Last night I was awake at 3:07 a.m. Not because I needed to use the bathroom. Not because my husband was snoring. Not because I heard a strange noise. I was just… awake. Again. And if you're reading this while staring at the ceiling in the middle of the night, let me be the first to tell you something: You're not crazy, and you're definitely not alone.
As we move through perimenopause and menopause, our hormones begin to shift — sometimes dramatically. Estrogen and progesterone, the "sister" hormones that play a major role in sleep regulation, start to decline.
Progesterone has a naturally calming effect on the brain. Think of it as one of your body's little "relaxation hormones." As levels decrease, falling asleep and staying asleep can become more difficult.
Estrogen also affects body temperature, mood, anxiety levels, melatonin production, and the ability to stay asleep. In other words, menopause can turn what used to be a peaceful night's sleep into an Olympic event.
Many women describe waking between 2 and 4 a.m. Some experts believe this can happen because cortisol — our stress hormone — begins to rise in the early morning hours. Blood sugar fluctuations may wake us. Night sweats can disrupt sleep. Anxiety tends to feel louder when the house is quiet. And hormonal changes affect our sleep cycles.
Sometimes we wake up and immediately begin thinking about our children, aging parents, finances, work, or that text we forgot to answer three days ago. And then our brain decides we're starting the day. At 3 a.m. Rude.
I'm still figuring this out myself, but here are a few things that have helped: keeping my bedroom cool; limiting caffeine later in the day; avoiding scrolling on my phone… le' sigh; trying magnesium (talk with your healthcare provider first); keeping a notebook beside the bed to empty my thoughts; and giving myself grace on the nights that sleep simply doesn't happen.
Your body is going through a major transition. The woman who could once sleep anywhere, anytime, may now need a little more support, patience, and understanding. Some nights, the best thing I can do is remind myself: this season won't last forever. Until then, I'll probably see some of you right here at 3 a.m. We'll bring the coffee in the morning.
"You are not becoming someone else. You're becoming someone new. Give yourself the same grace you'd give your best friend."
With warmth,
Eve Monique, GNP-BC
Founder, Menopause, Honey
"If this article helped you feel a little less alone, I'd love to see you back for the next one."
