What We Learned from Bonafide’s 2026 State of Menopause Survey

Menopause |
Perimenopause |
6 min read

Published

August 07, 2026

Medically reviewed by

Alyssa Dweck MS, MD, FACOG, MSCP, Chief Medical Officer

To understand what’s really happening within the perimenopause and menopause space, it’s best to ask the women living through it. Since 2021, Bonafide has been doing just that – surveying women aged 40-64 to better understand their experience of the menopause transition.

This year, Bonafide surveyed over two thousand women aged 40 to 64 across the United States to understand what they know, what they need, and how they feel about perimenopause and menopause. Our survey results offer a clear picture of the topics and trends that matter most to women today and reveal how and if the experience of the menopause transition has evolved with time.

Read on to find out what we uncovered and what it all means for the future of perimenopause and menopause care.

The Biggest Perimenopause and Menopause Trends from 2026

In our 2026 survey, we asked women specific questions about their experience of menopause—and came away with some interesting results. We learned that many women today feel the emotional and mental impacts of perimenopause and menopause have started to outweigh the physical symptoms. Over three-quarters (77%) of women report cognitive changes during the menopause transition, while 60% report symptoms have affected their mental health.¹

This marks a surprising shift from previous years in how women report experiencing the menopause transition – moving away from the physical symptoms having the greatest impact and more toward the cognitive and emotional effects.

This transitional time is changing how women view themselves as well. Nearly two-thirds of women in our survey (65%) reported they feel overwhelmed by everyday life, and that figure jumps to 70% among women ages 40–49.² It may also not be surprising to learn that many of the women surveyed are seeking validation and reassurance that what they’re experiencing is real, more than learning about solutions. They seem to be prioritizing the desire to feel understood, validated, and less alone.

Menopause Symptoms Go Beyond Hot Flashes

When we first surveyed women in our inaugural State of Menopause in 2021, hot flashes ranked as the number one symptom, followed closely by weight gain, night sweats, and sleep difficulties.³

Six years later, we’re finding that anxiety/depression has overtaken hot flashes as the number one cited impactful symptom. Sleep disruption and brain fog now also may be outranking hot flashes. And while 77% of women survey noted they noticed cognitive changes during this time, exactly half (50%) of those surveyed, say those symptoms are actively affecting their cognitive health.⁴

Even as conversations about menopause become more normalized, these discussions have tended to be limited to the physical symptoms. This finding suggests that focusing on the physical just isn’t enough. Its emotional, cognitive, and social impacts require just as much attention.

Women Are Feeling Alone—But Also Want More Alone Time

Women in 2026 report that their menopause journey leaves them feeling overwhelmed (65%) and less motivated at work (56%), and for women 40-49, those numbers are even higher—62% state their motivation at work has been impacted, and 39% of women aged 40–49 say this transition has caused them to feel hopeless.

Counterintuitively, despite their feelings of isolation, 69% say they want to be alone more often.⁵ This signals that women may be voluntarily retreating because they’re either having trouble finding safe spaces to share their feelings and struggles about menopause and aging or, they’re worried about how they may be perceived when struggling with things such as mood shifts or cognitive changes.

Let’s Keep Talking About It

According to our survey results, when women share their experiences about traversing menopause, they find validation in talking with other women. In fact, 62% of women surveyed say the biggest benefit of talking with their peers about perimenopause is realizing that they’re not imagining what they’re going through, and they’re not alone.

This is important, as most women surveyed (71%), report that they did not recognize their first symptoms as perimenopause-related; which makes even more sense that 39% say affirmation is the most valuable outcome of talking about their menopause experience.⁶

This demonstrates that women are not necessarily looking to conversation for solutions. Instead, they are coming away from their discussions feeling less isolated and more confident that they’re not the only one struggling through this. However, even as more women are learning the benefits of talking about their experience, nearly half (45%) say there is still enough stigma about menopause that they don’t feel comfortable talking about it. Many also report having trouble finding healthcare professionals who understand the severity of their symptoms. and as a result, 85% feel the best way to navigate perimenopause is to educate themselves.⁷ Clearly, more work still needs to be done to normalize this conversation to encourage broader, destigmatized discussion.

Understanding and Education

The good news is that it seems menopause literacy is increasing. This year we noted the highest number of respondents ever (21%) correctly identified menopause as a moment in time.⁸ That progress is a reason for optimism: as when women can identify their symptoms, they are more able to advocate for the help they need.

At the same time, the number of women who find their symptoms are more disruptive than expected has increased (72% in 2026 vs. 58% in 2023), and more than half of women (52%) say they still lack the tools they need to thrive during menopause.⁹

As the emotional and mental effects of menopause become more widely understood and discussed, it becomes clear that women need and deserve more than just physical symptom management. They also require support for their emotions, relationships, and mental well-being.

The Future of Menopause Care is Holistic

In Bonafide’s 2026 State of Menopause Survey, we set out to learn how women are navigating perimenopause, menopause, and beyond. After six years of research, we’ve seen measurable progress in awareness, even as women are reporting significant changes in how menopause affects them—no longer just physically, but emotionally.

Better, more comprehensive care requires support for the emotional, cognitive, and social impacts of the menopause transition, in addition to solutions that help manage the physical symptoms. As women continue to navigate through this transition, we’ll continue to keep working to provide them with the validation and tools they need to feel more like themselves again.

You can learn more about the results of our State of Menopause 2026 Survey here.

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