Midlife Sleep Problems: Why You’re Not Sleeping (And What Actually Works)

Let’s talk about sleep in midlife.

Or more accurately, let’s talk about why so many women over 40 lie awake at 3 a.m., wondering what on earth happened to their once-reliable decent night's sleep.

You’re tired. You’re wired. You’ve counted sheep and the minutes until sunrise. You fall asleep on the sofa whilst watching TV in the evening, but come 2 a.m.? Boom - wide awake, heart racing, mind running a PowerPoint presentation of everything you've ever said or done. Sound familiar?

If sleep used to be your superpower but now feels like a distant ex, welcome to the joys of menopause insomnia.

The good news? You’re just in a hormonal transition and with the right support, you can get your sleep (and sanity) back.

Why Can’t I Sleep in Midlife?

It’s one of the most common questions I hear:

“Why can’t I sleep, I’m so over feeling exhausted?”

Here’s the short ‘science’ish answer: your hormones have taken up juggling.

• Estrogen and progesterone, the hormones that once gently helped regulate mood and body temperature, start to fluctuate like a stock market graph. Cue night sweats, hot flushes, and broken sleep.

• Cortisol (your stress hormone) loves to spike in the early hours, especially if you’re juggling a busy brain and a mile-long to-do list.

• Add in a sprinkle of midlife anxiety, a noisy bladder, and the emotional load of modern womanhood, and it’s no wonder you’re struggling to get quality rest.

The Real Impact of Sleep Deprivation During Menopause

When your sleep disappears, so does your patience, and your memory, motivation, and sense of humour.

• You snap at your partner because they chewed too loudly (crunchy nut cornflakes are a divorceable offence in my book!).

• You can’t remember why you walked into a room (multiple times a day, at least I’m getting my steps up!).

• You crave sugar like it’s a food group (thank goodness for chocolate!)

This isn’t just about being tired, it’s about sleep’s role in hormone balance, emotional wellbeing, and mental clarity. And if you’re running on empty, no amount of “just power through it” is going to cut it.

How to Sleep Better During Menopause (Without Medication)

As a Clinical Hypnotherapist and Midlife Mindset Coach, I support women with natural sleep remedies that actually work.

✅ 1. Calm the Nervous System

You can’t sleep if your body thinks you’re in danger. Techniques like breathwork, grounding, and progressive muscle relaxation help you switch from “fight-or-flight” to “rest-and-digest.”

Try This: Deep belly breathing or legs-up-the-wall for 10 minutes before bed (assuming you’re feeling bendy like a pretzel!).

✅ 2. Try Hypnotherapy for Sleep

Hypnotherapy is one of the most effective tools for menopause sleep support. It works by calming the overactive mind, lowering cortisol, and gently guiding the brain into deeper rest.

Many women find that listening to a guided hypnotherapy track at bedtime becomes a powerful part of their evening routine, helping them fall asleep more easily and return to sleep if they wake during the night.

You'll find a link to one of my most loved sleep audios later in this blog - feel free to explore when you're ready.

✅ 3. Build a Wind-Down Routine

Midlife sleep routines matter. Set the stage for rest with simple habits:

• Magnesium or herbal tea (Camomile is great to aid restful sleep)

• Journaling to offload thoughts (it’s worth keeping a notebook and pen by your bed, to offload thoughts you can reconnect with in the morning)

• Dimming the lights

• Listening to a sleep audio (not doomscrolling Facebook or Instagram, I’m guilty of that at times!)

Your Midlife Sleep Toolkit: Try This Tonight

Step 1:

Take 5 slow belly breaths.

In for 4, hold for 4, out for 6.

Step 2:

Repeat silently:

“I am safe. I am calm. I allow sleep to come.”

Step 3:

Write down everything that’s swirling in your mind, then put it aside. Tell your brain, “We’ll get to this tomorrow.”

These techniques form the foundation of what I use in my menopause sleep coaching audios, and they’re simple and effective.

Sleep Help for Midlife Women: Starting Tonight

You don’t have to keep surviving on broken sleep and coffee.

With the right tools, like sleep hypnotherapy, mindset coaching, and gentle nervous system regulation, you can get real rest again.

Want to experience deeper, more restful sleep, starting tonight?

You can explore my downloadable sleep hypnotherapy audio. It’s designed to gently guide your mind and body into a more restful night. One client says she still doesn’t know how it ends…

SLEEP: Slumber in Style | Transformingmidlife

Because when you sleep better - everything changes.

⚠️ Disclaimer

If you're experiencing persistent sleep issues, extreme fatigue, or suspect an underlying condition such as sleep apnea, it's important to seek guidance from your GP or qualified medical practitioner. Hypnotherapy can be a powerful support tool, but it is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Transforming Midlife - June 2025