Is Cardio Good for Depression During Perimenopause?
Low mood and depression are common in perimenopause. Find out how cardiovascular exercise can lift your mood, support brain chemistry, and help you feel more like yourself.
Depression in Perimenopause: Not All in Your Head
Depression during perimenopause has a real biological basis. Oestrogen plays a significant role in regulating serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, the neurotransmitters most closely associated with mood. As oestrogen levels fluctuate and decline, the brain's chemistry shifts. Some women who have never experienced depression before find themselves dealing with persistent low mood, loss of motivation, tearfulness, or a grey flatness that's hard to describe. Knowing the cause doesn't always make it easier to live with, but it does point toward solutions. Exercise, especially aerobic exercise, is one of the most consistently evidence-backed interventions.
What Cardio Does to Brain Chemistry
Cardio exercise increases levels of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine in the brain, working through similar pathways to antidepressant medication. It also triggers the release of endorphins, the body's natural mood-lifting chemicals. Beyond this, aerobic exercise increases production of BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), which supports the growth of new neural connections and has been specifically linked to relief of depressive symptoms. Multiple controlled studies have found that regular aerobic exercise has effects on mild to moderate depression comparable to those of antidepressants, without the side effects.
Which Types of Cardio Work Best
For depression, the most important factor is that you actually do it and keep doing it. The type of cardio matters less than consistency. Walking briskly, cycling, swimming, dancing, jogging, rowing, even a lively aerobics class all provide the aerobic stimulus the brain needs. Choose something you find at least tolerable, ideally something you enjoy. Outdoor cardio has the added benefit of light exposure, which regulates melatonin and circadian rhythms, both of which affect mood. If you can get outside for your cardio, especially in the morning, that's worth prioritising.
How Much Cardio Do You Need
The research on exercise and depression consistently points to around 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week as an effective dose. That breaks down to five 30-minute sessions or three 50-minute sessions. However, any amount is better than none. If depression has reduced your motivation significantly, start with just 10 minutes and build from there. The first few minutes are often the hardest. Many women find that once they've started moving, continuing feels much more manageable. Log your sessions in PeriPlan to build a record of your habit.
The Barrier of Low Motivation
Depression often makes the very thing that would help, getting up and exercising, feel impossible. This is one of the cruellest aspects of the condition. If motivation is very low, try lowering the threshold. Instead of 'I must do a 30-minute run', try 'I'll put my shoes on and walk to the end of the street'. Exercising with another person, whether a friend, a class, or a personal trainer, can provide the external accountability that depression erodes from the inside. Be kind to yourself about missed sessions.
Getting the Right Level of Support
Cardio exercise is a powerful tool for perimenopause-related depression, but it's one part of a whole picture. If you're experiencing persistent low mood, please speak to your GP. HRT can be transformative for women whose depression is hormonally driven. Therapy, particularly CBT, is well evidenced for depression. Some women need medication. There's no virtue in struggling alone when effective help is available. Use exercise to support your recovery, not to replace the care you deserve.
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