Walking Your Way Through Perimenopause
If you’re reading this whilst trying to remember why you walked into a room (again), or you’ve just experienced your third hot flush of the day, you’re not alone. Welcome to the wonderful world of perimenopause, where our bodies seem to have their own agenda.
I’m right there with you, navigating these choppy hormonal waters of perimenopause and wondering what happened to the body I thought I knew so well. Some days I feel fantastic, others I feel like I’ve been hit by a lorry.
Could walking help?
Walking might just be the perimenopause secret weapon we’ve been looking for. Not spin classes that leave you dizzy, not high-intensity workouts that make you want to cry (more than we already do), but good old-fashioned walking.
This isn’t about becoming a marathon runner overnight. It’s about finding an exercise that works with our changing bodies, not against them. By the end of this post, you’ll understand exactly why walking is brilliant for us perimenopause ladies, how it can help with those pesky symptoms, and how to make it work for your life.
Perimenopause: What Is Happening to Our Bodies?
Perimenopause is like being on a hormonal rollercoaster that someone forgot to safety-test first. Our oestrogen and progesterone levels are going up and down without warning. One day we’re fine, the next we’re sweating through our favourite jumper or snapping for no good reason.
This hormonal chaos affects everything. Our metabolism slows down (thanks a lot, body), we might gain weight around our middle, our bones start losing density, and our sleep becomes as unpredictable as the British weather.
Exercise becomes harder, too. It might leave us exhausted for days rather than energised. Our recovery time is longer, and pushing too hard can actually make us feel worse. This is why walking could be perfect.
Why Walking Is Perfect for Menopause Exercise
Walking always makes you feel better, the fresh air, time to yourself, and the freedom to just think without being interrupted is priceless in my opinion.
It’s Kind to Your Joints
As we age, our joints need more TLC. High-impact exercises can leave us creaking like old floorboards. Walking is low-impact, which means it’s gentle on our knees, hips, and ankles while still giving us a decent workout.
You Can Do It Anywhere
No gym membership required. No special equipment needed (except decent shoes). You can walk around your neighbourhood, in the local park, or even around the supermarket car park if you fancy. Raining? Walk around a shopping centre. Too hot? Find some shaded paths. There’s always a walking option.
It Fits Around Real Life
We’re busy women. Between work, family, and trying to remember where we put our keys, finding time for hour-long gym sessions feels impossible. Walking fits into small pockets of time. Park further away from the shops. Take the stairs. Walk whilst chatting on the phone.
Your Body Won’t Revolt
Unlike intense workouts that might leave you feeling dreadful, walking rarely makes you feel worse. You won’t be too exhausted to function for the rest of the day, and you’re unlikely to injure yourself.
Walking Benefits for Women Like Us
Let me share what walking can actually do for us, perimenopause ladies. These benefits aren’t just nice-to-haves; they’re game-changers for how we feel day to day.
Helps Control Weight Gain
That stubborn middle-aged spread that seems to appear overnight? Walking can help tackle it. You don’t need to power-walk like you’re training for the Olympics. A brisk, comfortable pace burns calories and helps keep our metabolism ticking over.
Regular walking also helps our bodies use insulin better, which is crucial because perimenopause can make us more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. It’s like giving our metabolism a gentle nudge to keep doing its job properly.
Strengthens Your Heart
Our heart health becomes more important as oestrogen levels drop during perimenopause because oestrogen helps protect our cardiovascular system. Walking is brilliant cardio that doesn’t feel like torture.
Just 30 minutes of walking most days can lower blood pressure, improve circulation, and reduce the risk of heart disease. Your heart will thank you, and you’ll feel more energetic throughout the day.
Builds and Maintains Bone Density
This is huge for us. After menopause, we lose bone density faster, increasing the risk of osteoporosis. Walking is a weight-bearing exercise, which means it helps maintain and even build bone strength. This makes it perfect for during perimenopause when these changes are starting to happen.
Every step you take is like a gentle reminder to your bones to stay strong. It’s particularly good for your hips, legs, and spine.
