Sleepless Nights? Here’s How to Catch More Zzz’s During Perimenopause

Amanda Paige on June 22, 2026

When it comes to menopause, the conversation often swirls around hot flashes, mood swings, and, of course, the end of menstruation. Yet, there’s an uninvited party crasher that can be just as disruptive: sleep issues. So let’s shine a spotlight on that, shall we?

At its core, menopause is a time of significant hormonal change, which can wreak havoc on your sleep patterns. Many women in perimenopause (the stage before menopause) find themselves counting sheep, tossing and turning, or waking up in the wee hours with frustrating regularity. But why does this happen, and how can we deal with it? Buckle up, ladies, as we delve into the world of sleep and menopause.

So, What’s Up with Menopause and Sleep Anyway?

Well, the first stop on this road trip is to understand the connection between menopause and sleep disturbances. Estrogen and progesterone, two hormones that ebb and flow during your menstrual cycle, also play a big role in regulating sleep. As you move closer to menopause, the levels of these hormones fluctuate and eventually drop, leading to a range of sleep-related issues.

Estrogen, for instance, promotes REM sleep – the deep, restful stage where dreams happen. A decrease in estrogen levels can make it harder to fall asleep and lead to more nighttime awakenings. Progesterone, on the other hand, is a natural sleep-inducer. When this hormone drops off during perimenopause, it might feel like your body’s hitting the caffeine just as you’re ready for lights out.

Not only do these hormonal shifts affect sleep, but they also come with a set of side effects – hot flashes, night sweats, anxiety, and mood swings. These can be quite the party poopers when it comes to catching some quality shut-eye. In fact, according to the National Sleep Foundation, nearly 61% of menopausal women report insomnia symptoms.

Well, This Sounds Like a Fun Ride (Not). What Can We Do About It?

Hey, I hear you. It might seem like a wild rollercoaster ride that you never signed up for, but don’t despair! There are strategies you can adopt to make these sleep disruptions a bit less disruptive.

1. Transform Your Bedroom into a Dreamy Slumber Palace!

Turn your bedroom into a slumber sanctuary. Keep the room dark, quiet, and cool. Consider investing in blackout curtains, earplugs, or a white noise machine. To combat night sweats, opt for breathable, moisture-wicking bed sheets and sleepwear. Oh, and no peeking at the clock during the night! That’s just a one-way ticket to stress city.

2. Let’s Set the Clock! It’s Time to Master Your Zzz’s Routine!

Sticking to a consistent sleep schedule can help regulate your body’s internal clock and improve sleep quality. That means going to bed and waking up at the same time every day – yes, even on weekends. And while napping can be tempting when you’re running on little sleep, try to resist. It can actually make it harder to fall asleep at night.

3. Become the Boss of Your Belly and the Captain of Cardio!

What you eat and drink, especially close to bedtime, can significantly impact your sleep. Avoid caffeine and alcohol late in the day. And while we’re at it, spicy or heavy meals can trigger hot flashes and heartburn, so give those a miss in the evening too.

Regular exercise is a natural sleep booster – but try not to sweat it out too close to bedtime, as it can keep you awake.

4. Embrace Your Inner Zen Master: It’s Mind-Body Magic Time!

Relaxation techniques like yoga, meditation, deep-breathing exercises, or progressive muscle relaxation can help you wind down before bed. Many women also find cognitive behavioral therapy helpful in managing sleep problems and coping with the changes that menopause brings.

5. It’s Team-Up Time: Call in the Pros for Backup!

If you’ve tried these strategies and still find yourself perpetually yawning, it may be time to consult a healthcare provider. They can guide you to the best treatment option based on your symptoms, medical history, and personal preferences.

Yes, the menopause journey can be a bumpy one, fraught with many sleepless nights. But remember, you’re not alone on this ride. Reach out, share your experiences, and don’t hesitate to ask for help. It might not be the smoothest road trip you’ve ever been on, but with the right tools and support, you can navigate it with confidence and even a few good nights’ sleep.

