Swimming vs Running for Perimenopause: How to Choose Between Them
Swimming and running both support perimenopause health, but they feel and function differently. Compare the benefits of each to find what works for your body.
Why Exercise Choice Matters in Perimenopause
During perimenopause, the body responds differently to physical stress than it did in earlier decades. Estrogen's protective influence on joints, mood, and metabolism decreases, and exercise that felt easy a few years ago can now feel harder to recover from. At the same time, regular cardiovascular exercise supports heart health, mood regulation, weight management, and sleep quality, all of which are priorities during this transition. Swimming and running are both accessible, evidence-supported cardiovascular options, but they differ significantly in their impact on the body, their demands on joints, and the way they interact with common perimenopause symptoms.
The Benefits of Running in Perimenopause
Running is one of the most efficient cardiovascular exercises available in terms of caloric expenditure and bone density stimulus. The impact of each foot strike sends mechanical signals to bone cells, stimulating bone formation. This is particularly valuable during perimenopause when estrogen's bone-protective role is diminishing. Running also raises heart rate effectively, supporting cardiovascular conditioning, and produces a meaningful release of endorphins that can lift mood and reduce anxiety. For women who already have a running habit, continuing with appropriate adaptations, including slower recovery runs, shorter intervals, and greater attention to sleep and nutrition around training, is a viable approach.
The Challenges of Running in Perimenopause
Joint pain, particularly in the knees, hips, and ankles, is a common perimenopause symptom linked to estrogen's role in maintaining joint lubrication and cartilage health. Running on hard surfaces places repeated load through these joints and can exacerbate existing discomfort. Pelvic floor changes during perimenopause also mean that high-impact activities like running can cause or worsen stress urinary incontinence. Overheating during a run can trigger or intensify hot flushes. Women who are new to running or who have joint problems may find that running creates more problems than it solves during this phase, and choosing a lower-impact option initially may allow them to build fitness more sustainably.
The Benefits of Swimming in Perimenopause
Swimming supports cardiovascular fitness without placing high mechanical load on joints. The buoyancy of water reduces effective body weight significantly, making it an excellent option for women with joint pain, pelvic floor concerns, or those who find high-impact exercise uncomfortable. The cool water environment can help manage hot flushes during the session. Swimming is a full-body workout that engages the upper body, core, and legs simultaneously, and the breathing demands of sustained swimming build lung capacity and respiratory efficiency. Many women find swimming meditative and report improvements in sleep and anxiety levels alongside the physical benefits.
The Limitations of Swimming for Perimenopause
Swimming does not stimulate bone density in the same way that weight-bearing exercise does. Because the body is supported by water, the mechanical loading that promotes bone formation is absent. Women who swim as their sole form of exercise are advised to incorporate weight-bearing activity elsewhere, such as walking, strength training, or yoga, to address this gap. Access to a pool can be a practical barrier, and the cost and logistics of regular swimming sessions are more significant than lacing up running shoes. Some women also find that perimenopausal vaginal dryness or vulvar sensitivity makes prolonged pool time uncomfortable due to chlorine exposure, though this varies considerably.
Which Is Better for Common Perimenopause Symptoms?
For hot flushes, swimming wins on the basis of the cooling environment. For bone density protection, running or other weight-bearing activities are superior. For joint pain, swimming is the gentler option. For mood, both are effective, though running at a brisk pace tends to produce a stronger endorphin response in a shorter time. For stress incontinence, swimming avoids the impact forces that can trigger leakage. For women managing weight changes, running burns more calories per session of equal duration, though swimming at a vigorous pace is also highly effective. The best choice depends on which symptoms are most pressing and what feels sustainable over the long term.
Building a Routine That Combines Both
There is no requirement to choose exclusively between swimming and running. Many women in perimenopause benefit from a weekly routine that includes some low-impact cardiovascular work, some weight-bearing activity, and some strength training. For example, swimming two or three times a week provides joint-friendly cardiovascular conditioning, while one or two brisk walks or short runs support bone density without excessive load. Tracking workouts in an app like PeriPlan allows you to see how different types of activity affect your energy, sleep, and mood over time. Noticing these patterns makes it easier to refine your routine to match what your body genuinely responds well to during this phase.
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