Improves Sleep Quality
If you’re lying awake at 3 AM wondering if you remembered to lock the door (you did), you’ll love this benefit. Regular walking can help regulate your sleep patterns and improve sleep quality.
The gentle fatigue from walking is different from the wired exhaustion you might get from intense exercise. It’s the good kind of tired that helps you drift off more easily.
Boosts Mental Health and Mood
Perimenopause can feel like an emotional storm sometimes. One minute you’re fine, the next you’re crying at a dog food advert. Walking releases endorphins, those lovely feel-good chemicals that help stabilise mood.
There’s also something therapeutic about the rhythm of walking. It’s meditative and gives you time to process thoughts without the distractions of daily life.
Perimenopause Fitness: Making Walking Work for You
Now that you’re convinced (I hope!), let’s talk about making walking a realistic part of your perimenopause life. This isn’t about perfect workout plans or strict schedules. It’s about finding what works for you right now.
Start Where You Are
If you’re currently doing no exercise, don’t jump straight into hour-long walks. Start with 10-15 minutes and see how you feel. If you’re already fairly active, you might be able to do more from the start.
Listen to your body. Some days you’ll feel energetic and can walk for longer. Other days, a gentle 10-minute stroll might be perfect. Both are completely valid.
Find Your Comfortable Pace
Walking benefits women most when it’s sustainable. Your pace should allow you to have a conversation without getting breathless. If you’re huffing and puffing, slow down. If you feel like you could walk forever, maybe pick up the pace slightly.
Think of it as a brisk walk rather than a leisurely stroll, but not so fast that it becomes stressful.
Make It Interesting
Walking the same route every day can get boring. Mix things up:
- Try different neighbourhoods
- Walk to the local café for a coffee
- Explore local parks or nature trails
- Walk whilst listening to podcasts or audiobooks
- Meet a friend for a walking chat instead of sitting down for coffee
- Take photos of interesting things you see
Set Realistic Goals
Forget about step counters telling you to walk 10,000 steps a day. That number is arbitrary and might not suit your life right now. Instead, focus on consistency.
Maybe your goal is to walk for 20 minutes, four times a week. Or to walk to the shops instead of driving twice a week. Small, achievable goals that you can stick to are much better than ambitious plans you’ll abandon after a fortnight.
Perimenopause Walking: Dealing with Common Challenges
Let’s be honest about the obstacles we face during perimenopause. Knowing about them in advance means we can plan around them.
Hot Flushes During Exercise
Nothing kills the walking mood like a sudden hot flush. Here are some strategies:
- Walk during cooler parts of the day (early morning or evening)
- Choose shaded routes when possible
- Dress in layers you can remove easily
- Carry a small fan or cooling towel
- Don’t be embarrassed to stop and cool down if you need to
Joint Aches and Pains
Some days our bodies feel creakier than others. Walking can actually help with joint stiffness, but you need to be sensible:
- Start with a gentle warm-up (marching on the spot works)
- Choose flat routes on painful days
- Invest in proper walking shoes
- Consider walking poles for extra support
- Stop if something hurts rather than pushing through
Energy Fluctuations
Perimenopause energy levels are unpredictable. Some days you feel like you could conquer the world; others, getting dressed feels like an achievement.
On low-energy days, try:
- Shorter walks (even 5 minutes counts)
- Walking somewhere flat and easy
- Walking to a specific destination (like the postbox) rather than for time
- Indoor walking if going outside feels too much
Finding Time and Motivation
This is the big one, isn’t it? Between work, family, and all the mental load we carry, finding time for ourselves feels selfish or impossible.
Remember: looking after your health isn’t selfish. You can’t pour from an empty cup. Here are some practical ideas to help you during perimenopause:
- Walk during lunch breaks, even if it’s just around the building
- Walk whilst talking on the phone to friends or family
- Park further away from destinations
- Take the stairs instead of lifts when possible
- Walk to local shops instead of driving
- Make it social by walking with friends or family
Building Your Walking Routine
Here’s a gentle approach to building a sustainable walking habit that won’t overwhelm your already busy life.
