As a gynaecologist, I often prescribe medications, recommend various tests and perform surgery. Yet one of the most powerful treatments I can recommend does not even come in a bottle or require an operating theatre—it is regular physical activity. In fact, if exercise were a tablet, it would probably be one of the most frequently prescribed medicines in the world.
The scientific evidence has become increasingly clear: exercise benefits women throughout every stage of life. Whether you are struggling with painful periods, planning a pregnancy, navigating menopause or simply wanting to age well, moving your body is one of the best investments you can make in your health.
Many women avoid exercise during their menstrual periods, some because they are worried it will make the pain worse. In fact, studies suggest the opposite.
Regular exercise can significantly reduce the severity of menstrual cramps, likely because physical activity improves blood flow, releases natural pain-relieving endorphins and reduces inflammation. Exercise also appears to improve mood and reduce the fatigue that many women experience around their periods.
For women living with conditions such as polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (formerly called PCOS), regular exercise improves insulin sensitivity, helps with weight management and can contribute to more regular menstrual cycles. Women with endometriosis may also find that regular physical activity improves pain and overall quality of life, although it is important to tailor exercise to individual symptoms.
Pregnancy is another time when women are often unsure about exercise. Unless there is a medical reason to avoid it, remaining active during pregnancy is not only safe but beneficial.
Regular moderate exercise reduces the risk of gestational diabetes, excessive weight gain and high blood pressure, while improving physical fitness, sleep and emotional well-being. The old advice to “take it easy” throughout pregnancy has largely been replaced by encouraging healthy movement.
Perhaps nowhere is the importance of exercise more obvious than during menopause. As oestrogen levels decline, women naturally begin to lose muscle mass and bone density while their risk of heart disease increases. Many also notice changes in sleep, mood and weight.
Exercise cannot eliminate every menopausal symptom, and it should not be viewed as a replacement for hormone replacement therapy (HRT) when HRT is deemed appropriate. However, research consistently shows that regular physical activity improves overall quality of life, physical function, mood, sex drive and sleep.
One type of exercise deserves special mention: strength training. Resistance exercises using weights, resistance bands or even your own body weight help preserve muscle, maintain bone strength and improve balance.
In fact, one of the biggest misconceptions is that strength training is only for athletes or bodybuilders. In reality, resistance exercise is one of the most important forms of exercise for women, particularly from their forties onwards. After menopause, women lose muscle mass and bone density more rapidly because of declining oestrogen levels. Strength training helps counteract these changes by stimulating both muscles and bones to become stronger.
Landmark research published in the New England Journal of Medicine demonstrated that exercise is an important component of preserving bone health after menopause, particularly when combined with adequate calcium intake.
Physical activity also plays a role in cancer prevention. Regular exercise is associated with a lower risk of several cancers, including breast and endometrial cancer, while also reducing the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity. For women who have been treated for cancer, exercise can lessen fatigue, improve physical function and enhance quality of life.
The good news is that you do not have to become a marathon runner. International recommendations suggest aiming for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each week, together with muscle-strengthening exercises on two or more days. Brisk walking, dancing, swimming, cycling, gardening and strength training all count. The best exercise is the one you enjoy enough to keep doing.
As a doctor, I often focus on diagnosing disease and offering treatment. But some of the greatest gains in women’s health come from preventing disease in the first place.
Exercise is not simply about fitting into a smaller dress size. It is about stronger bones, a healthier heart, a sharper mind, and a better quality of life.
