulating stress hormones and boosting feel-good neurochemicals. Here is how to use it.
Mood Swings During Perimenopause: The Hormonal Rollercoaster
Mood swings in perimenopause are not imagined and not purely emotional. Rapidly fluctuating estrogen and progesterone directly affect serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, the neurotransmitters that regulate emotional stability. One moment you feel fine; the next you are overwhelmed, irritable, or tearful with no clear reason. This pattern can be exhausting for you and confusing for those around you. Exercise is one of the most practical tools available to help.
How Cycling Smooths Emotional Volatility
Cycling provides a consistent source of endorphin release, which acts as a natural mood buffer. Regular riders report that their emotional baseline feels more stable, even when hormonal fluctuations are ongoing. The key is regularity. A single ride lifts mood temporarily; a weekly habit gradually raises your emotional floor so that dips are less extreme and recovery is quicker.
Using a Ride to Interrupt a Mood Episode
When you notice a mood swing building, getting on a bike is one of the fastest ways to interrupt it. Physical movement redirects the nervous system's energy and gives you a sense of agency and progress. Even 15 minutes at a brisk pace can noticeably reduce the intensity of irritability or emotional overwhelm. Keep a bike accessible and a short default route in mind for exactly these moments.
Cortisol Regulation and Emotional Stability
One reason mood swings worsen in perimenopause is that the body's cortisol regulation becomes less efficient. Stress hits harder and lingers longer. Regular aerobic cycling improves cortisol clearance and reduces baseline stress reactivity. Over time, this means you are better equipped to handle triggers that would previously have sent your mood spiralling. The benefit is cumulative and measurable after several weeks.
Pairing Cycling With Symptom Awareness
Tracking your mood and your rides together lets you see patterns. You may notice mood dips cluster around a particular phase of your cycle, or that they improve markedly in weeks when you cycle consistently. That personal data shifts the experience from chaotic to understandable, and gives you something to act on. Use whatever tracking method suits you, whether that is an app, a journal, or simple notes on your phone.
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.
Social Cycling and Connection
Group rides or cycling with a friend adds social connection to the mood benefits of exercise. Social bonding releases oxytocin, which counteracts the social withdrawal that can accompany low mood or irritability. If solo riding suits you better, that is equally valid. But if you find yourself avoiding people during mood dips, a structured group ride removes the decision-making and gets you out regardless.