Week 1-2: Getting Started
- Walk for 10-15 minutes, 3 times this week
- Choose easy, flat routes
- Focus on just getting out there rather than pace or distance
- Notice how you feel during and after walking
Week 3-4: Building Consistency
- Aim for 15-20 minutes, 4 times this week
- Try different routes to keep it interesting
- Start paying attention to your natural walking pace
- Add gentle hills if you feel comfortable
Week 5 and Beyond: Making It Yours
- Work up to 20-30 minutes most days of the week
- Mix up your routes and destinations
- Include some gentle inclines or stairs
- Listen to your body and adjust as needed
Remember, this isn’t a race. Some weeks you’ll walk more, some less. Life happens, hormones fluctuate, and that’s perfectly normal.
Walking Benefits That Go Beyond Physical Health
The beauty of walking during perimenopause is that it offers benefits we don’t always expect. These might be the ones that keep you motivated when the physical benefits feel slow to arrive.
Improving Mental Health
Let’s not think of this as an exercise in the sweaty, gym sort of way. See it as a small act of kindness for your brain. When you head out for a walk, you’re giving your mind a breather. Just stepping away from your daily to-do list, even if only for just 15 minutes, can make the world of difference. The gentle rhythm of putting one foot in front of the other does something calming for the brain. It helps sort out all those busy thoughts that loop around in your head.
Ever notice how solutions to problems pop into your head during walks? Walking increases blood flow to the brain and can improve creative thinking. It’s like giving your mind space to breathe and sort itself out.
Going for a stroll also triggers your body to release natural mood-boosters called endorphins. These little chemicals do wonders for your mood, helping you feel happier and more at ease. Even an easy and short walk can start these good vibes flowing. It’s a great help for the mood swings that so often pop up with perimenopause. Quite often, you’ll come back feeling a bit more patient and less irritable.
There’s also the mystery of brain fog, that brain-in-a-cotton-wool feeling that can be so annoying. Taking a walk helps get more blood and oxygen swirling around your brain, which can clear things up and help you think a bit sharper. It’s a bit like pressing the reset button for your mind.
You don’t need a plan, just grab a comfy pair of shoes and off you go. It doesn’t matter if it’s a wander around your neighbourhood, along a path in the park, or even a lap or two round the shops if the weather’s being typically British. You’re not aiming to power walk or go far, it’s more about giving yourself a little time to breathe, move, and let your head have a rest.
Such a simple habit, but it really can make a big difference to how you feel, day in and day out, while you’re navigating this new chapter of perimenopause in life.
Connection with Nature
Even in urban areas, walking gets you outside and connected with the natural world. Fresh air, changing seasons, and natural light all benefit our mental health and help regulate our body clocks.
Social Opportunities of Walking
Walking can be wonderfully social. Join a walking group, walk with friends, or strike up conversations with other walkers. Social connection is crucial for mental health, especially during times of change like perimenopause.
Sense of Achievement
Completing a walk, however short, gives you a sense of accomplishment. On days when everything feels difficult, being able to say “I went for a walk” can be a real mood booster.
Your Walking Journey Starts Now
Walking isn’t going to cure all the challenges of perimenopause (wouldn’t that be lovely?), but it can make this journey significantly easier and more pleasant.
You don’t need special gear, expensive memberships, or hours of free time. You just need to put one foot in front of the other and start where you are.
Begin with what feels manageable right now. If that’s walking to the end of your road and back, brilliant. If it’s a 30-minute power walk, equally brilliant. The best walking routine is the one you’ll actually stick to.
Remember, we’re in this together. Every woman navigating perimenopause is figuring it out as she goes along. Be kind to yourself, listen to your body, and celebrate the small victories.
Your future self will thank you for every step you take today. Now, shall we go for a walk? Is there anything you have found helpful during perimenopause? Let me know in the comments below.
