Yoga and menopause: Exploring its benefits for health management

ABSTRACT Menopause, usually occurring around the age of 45 years, brings significant physical, mental, and emotional challenges that impact women’s quality of life. Nowadays, it is ironic that hysterectomy is often chosen to manage severe menopausal symptoms, despite being associated with various side effects. This highlights the growing need for noninvasive alternatives for the effective management of menopausal symptoms. Yoga has gained prominence as a holistic, complementary therapy for addressing the problems related to menopausal and perimenopausal symptoms. This review paper explores the various yoga methodologies and their role in managing menopausal challenges, emphasizing their value as a complementary strategy in women’s primary healthcare. An extensive review of the literature was conducted using databases such as PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Shodhganga, and Google Scholar, focusing on the full-text articles published in English from 2003 to 2024. Insights from ancient Vedic publications Nawa yogini tantra; yogic management of common diseases were also incorporated. Finally, seven full-text studies were included in the qualitative synthesis. The findings consistently demonstrate yoga’s efficacy and safety in managing menopausal symptoms. Evidence highlights its ability to reduce physical discomfort, enhance mental well-being, and improve the overall quality of life through relaxation, mindfulness, and physical activity. Yoga provides a nonpharmacological, cost-effective, and noninvasive intervention for alleviating menopausal symptoms. It enhances women’s quality of life and holds significant potential to influence healthcare practices related to women’s health, while also encouraging further research into its role in menopausal care.