Is Strength Training Good for Low Libido During Perimenopause?
Strength training may be one of the best tools for reviving low libido in perimenopause. Learn how lifting weights supports testosterone, mood, and body confidence.
Low Libido and Perimenopause: What Is Happening
A drop in sexual desire during perimenopause is one of the most common and least talked-about symptoms. Declining estrogen and testosterone both affect libido directly. Add fatigue, low mood, poor body image, and disrupted sleep, and it is little wonder many women feel their sex drive has simply switched off. The encouraging part is that certain types of exercise, particularly strength training, have a genuinely positive impact on several of these underlying factors.
Strength Training and Testosterone
Resistance exercise is one of the few lifestyle interventions that naturally supports testosterone production. While women produce far less testosterone than men, it is still a key hormone for libido, energy, and mood. Progressive strength training, especially compound movements like squats, deadlifts, and rows, stimulates the body to produce more testosterone and growth hormone. Over weeks and months, this hormonal shift can contribute to improved sexual desire.
Body Confidence and Desire
Perimenopause often brings changes to body shape, muscle tone, and skin. These changes affect how women feel about themselves, and that directly influences desire. Strength training reshapes the body, builds muscle, improves posture, and creates a sense of physical capability that many women find deeply confidence-boosting. Feeling strong and at home in your body is one of the most underrated drivers of libido. Many women report that lifting weights changed not just their body but their relationship with it.
The Energy and Mood Lift
Fatigue and low mood are libido killers. Strength training addresses both. Regular resistance exercise improves mitochondrial function, meaning your cells produce energy more efficiently. It also increases serotonin and dopamine, the neurotransmitters responsible for mood, motivation, and pleasure. Women who strength train consistently during perimenopause often report feeling more energetic and more like themselves. That lift in vitality tends to extend into their intimate lives as well.
How to Get Started Safely
You do not need a gym to start strength training. Bodyweight exercises like squats, lunges, push-ups, and glute bridges are excellent beginners. If you have access to weights or resistance bands, all the better. Aim for two to three sessions per week with at least one rest day between sessions. Start with lighter weights and focus on form before increasing load. Working with a qualified personal trainer for even a few sessions can be worthwhile to build confidence and technique.
Strength Training Works Best as Part of a Wider Approach
If low libido is persistent and significantly affecting your wellbeing, strength training is a valuable but partial solution. Speak to your GP or a menopause specialist about the full picture. HRT, particularly testosterone therapy, is an option for women whose libido is severely affected by hormonal decline. Relationship factors, sleep quality, and mental health all matter too. Strength training gives you a strong foundation, building hormonal health, confidence, and energy while you explore other options.
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