Sleep & Menopause
No. 1 on our journey through the 6 pillars of lifestyle medicine
“I used to sleep fine. Now I’m awake at 3am, staring at the ceiling, desperate for rest.”
We hear this all the time.
Some nights you drift off easily. Other nights, your brain is on over-drive.
Those little worries we brush aside during the day often reappear at night - louder, repetitive, harder to ignore. You’re not imagining it. Sleep changes are one of the most common challenges in perimenopause and menopause. Hormonal fluctuations, hot flushes, stress and subtle changes in body temperature can all disturb your night.
The good news? There are ways forward.
This year the focus of World Menopause Month is Lifestyle Medicine. Small, practical changes over time can make a big difference to our health and wellbeing.
We’re starting with sleep because:
Sleep affects our mood, memory, appetite and energy. All impacting on our quality of life.
Longstanding sleep issues increase the risk of long-term health problems such as cardiovascular disease.
And let’s be honest... life just feels an awful lot easier after a decent night’s sleep.
What might help you?
HRT can improve sleep - directly and also indirectly, by reducing symptoms like night sweats and hot flushes, and aches and pains.
Eating earlier - finishing dinner by 8pm and trying to avoid sugary or salty snacks in the evening.
Reducing alcohol and caffeine- less fun perhaps, but many women become much more sensitive to both alcohol and caffeine during the menopause.
Create a wind-down ritual. Trying to resist our phones, and scrolling, and instead aiming for something calming - a book, gentle stretch, or a bath.
A slightly cooler bedroom (around 18°C) can be helpful.
Consistency matters. As much as possible, go to bed and wake up at the same times every day (yes, even weekends - most of the time!).
Morning light exposure (outside) - this can really help reset your body clock.
Notebook brain dump - leaving racing thoughts on the page instead of carrying them into bed.
Magnesium supplementation - some women find magnesium (often as a high quality blend or as magnesium glycinate) really helpful for sleep, as well as restless legs or night time anxiety.