Menopause Awareness Month 2026: When It Is, This Year’s Theme and What I Want You to Know

Menopause Awareness Month is October. World Menopause Day is on 18 October every year, and the 2026 theme, set by the International Menopause Society, is Chronic Pain in Midlife.

I’m pleased that pain is the focus this year.

Not because I want anyone to be in pain, obviously. That would make for a very strange awareness month. But because aches, stiffness and joint pain are some of the symptoms women mention to me all the time, often without realising they can be linked to hormonal change.

They’ll tell me about sore hips, frozen shoulders, aching hands or waking up feeling about 94.

Then, usually a few minutes later, they mention the broken sleep, the changing periods, the brain fog or the fact they no longer feel like themselves.

That’s when the picture starts to make sense.

So this Menopause Awareness Month, I want to do three things:

• Explain when it is and what it’s for
• Talk about why pain is finally getting the attention it deserves
• Help you work out whether your own symptoms are worth looking into

And the answer to number 3, is yes!

When is Menopause Awareness Month 2026?

Menopause Awareness Month runs throughout October.

In 2026, that means it runs from Thursday 1 October to Saturday 31 October 2026.

World Menopause Day falls within the month, on Sunday 18 October 2026. It is held on the same date every year.

You may also hear it called World Menopause Month. Same thing. Different name. Just to keep everyone on their toes.

What is Menopause Awareness Month for?

Menopause Awareness Month exists because too many women still spend years thinking they just have to get on with it.

They feel exhausted. Their sleep changes. Their mood changes. Their body feels different. Their joints ache. Their skin changes. Their confidence takes a knock.

And far too often, nobody joins the dots.

Menopause usually happens between the ages of 45 and 55. The years leading up to it are called perimenopause, and that is when many symptoms begin.

The NHS says symptoms usually last 7 to 9 years, sometimes longer.

That is a long time to feel unlike yourself, especially if you do not know why it is happening.

This month is a reminder to pause and ask yourself:

• What has changed?
• How long has it been going on?
• Is it affecting my sleep, mood, work, relationships or daily life?
• Have I actually spoken to someone who understands menopause?

Because struggling quietly is not an acceptable treatment plan.

What is the World Menopause Day 2026 theme?

The World Menopause Day 2026 theme is Chronic Pain in Midlife.

Each year, the International Menopause Society chooses one topic and asks experts to review the evidence around it. This year, they have chosen pain.

And it matters.

The NHS lists muscle aches and joint pains among the physical symptoms of menopause and perimenopause.

One review published in the journal Climacteric in 2024 estimated that around 70% of women notice muscle or joint symptoms during this time, and that for roughly a quarter of them the symptoms are severe enough to get in the way of daily life.

That is one review’s estimate, not a final figure. But it does match what I see in clinic every week.

Women do not always come in saying, “I think my hormones are affecting my joints.”

They usually say something like:

• “My hands are sore in the morning.”
• “My hips ache when I get out of the car.”
• “I’ve now got a frozen shoulder.”
• “I feel like I’ve aged overnight.”
• “I can’t exercise the way I used to.”
• “Everything just hurts.”

And often, they have already blamed the mattress, the desk chair, the gym, their age, their posture, their shoes or even the dog.

The dog is rarely guilty.

Why does midlife pain get missed?

Because it does not always look like menopause.

Hot flushes are easy to connect. Missed periods are easy to connect. Night sweats are easy to connect.

Pain is trickier.

A woman might have stiff joints, poor sleep, low mood, anxiety, brain fog and changing periods. But because the pain feels like a separate problem, it gets treated as one.

That is why I always listen for patterns.

Not one symptom in isolation. Several symptoms arriving around the same time.

Pain in midlife can be linked with menopause and perimenopause, but it is not always hormonal. That is important to remember.

Other causes can include:

• Arthritis
• Thyroid problems
• Low vitamin D
• Low iron
• Injury
• Inflammation
• Changes in exercise, sleep or stress
• Other medical conditions that need checking properly

So no, we should not blame every ache on menopause. But we should not ignore hormones either.

The point of this year’s theme is simple: pain should be part of the conversation. I have written a fuller guide here: menopause joint pain: why you ache and what can help.

Five things I want you to take from this month

1. Your symptoms ARE real

If you feel different, something has changed.

You do not need to prove you are struggling before you ask for help. You do not need to wait until things are unbearable. And you do not need to have the “abnormal” blood test result before your symptoms matter.

They already matter.

2. Menopause is MORE than hot flushes

Hot flushes get most of the attention, but they are only part of the story.

Menopause and perimenopause can affect:

• Sleep
• Mood
• Memory
• Joints
• Skin
• Bladder
• Energy
• Libido
• Confidence
• Weight and body composition

If you are not sure what counts, start with our guide to the signs of perimenopause.

3. Write it down

This sounds simple because it is.

Keep a note of your symptoms and your cycle for a few weeks. Track what is happening, when it happens and how much it is affecting your life.

It makes any appointment much more useful.

A clinician can do a lot more with “my joints ache most mornings, my sleep has changed and my periods are now every 23 to 40 days” than with “I just feel off.”

Although, to be fair, “I just feel off” is usually where the conversation starts.

4. Pain deserves a proper look

Please do not write off months of aching as “just getting older.” That phrase has a lot to answer for and frustrates me as a doctor.

Pain that lasts, worsens or affects your daily life deserves to be looked at properly. It may be related to menopause. It may be something else. Sometimes it is both.

The important thing is that you are assessed as a whole person, not as a collection of random symptoms.

5. You have options

There is not one size fits all option for every woman.

Depending on your symptoms, medical history and test results, your options may include:

• Lifestyle changes
• Strength training and movement
• Nutrition support
• Treating other causes of pain or fatigue
• Hormone replacement therapy (HRT), where suitable
• Further investigation if something does not fit

The right plan starts with a proper conversation. Not a rushed one. Not a generic one. A proper one.

How we are marking Menopause Awareness Month at BioID Health

Menopause Awareness Month prize draw: throughout October, you can enter our free prize draw to win six months of personalised menopause care with BioID Health. That includes your initial consultation, blood testing and ongoing clinical reviews, with any treatment recommendations based on your own clinical assessment.

Entries close at 23:59 on 31 October 2026 and the winner will be drawn on 6 November 2026. No purchase is necessary. The draw is open to UK residents aged 18 and over who are not current BioID Health patients. Full terms and conditions.

Here is how it works.

At BioID Health, you can discuss your menopause symptoms with a clinician from the comfort of home.

We start by understanding what has changed, including your joint aches, menstrual pattern, sleep, energy and other symptoms. Where appropriate, blood tests can provide additional information as part of your assessment.

Your clinician will explain the findings, discuss suitable treatment options and help you decide whether a personalised hormone plan is right for you. If you start treatment, follow-up reviews help us assess your response and discuss any adjustments.

Where your symptoms require an examination or another service, we will explain the next steps.

Enter the Menopause Awareness Month prize draw

Prefer not to wait? Book a consultation with one of our clinicians.

You can also read more about our menopause care and our hormone blood tests.