Ready to experience the benefits of restorative yoga?

Join my next Wednesday night class at Frostburg Fitness beginning at 7pm.

Perimenopause and menopause are natural transitions in a woman’s life, but they often bring physical, emotional, and mental challenges. Restorative yoga is a powerful, evidence-based practice that helps ease these changes by regulating the nervous system, balancing hormones, and promoting deep rest. Here’s how:

1. Calms the Nervous System & Balances Stress Hormones

During perimenopause, fluctuating levels of estrogen and progesterone can throw off the body’s regulation of cortisol, the primary stress hormone. Elevated cortisol is linked to increased anxiety, hot flashes, irritability, and disrupted sleep.

Restorative yoga, with its long-held supported postures and emphasis on slow breathing, activates the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). The PNS is often called the “rest-and-digest” system, and when activated, it reduces cortisol levels, slows the heart rate, and brings the body into a state of physiological calm. This not only decreases the intensity of stress-related symptoms but also helps reduce the frequency and severity of hot flashes triggered by nervous system over-activation.

2. Improves Sleep Quality by Supporting Hormonal Shifts

Declining estrogen and progesterone levels disrupt the sleep-wake cycle by interfering with melatonin production and thermoregulation (the body’s ability to regulate temperature). As a result, women often experience insomnia, night sweats, and frequent waking during perimenopause and menopause.

Restorative yoga is a non-pharmacological sleep aid. By slowing the breath, reducing heart rate, and lowering blood pressure, it signals to the brain that the body is safe to rest. In addition, restorative postures can reduce core body temperature, which helps counteract hot flashes and night sweats. Practicing just 20–30 minutes in the evening can help improve sleep onset (falling asleep faster) and sleep maintenance (staying asleep longer).

3. Relieves Aches, Stiffness, and Muscle Tension

Estrogen plays a protective role in joint health, reducing inflammation and maintaining cartilage. As estrogen levels decline, women often experience joint stiffness, muscle tightness, and increased inflammation. At the same time, low estrogen is linked to accelerated bone loss, which raises the risk of osteoporosis.

Restorative yoga helps by promoting musculoskeletal relaxation and improving circulation to connective tissues. Long-held poses allow muscles to release deeply stored tension, reducing pain and stiffness. By lowering systemic inflammation and improving posture and alignment, restorative yoga also supports bone and joint health. Unlike high-impact exercise, restorative yoga provides relief without adding strain, making it especially beneficial for those experiencing joint sensitivity.

4. Enhances Mood & Improves Mental Clarity

Hormonal changes during perimenopause can affect neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine, which influence mood, memory, and focus. The result is often mood swings, irritability, brain fog, and even depression or anxiety.

Restorative yoga combats this in two ways:

• • Breath regulation (pranayama-inspired practices) increases oxygen supply to the brain, enhancing cognitive function and mental clarity.

  • Parasympathetic activation helps stabilize neurotransmitter function, lifting mood and reducing the intensity of emotional swings.

Studies have shown that restorative and gentle yoga practices increase gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels in the brain, a neurotransmitter associated with calm and relaxation. This biochemical shift explains why many women report a clearer, calmer mind after even a single session.

5. Restores Vital Energy & Supports Recovery

Fatigue is one of the most common complaints in perimenopause and menopause, often due to disrupted sleep, fluctuating hormones, and heightened stress. Women may feel like they’re “running on empty” despite maintaining the same lifestyle and activity levels.

Unlike vigorous exercise, restorative yoga intentionally teaches the body how to conserve and rebuild energy. Poses are held for longer periods (5–20 minutes) with full support from props, which encourages the body to release tension and redirect energy toward healing and recovery. By lowering stress hormones and optimizing recovery, restorative yoga helps women maintain steady energy levels throughout the day. Over time, this practice builds resilience, so you can show up fully in work, relationships, and activities you love.

Restorative Yoga is More Than Rest

Restorative yoga is more than rest—it’s a science-backed practice that addresses the unique challenges of perimenopause and menopause. By balancing the nervous system, supporting hormone shifts, reducing inflammation, enhancing mood, and restoring energy, it provides a holistic and accessible tool for navigating this powerful life transition with greater ease and grace.

Ready to experience the benefits of restorative yoga?

Join my next Wednesday night class at Frostburg Fitness beginning at 7pm.

References

1. Beart, P.M., Hinton, T., and Johnson, G.A.R. (2020). Yoga and GABA: New insights from the science. World Journal of Yoga, Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation. 2(4). Dot: 10.33552/WJYPR.2020.02.000541.
2. Crow, B.M., and Van Puymbroeck, M. (2019). Enhancing problem- and emotion-focused coping in menopausal women through yoga. International Journal of Yoga Therapy. 29(1):57-64. doi: 10.17761/2019-00020. Epub 2019 Feb 21.
3. Estevao, E. (2022). The role of yoga in inflammatory markers. Brain, Behavior, & Immunity Health Journal. 20:100421. doi: 10.1016/j.bbih.2022.100421.
4. Hilcove, K., Marceau, C., Thekdi, P., Larkey, L., Brewer, M.A., and Jones, K. (2021). Holistic nursing in practice: Mindfulness-based yoga as an intervention to manage stress and burnout. Journal of Holistic Nursing. 39(1):29-42. doi: 10.1177/0898010120921587. Epub 2020 May 27.
5. Lialy, H.E., Mohamed, M.A., AbdAllatif, L. A., Khalid, M., Elhelbawy, A. (2023).  Effects of different physiotherapy modalities on insomnia and depression in perimenopausal, menopausal, and post-menopausal women: a systematic review. BMC Women’s Health Journal. 23(1):363. doi: 10.1186/s12905-023-02515-9.
6. 6. Susanti, H.D., Sonko, I., Chang, P., Chuang, Y., and Chung, M. (2022). Effects of yoga on menopausal symptoms and sleep quality across menopause statuses: A randomized controlled trial. Nursing & Health Science. 24(2):368-379. doi: 10.1111/nhs.12931. Epub 2022 Mar 21.