You may find it helpful to track your periods during perimenopause, as this transitional time before you reach menopause may affect your cycles. They may be shorter or longer, and your flow may be heavier or lighter.
Perimenopause (the time leading up to menopause) can last as little as
Tracking your periods during this transitional time can be a good way to determine how close you are to reaching menopause, which occurs when you haven’t had a period for 1 year.
You might be able to recognize that menopause is on the horizon based on patterns or changes you observe in your period frequency.
Whether you prefer the convenience of a smartphone app or the handwritten component of a self-made tracker, many options are available.
Just remember that finding what works best for you may take some time.
If you end up switching the type of tracker you use (digital to physical or vice versa), be sure to keep the information accessible or transfer it from one source to another.
Using a period-tracking app
Many period-tracking smartphone apps are available to download. Some include:
- Balance: This menopause-specific tracking app is free to use. An upgraded plan is available for purchase.
- Flo: This period-tracking app is free to use and offers an upgraded plan for purchase.
- Clue: This period-tracking app requires a subscription to use.
- Any calendar app: You can use any calendar app as a period tracker. Just log your periods as an event.
If none of these apps seem to match your preferences, you would rather not spend money on a subscription, or want to avoid sharing potentially sensitive health information with companies, we understand.
Making a tracker with paper and pencil is always an alternative, and it may be more straightforward than other options.
Making your own perimenopause period tracker
Below, we include two sample period trackers that you can copy into a notebook. Feel free to change it to your liking by adding or removing columns.
If you want to track the first and last day along with additional notes, try using this table:
First day | Last day | Notes (symptoms, flow, spotting, etc.) |
---|---|---|
And if you prefer to take it day by day, try using the table below. Just make sure to add the date below the day of the week.
Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Notes: | Notes: | Notes: | Notes: | Notes: | Notes: | Notes: |
Since you’ve reached menopause after a year of having no periods (including no spotting), we recommend adding a year to each entry.
Also, note that while we use a light flow in these examples, your periods can become heavier, too.
First day of period | Last day of period | Notes (symptoms, flow, spotting, etc.) |
---|---|---|
5/5/2025 | 5/10/2025 | • Flow: heavy flow days 2 and 3, light flow rest of days • Symptoms: hot flashes, a few nights of insomnia • Spotting: none |
Because perimenopause can cause your cycle to become longer or shorter than 7 days, you may need to adjust your tracker accordingly.
Sunday May 5, 2025 | Monday May 6, 2025 | Tuesday May 7, 2025 | Wednesday May 8, 2025 | Thursday May 9, 2025 | Friday May 10, 2025 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
✓ Notes: light flow, insomnia | ✓ Notes: heavy flow | ✓ Notes: heavy flow, hot flashes | ✓ Notes: light flow | ✓ Notes: light flow, hot flashes, insomnia | ✓ Notes: light flow, insomnia |
If you keep track of your periods during perimenopause, you won’t have to try to remember when your last period started when your doctor asks, and you’ll know exactly when you’ve reached menopause.
Research from 2023 suggests that monitoring your symptoms in particular may help reduce negative emotions and physical symptoms and increase help-seeking.
Specifically, out of 100 women in the study, 42% saw a reduction in physical symptoms over 2 weeks, compared to only 12% of those in the group that didn’t track their symptoms.
If you record milder symptoms of menopause, and your doctor is aware, they may recommend treatment with at-home or natural remedies, such as certain vitamins or supplements.
And telling your doctor about the bothersome and frequent symptoms you tracked may help them create a treatment plan for you, which may include hormonal or nonhormonal therapies.
Tracking your periods during perimenopause can help you get a better idea of how close you are to approaching menopause based on period frequency and your symptoms, if you choose to track these, too.
This information is also valuable to your doctor or a menopause expert, as it can help inform their treatment of your symptoms.
Whether you decide to keep yours on paper or use an app is up to you, but know that this is one way to manage your health during the menopause transition.
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