Is Resistance Bands Training Good for Anxiety During Perimenopause?
Anxiety spikes are common during perimenopause. Find out how resistance band training helps calm the nervous system and reduce anxiety through regular practice.
Why Anxiety Increases During Perimenopause
Many women who have never experienced significant anxiety before find themselves dealing with it for the first time during perimenopause. This is not imagined. Estrogen has a calming effect on the central nervous system, and as levels become erratic, the brain's threat-detection systems can become overactive. Heart palpitations, a sense of dread, racing thoughts, and difficulty switching off are all commonly reported. Exercise is one of the most consistently effective non-pharmacological tools for managing anxiety, and resistance band training offers a particularly accessible and grounding option.
The Science Behind Exercise and Anxiety Relief
Resistance training reduces anxiety through several complementary mechanisms. It lowers cortisol, the primary stress hormone, over time. It increases GABA, an inhibitory neurotransmitter that quiets an overactive nervous system. It also burns off the physical tension and restlessness that anxiety often produces. Multiple clinical studies have found that strength training reduces both generalised anxiety and anxiety sensitivity, the fear of anxiety symptoms themselves. For perimenopausal women, these effects complement each other and can produce noticeable relief within a few weeks of consistent training.
Why Bands Are Particularly Grounding
Resistance band exercises have a quality that makes them especially useful for anxiety management. The physical sensation of pulling against or stretching a band requires your attention to be in your body, in the present moment. This is the opposite of anxious rumination, which pulls attention toward imagined future threats. Many women describe the rhythmic, controlled nature of banded movements as almost meditative. Focusing on your breath, your form, and the physical resistance draws your nervous system away from the anxiety cycle and into a calmer, more regulated state.
Structuring Your Sessions for Maximum Calm
For anxiety management, session structure matters. Begin with five minutes of slow, diaphragmatic breathing before you start moving. Choose a calm environment, dim lighting if possible, and avoid high-energy music that can heighten physiological arousal. Perform exercises at a slow, deliberate pace with extended exhales on the effort phase. Good choices include banded pull-aparts, seated rows, standing hip hinges, and shoulder press. Finish with five minutes of gentle stretching and breathing to bring your nervous system back to baseline. Consistency three to four times a week matters more than session intensity.
When to Seek Additional Support
Resistance training is a genuine support for anxiety, but it is not a substitute for professional help when anxiety is severe. If you are experiencing panic attacks, persistent dread that interferes with daily life, or anxiety that is affecting your relationships and work, speak with your GP. Cognitive behavioural therapy and, where appropriate, HRT or medication are well-evidenced treatments that can be combined with an exercise programme. You are not expected to manage significant anxiety through willpower and exercise alone.
Logging Symptoms to See What Helps
Anxiety can feel unpredictable, but patterns often emerge when you track it consistently. PeriPlan lets you log workouts and record symptoms like anxiety alongside them, so you can look back and see whether training sessions correspond with calmer days or fewer anxious episodes. Having that data can also reduce the anxiety about anxiety itself, because you have evidence that you are doing something effective and that your experience has structure and pattern, even when it does not feel that way in the moment.
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