So, the next time you find yourself staring at the ceiling at 3 am, just remember, you’ve got this! And with these strategies at your fingertips, hopefully, those sleepless nights will soon be a thing of the past. Goodnight, sleep tight, and don’t let the bedbugs (or hot flashes) bite!

Why Emotional Sensitivity Can Increase Without Warning

Lynne on June 22, 2026

A few months ago, I found myself crying because my husband put a coffee mug in the wrong cabinet.

Not crying after an argument.

Not crying because we’d had a difficult week.

Crying because I opened a cupboard, couldn’t find my favorite mug, and suddenly felt so overwhelmed that I had to walk into another room before I embarrassed myself.

The ridiculousness of it wasn’t lost on me.

I remember standing there thinking, What kind of person cries over a coffee mug?

Apparently, a woman in midlife.

At least that’s what I’ve come to learn.

When people talk about menopause, they usually talk about the obvious things. The hot flashes. The sleep problems. The changes you can point to and say, “There. That’s what’s happening.”

What’s harder to explain is the feeling that your emotions have somehow become less predictable.

Not bigger, exactly.

Closer.

That’s the word I keep coming back to.

Closer.

A sad story doesn’t stay on the other side of the screen anymore. A friend’s disappointment lingers longer than it used to. An offhand comment can sit with you for an entire afternoon even when you know it wasn’t meant the way you heard it.

For a while, I thought this meant I was becoming less resilient.

Many women do.

We’re quick to assume that if we’re crying more easily or feeling things more deeply, something must be wrong.

But lately I’ve started wondering whether the opposite is true.

Maybe the real surprise isn’t that we’re becoming emotional.

Maybe it’s that we’ve spent so many years learning not to be.

Think about how much of adult life is spent pushing feelings aside because there simply isn’t time for them.

You’re raising children.

Building a career.

Looking after parents.

Managing relationships.

Paying bills.

Meeting deadlines.

Keeping everyone fed.

Keeping everyone alive.

There are entire seasons of life where practicality becomes a survival skill.

You don’t ignore your emotions because you’re unhealthy.

You ignore them because dinner still needs to be made.

Then something shifts.

Children grow up.

Parents grow older.

The future starts feeling less endless than it once did.

And somewhere in the middle of all that, feelings that have been patiently waiting in the background begin stepping forward.

Not dramatically.

Not all at once.

Just enough to be noticed.

I’ve heard women describe this in dozens of different ways.

Some say they cry more.

Some say they’re more easily hurt.

Others say they feel softer than they used to.

The word that comes up most often, though, is sensitive.

Usually followed by an apology.

As if sensitivity were evidence of failure.

As if being moved by things is somehow less admirable than being unaffected by them.

Yet the women saying this are often the strongest people I know.

They’re the women everyone else relies on.

The women who show up.

The women who keep going.

The women who have spent decades carrying far more than anyone realizes.

It seems strange to call them fragile simply because they now tear up during a television commercial.

Of course hormones play a role. Sleep plays a role too, and anyone who has stared at the ceiling at three in the morning knows exactly how much harder life feels when you’re exhausted.

But I don’t think biology tells the whole story.

I think some of what we’re experiencing is awareness.

The awareness that time is moving.

The awareness that people we love are aging.

The awareness that certain chapters are ending whether we’re ready or not.

The awareness that our own needs deserve a place at the table after years of sitting quietly in the corner.

None of that is easy.

But neither is it a sign that we’re falling apart.

If anything, it may be a sign that we’re paying attention.

Noticing.

Feeling.

Allowing ourselves to experience things we once rushed past on the way to the next obligation.

Which brings me back to the coffee mug.

The truth is, I wasn’t crying about the mug.

I was tired.

I was overwhelmed.

I was carrying things I hadn’t fully acknowledged.

The missing mug simply happened to be where the feelings finally caught up with me.

And I suspect that’s true for a lot of us.

The tears aren’t always about the thing that triggered them.

They’re often about everything that came before it.

Once I understood that, I stopped worrying quite so much about why I was suddenly emotional.

I stopped treating every tear like a problem that needed solving.

And I started seeing it for what it often was:

A reminder that I’m human.

A little more aware than I used to be.

And perhaps, in its own unexpected way, a little more honest too.