Is Kickboxing Good for Fatigue During Perimenopause?
Perimenopausal fatigue is deep and frustrating. Kickboxing may sound like the last thing you need, but regular vigorous exercise is one of the best-evidenced ways to restore energy over time.
Fatigue That Sleep Does Not Fix
The fatigue that comes with perimenopause is not ordinary tiredness. It persists even after a full night's sleep. It is heavy, sometimes physical, sometimes mental, and it can feel disproportionate to actual exertion. The causes are multiple: disrupted sleep from night sweats, hormonal effects on energy metabolism, thyroid changes that sometimes accompany perimenopause, low iron, and the cumulative toll of managing multiple symptoms at once. Understanding that this fatigue has real physiological roots is the starting point for addressing it effectively.
Why Exercise Helps When You Are Already Tired
The idea of doing kickboxing when you are exhausted can seem absurd. But the evidence consistently shows that regular vigorous exercise reduces fatigue over time, rather than adding to it. The reason is that exercise improves mitochondrial function (the energy-producing structures in cells), increases cardiovascular efficiency (so everyday activities require less effort), improves sleep quality and depth, and regulates cortisol patterns that often contribute to a flat, dragging energy profile. The short-term cost of effort produces a long-term increase in available energy.
Kickboxing and Sleep Quality
One of the most direct routes from kickboxing to less fatigue is through sleep. Vigorous aerobic exercise increases slow-wave sleep, the deepest and most restorative phase, and reduces the time it takes to fall asleep. For perimenopausal women whose sleep is interrupted by night sweats or racing thoughts, this is significant. Better sleep architecture produces genuinely better energy the next day. Most women who establish a regular kickboxing routine report notable sleep improvement within three to four weeks.
Starting Small and Building Up
The key to using kickboxing for fatigue without worsening it is pacing. Begin with shorter sessions of 20 to 25 minutes and build toward 35 to 45 minutes over several weeks. Choose a consistent time of day when your energy is at its natural peak, which for many perimenopausal women is late morning or early afternoon. On days when fatigue is severe, a 15-minute shadowboxing session is better than nothing and will still provide sleep and energy benefits.
Investigating Underlying Causes
If fatigue is severe and persistent, it is worth ruling out other contributors. Thyroid dysfunction is common in this age group and mimics perimenopausal fatigue closely. Iron deficiency anaemia is another frequent cause. Your GP can check both with a simple blood test. HRT can significantly improve energy in women whose fatigue is primarily hormonal. Kickboxing is most effective when it is part of a managed approach rather than compensation for an unaddressed medical issue.
Watching Energy Levels Shift Over Time
Fatigue improvement through exercise is gradual and can be hard to perceive from the inside. Logging your workouts and rating your energy levels before and after sessions in PeriPlan over a six to eight week period can make the trend visible. Most women who maintain consistency find that by week four or five, the days after kickboxing are noticeably higher energy than the days they skip. Seeing that pattern in your own data is one of the most motivating discoveries you can make.
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