Living research · 204 women and counting

What women are really
telling us

The Hot, Foggy & Fabulous Menopause Study

These conversations have been kept quiet for far too long. So we asked, and 204 women generously told us the truth about perimenopause and menopause. Here is where the picture stands today.

This is living research · it grows every time another woman shares her story
80%
experience brain fog, the most common symptom shared
71%
have felt pressure to push through symptoms at work
55%
say their home relationships have been affected
50%
want to stay involved and keep shaping this research
The fog is real, and it is common

If you have felt foggy, exhausted and not quite yourself

you are not imagining it, and you are far from alone. The most common experiences women shared with us, as a share of all 204 responses.

Brain fog
80%
Weight gain
Sleep problems
Hot flushes
Fatigue or burnout
Anxiety
Night sweats
Mood swings
Low mood
Memory issues
At work, most of us are quietly pushing through

The gap that says everything

One of the starkest findings in the whole study is the distance between what women carry at work and the support they can actually reach.

71%
have felt pressure to push through symptoms at work rather than acknowledge or manage them
8%
have been able to access any kind of workplace support
Brain fog / memory lapses
69%
Feeling emotionally flat
53%
Struggling to stay focused
45%
Imposter syndrome / self-doubt
40%
Lack of confidence
39%

How symptoms show up at work, and why change at work and in our wider culture matters so much.

Relationships & identity
55%

told us their home relationships have been affected

Again and again, women described something deeper than symptoms, a shift in identity itself. This is exactly why we exist. The emotional weight of this season is real, and it deserves to be met with care, not silence.

“I feel like a stranger in my own body.”

In her own words

“I used to feel competent and capable. Now I don’t.”

In her own words

“I feel like I am disappearing. Like I have no purpose or value any more.”

In her own words

“I’m a hot mess, and then I’m a perimenopause queen.”

Because foggy and fabulous can live side by side
What is helping

The answers were beautifully human

Staying active, staying connected to other women, finding new purpose, good medical support, and time for themselves. Here is what women have leaned on so far.

GP or medical support
Family or friends
HRT or hormone therapy
Naturopath / supplements
Peer or online groups
Counselling or therapy
No support at all
22%

More than one in five have used no support at all, which tells us how much work there still is to do.

Add your voice

This research only stays true if it keeps growing

If you are moving through perimenopause or menopause, we would love to hear from you. Your story is completely confidential, it takes just a few minutes, and it helps us keep our findings and our support current for every woman who comes after you.

Take the short survey
Half of the women who have already taken part asked to stay involved. If that is you, you will help shape the resources, masterclasses and community we are building.
Hot, Foggy & Fabulous. Midlife isn’t a meltdown. It’s a makeover.

This study reflects the experiences women have shared with us and is offered for awareness and support. It is not medical advice or clinical research. If you are struggling, please reach out to your GP or a qualified practitioner.