Why Walking Deserves a Spot in Your Perimenopause Wellness Plan, Part 1

My Confession

If you had told my younger self—college athlete, triathlete, Cross Fitter—that one day I’d be singing the praises of walking, I would have laughed (and then rolled my eyes). In my 20s and early 30s, “walking” didn’t count as exercise in my book. Why walk when you can run? Running was efficient, heart-pumping, calorie-burning. Walking seemed soft, almost like a sad consolation prize.

Fast forward to my mid-40s, and I’ve had to eat those words. Not because I can’t push myself anymore, but because I’ve come to appreciate what science—and my own body—has been trying to tell me: walking is one of the most underrated tools for women, especially those of us navigating the shifting tides of perimenopause.

Why Walking Works Differently in Your 40s

Perimenopause is not just about hot flashes and irregular cycles. It’s a stage of transition where our hormones—especially estrogen and progesterone—begin to fluctuate, affecting everything from our metabolism to mood, sleep, and recovery time. The workouts that felt energizing in our 20s and 30s can suddenly leave us exhausted or injured in our 40s.

Walking, though gentle, works with our bodies instead of against them. It provides a foundation of movement that supports health without over-taxing our stressed systems.

3 Science-Backed Benefits of Walking to Improve Sleep:

Balances Stress and Cortisol

High-intensity workouts raise cortisol, which isn’t always bad—but in perimenopause, our bodies may already be dealing with elevated stress hormones. Chronically high cortisol makes it harder to lose belly fat, worsens sleep, and can fuel mood swings. Walking, particularly outdoors in nature, lowers cortisol, calms the nervous system, and supports more restful sleep.

Regulation of Body Temperature

One of the most common sleep disruptions in perimenopause is night sweats, which are linked to hot flashes. While it might seem counterintuitive, regular exercise, like walking can help regulate the body's internal thermostat. Engaging in a brisk walk, particularly in the morning or early afternoon, helps your body manage its heat dissipation more efficiently. This can lead to a more stable core body temperature at night, reducing the likelihood of waking up in a pool of sweat from a hot flash.

Improved Sleep Efficiency

Beyond addressing specific symptoms, walking can simply make you feel more tired, in a good way. Sleep efficiency, which measures the percentage of time you spend in bed actually sleeping, is often a problem for women in perimenopause. Engaging in physical activity like walking helps to build up a natural "sleep pressure" in the body. This makes you more likely to fall asleep faster and experience deeper, less fragmented sleep. Amen to that! The combined effect of reducing stress, regulating temperature, and promoting a natural feeling of fatigue makes walking a highly effective tool for improving overall sleep quality during this transition.

How to Make Walking Work for You

• Aim for consistency, not perfection. A 20-minute walk most days matters more than the occasional 5-mile trek.

• Pick your pace. Brisk walking (where you can talk but not sing) gives the best cardiovascular benefits. But gentle strolls still help regulate stress and hormones.

• Layer in variety. Try intervals (2 minutes brisk, 1 minute easy), hills, or nature walks to keep it engaging.

• Pair with strength training. Walking is powerful, but it’s best complemented by resistance work to preserve muscle mass and metabolism.

• Make it joyful. Podcasts, audiobooks, or gratitude walks (mentally listing 3 things you’re thankful for) transform walking from “just exercise” into a nourishing ritual.

My Takeaway for You

If you’re a woman in your 40s navigating perimenopause, don’t dismiss walking the way I once did. It’s not “less than.” It’s a form of movement that honors the stage of life you’re in—supporting your body, your hormones, and your mind in ways high-intensity workouts sometimes can’t.

So, lace up those sneakers, step outside, and give walking the respect it deserves. Your body will thank you.

If you want to learn more about how to Conquer the Perimenopause Sleep Battle and Increase your Energy, join me for my upcoming webinar. Register Below!

Learn more about how to Conquer the Perimenopause Sleep Battle and Increase your Energy. Join me for my upcoming webinar on 10/2/25. Register Below!