Menopause Mandate rolled out the Menopause Manual in June 2026 for national distribution. Professor Kiara Lewis of Birmingham City University said exercise is one of the most effective and underused tools for menopause care. Lewis, professor of sport and exercise sciences, said regular physical activity can reduce the impact of fatigue, low mood, muscle loss and declining bone density.
Strength training sits at the centre of that advice. Lewis said it helps preserve muscle mass, support metabolism and reduce the long-term risk of osteoporosis, while the NHS adult guideline remains at least 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity a week, plus strengthening work for all major muscle groups on at least two days. She also pointed to realistic starts for women who are tired or out of routine: wall push-ups, squats with handheld weights and balance exercises do count, and the NHS says activity can be broken into shorter sessions across the week.
Menopause Mandate says too many women still get menopause information from social media rather than healthcare professionals, and its Big Menopause Survey 2026, supported by QVC, is meant to define what good support should look like at work, in healthcare and beyond. The campaign’s 2025 survey, completed by more than 15,000 women, found that 96% said menopause had affected their quality of life, 77% said symptoms had hit them at work, 35% said their employer had a menopause policy and 25% said seeing healthcare professionals was not a positive experience.
The Menopause Manual was written by Alice Smellie and made possible by Theramex. Falling oestrogen around menopause raises the risk of osteoporosis, weight gain around the middle and cardiovascular disease, which is why weight-bearing and resistance exercise is being pushed as part of menopause care. The NHS says women who have not exercised for some time, or who have medical conditions or concerns, should speak to their GP first.