Active Women Report Fewer Perimenopause Symptoms
A Flo Health study of 1,808 app users found physically active perimenopausal women reported lower symptom burden across several domains.
Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Women’s Health
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Flo Health researchers reported on October 20, 2026, that physically active perimenopausal women have a lower symptom burden. The cross-sectional study, presented at The Menopause Society Annual Meeting 2026 in San Diego, California, included 1,808 users aged 35 and older from 87 countries.
Why it matters
The findings suggest physical activity could be explored as a non-medication approach to perimenopause care. Because the study relied on self-reported activity and symptom scores, it shows association rather than cause.
Mean Menopause Rating Scale scores were 17.46 among physically inactive participants and 13.77 among those active five or more days weekly, with an adjusted association of β = -0.57 (P < .001). The analysis is cross-sectional and cannot show whether activity itself lowers symptoms.
The players
Flo Health
Flo Health is a London-based women's health app company whose menstrual tracking platform supplied the study's data.
The Menopause Society
The Menopause Society is a North American professional organization focused on research and clinical care related to menopause, which hosted the annual meeting where the study was presented.
The details
Participants self-reported how often they exercised on a five-level scale and completed the Menopause Rating Scale, which measures somatic, psychological and urogenital symptoms. The lower symptom pattern appeared across all three domains, and the largest gap was between women who did not exercise and those who exercised a few times a month.
Timeline
October 20, 2026: Flo Health researchers reported the findings.
October 20-24, 2026: Presented at The Menopause Society Annual Meeting in San Diego, California.
Health Landscape
The study adds large-scale app-based data to ongoing research into non-hormonal approaches to managing perimenopause, a period when many women seek alternatives to medication. Its international sample, spanning middle- and low-income countries, extends evidence that has largely come from smaller, higher-income study populations.
For perimenopausal women, regular physical activity may be one lifestyle factor linked to fewer menopause symptoms, though it is not a substitute for medical advice. Anyone considering changes to symptom management should consult a healthcare provider about options that fit their situation.
The takeaway
Regular movement may be one everyday habit that helps ease perimenopause symptoms, and discussing it with a clinician can help determine what works best for you.
Further reading
Explore more in Women's Health, where ongoing research on menopause and perimenopause care is covered.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Contemporaryobgyn.
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