If you’re over 40 and struggling to sleep through the night, waking up drenched in sweat, or battling daytime fatigue, you’re not alone. These are common signs of sleep disruption linked to perimenopause and menopause.
As hormonal changes occur, many women experience a dramatic shift in their sleep patterns. In fact, research shows that up to 46% of women report sleep difficulties before menopause, with nearly half continuing to suffer from sleep disorders post-menopause. You can read here for more information National Library of Medicine.
Whether you’re in the early stages of perimenopause or navigating life after your last period, understanding how menopause impacts sleep can help you act and regain the rest your body and mind desperately need.
Common Sleep Problems During Menopause
The transition into menopause isn’t just about the end of menstruation—it involves major hormonal fluctuations that affect your entire system. Here’s how menopause can disrupt your sleep:
Hot Flashes and Night Sweats
One of the most disruptive symptoms, hot flashes (or night sweats when they occur during sleep), are intense bursts of heat radiating from the chest, often accompanied by profuse sweating, anxiety, and racing thoughts. They last only a few minutes but can wake you up multiple times a night, making it hard to get back to sleep.
As you move closer to menopause, night sweats can increase in intensity and frequency, continuing even in the years after your last period.
Insomnia During Menopause
Many women suffer from chronic insomnia during and after menopause, experiencing difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up too early.
Contrary to common belief, it’s not just the night sweats causing the insomnia—it may actually be the other way around. The brain’s heightened alertness makes you more likely to notice hot flashes and discomfort.
Hormonal changes, increased stress, anxiety, and life events like caregiving or relationship challenges can all contribute to this rise in sleeplessness.
Snoring and Sleep Apnea
As oestrogen and progesterone levels drop, the throat muscles become more relaxed, increasing the risk of snoring and even obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
OSA causes brief pauses in breathing during sleep, leading to poor sleep quality, morning headaches, and daytime fatigue. It’s especially common in post-menopausal women, affecting up to one-third of women after menopause.
Signs of sleep apnea include:
- Loud snoring
- Gasping or choking during sleep
- Morning headaches
- Feeling exhausted despite a full night’s sleep
If these sound familiar, it is advised to speak to your GP in the first instance.
Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS)
RLS causes uncomfortable sensations in the legs, often described as crawling, tingling, or itching, which intensify at night and disrupt your sleep.
Fluctuating hormone levels and possible iron deficiencies are thought to trigger RLS. Movement helps temporarily, but frequent disturbances can lead to chronic sleep deprivation.
Why Does Menopause Disrupt Sleep?
Several biological changes during menopause contribute to sleep disruption:
- Hormonal Imbalance: Declining oestrogen and progesterone directly affect brain chemistry, body temperature regulation, and mood—all of which influence sleep quality.
- Thermoregulation Issues: Your body becomes hypersensitive to temperature changes, leading to sudden hot flashes.
- Mood and Mental Health: Lower oestrogen impacts neurotransmitters that regulate mood, which is why anxiety, irritability, and depression often worsen during this time.
- Weight Gain and Metabolism: Slower metabolism and weight gain, common during menopause, can increase your risk of snoring and sleep apnea.
- Weakened Circadian Rhythm: The body’s natural sleep-wake cycle becomes disrupted, especially in post-menopause, leading to irregular sleep patterns.
Natural Remedies & Sleep Coaching for Menopause
While hormonal treatments like HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) can be effective for some, many women prefer to explore natural sleep solutions first. Here’s what you can do:
Tips to Improve Sleep During Menopause
- Keep your bedroom cool and dark: Use a fan, cooling mattress, and blackout curtains.
- Hydrate smartly: Keep cold water nearby during the night.
- Reduce stress: Incorporate mindfulness, meditation, or breathing exercises before bed.
- Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and smoking, especially in the evening.
- Stick to a routine: Go to bed and wake up at the same time daily.
- Eat for sleep: Choose foods high in calcium, magnesium, and antioxidants.
- Exercise regularly: It reduces hot flashes, boosts mood, and improves sleep quality.
Need Expert Help? Sleep Coaching Can Make a Difference
If you’re tired of tossing and turning, consider working with one of our experienced certified sleep coaches who understand the unique challenges it brings.
At Sweet Dreams, we help women reclaim their nights with personalised strategies tailored to your body, your hormones, and your lifestyle.
Book Your FREE 30-Minute Sleep Consultation
Let us help you understand what’s going on—and what you can do about it. Whether you’re looking for natural remedies for this sleep issues, help with insomnia, or guidance on how to manage night sweats, we’re here to support your journey.
