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If your sleep has become lighter, more broken, or simply less restorative over the last few years, you’re far from alone.
Many, if not most of us begin to notice changes in our sleep patterns in our late 30 and into our 40s and 50s — waking at 2am for no clear reason, lying awake despite feeling exhausted, or struggling to fall asleep at all.
I relate to this and perhaps you do too if you're here.
These aren’t random disruptions — they’re closely tied to hormonal changes that begin in perimenopause and continue through menopause.
Midlife is of course not just a time of hormonal change and disruption - it's also a time of challenge and life demanding more of us than we are alway able to give. Whether it's being sandwiched between child care and caring for elderly parents, running your own business or working for someone else, your marriage or relationship, trying to keep on top of your health - and just everything that life throws at us - it's a lot.
And sleep often gets sacrificed along the way - not through choice, but very often because of what our bodies are going through.
This blog is here to help explain the science behind what’s happening to your sleep in midlife — and what small, supportive actions can help you rest more deeply, without adding overwhelm to your already very busy schedule.
I think we can all agree that adding more stress when we're already not sleeping is the last thing we'd want.
Estrogen has a myriad of important roles to play within your body, including a vital role in helping you fall asleep and stay asleep. It supports both serotonin and melatonin production — two key hormones involved in sleep regulation and mood.
It also helps manage body temperature, which is why falling estrogen levels often lead to night sweats or hot flushes that interrupt sleep.
As estrogen declines during perimenopause, you may find yourself waking more often, being unable to go back to sleep when you wake up at 2am, struggling with temperature regulation, and feeling mentally overstimulated at night.
Progesterone has a calming, sedative-like effect on the brain, primarily through its stimulation of GABA — a neurotransmitter that quiets brain activity.
As progesterone begins to decline in your 40s, its soothing effect is reduced.
This is often when we begin to experience that familiar “tired but wired” feeling: exhausted in body, but unable to fully relax the mind enough to fall asleep or stay asleep - and then feeling utterly exhausted as we start the day.
Something else probably most of us can relate to.
Melatonin is your body’s primary sleep signal — but like many hormones, it decreases with age. Its production is also influenced by estrogen, so many midlife women experience a double decline.
This makes it harder to feel naturally sleepy at bedtime, and can delay or disrupt your circadian rhythm.
As a result, you may feel alert when you want to sleep and groggy when you need to be awake.
Cortisol is meant to follow a daily rhythm — rising in the morning and tapering off by night.
But when you're under long-term stress or dealing with hormonal shifts, this rhythm can become dysregulated.
Cortisol may spike in the middle of the night, often around 2–4am, causing you to wake suddenly and feel unable to return to sleep.
Elevated cortisol also interferes with melatonin and contributes to inflammation, making it harder for your skin and body to repair.
Understanding how sleep works can help you recognise why disrupted rest leaves you feeling so off — and why your skin may look more tired, reactive, or dull.
This is where most of us spend about 50% of our total sleep. It's a lighter stage that prepares the brain and body for deeper, restorative phases.
During light sleep, your body begins to relax and your heart rate slows slightly, but you're still easily awakened.
In midlife, hormonal shifts often mean you spend more time in light sleep and less in the deeper phases — which is why you may wake frequently or feel unrefreshed in the morning.
Deep sleep is the most restorative stage.
This is when growth hormone is released, supporting collagen production, immune repair, and tissue regeneration.
Deep sleep helps repair the skin barrier, restore hydration, and reduce inflammation — all critical for maintaining youthful, resilient skin.
Unfortunately, deep sleep naturally declines with age and is particularly affected by progesterone loss and high cortisol.
REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep is where dreaming occurs. It’s crucial for emotional regulation, memory consolidation, and mental clarity.
REM sleep is also when skin receives more blood flow and oxygen, helping it heal and detoxify.
Estrogen plays a key role in supporting REM cycles, which is why low levels can lead to shorter, more fragmented REM sleep — leaving you emotionally drained and mentally foggy the next day.
When sleep is disrupted consistently, it impacts far more than energy levels. In the skin, poor sleep increases oxidative stress and slows collagen production, leading to a duller complexion, deeper lines, and reduced elasticity.
Trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) also increases, making your skin feel more dehydrated and sensitive.
Beyond the skin, poor sleep affects your ability to handle stress, regulate blood sugar, manage inflammation, and feel emotionally balanced.
This is why many women report a "cascade" of symptoms in midlife — it’s all connected.
I'm sure you're familiar with all the usual sleep tips and you've probably tried most of it already. I went through quite a long period of doing everything 'right' and I still couldn't quite get my sleep back on track, so I do get it.
Your path might look different to mine — but there is a path, and it’s worth finding.
This isn’t about achieving perfect sleep every night.
It’s about gently restoring your body’s rhythm and supporting the hormonal systems that influence rest.
In the morning, aim to get exposure to natural sunlight within 30 minutes of waking - and try to wake up around the same time every day.
This helps regulate melatonin production later in the day.
Keep caffeine intake to earlier hours and stabilise your blood sugar with a protein-rich breakfast.
In the evening, begin dimming lights at least an hour before bed and try not to look at your phone for an hour or two before you go to bed. Sleep in a cool, dark room and try to go to bed every night at roughly the same time.
Create a calming skincare ritual — for example, applying your face oil with a gentle massage — to cue the nervous system that it’s time to wind down.
Try calming practices like 4-7-8 breathing, a warm bath, or journaling to quiet a racing mind.
I realise much of this may sound completely unrealistic if you have a baby or perhaps having to get everything ready for school the next day - or a multitude of things that may need your attention at night.
Our children are now grownup and I have a lot more time at my disposal but even with that I don't have the inclination or patience for lengthy evening / bedtime routines - and that includes my skincare routine.
Saying that - the one thing I never skip is my combination of supplements that I've worked out over time and that I feel is making an incredible difference to the quality of my sleep.
Like many women in midlife, I’ve had to find my own rhythm when it comes to sleep.
There are seasons where it’s easier, and others where I find myself wide awake at 3am wondering why I feel like I’ve just had an espresso shot at bedtime — despite doing all the “right” things.
Over time, and through a lot of trial and error, I’ve found a combination of supplements that helps me feel calmer in the evening and more rested the next morning.
Even if I skip other things, I don't skip my very simple supplement stack.
I’m not suggesting this is a perfect solution or that it will work for everyone — but I want to share what works for me, in case it sparks a helpful conversation with your own practitioner.
* I am also on HRT and Testosterone and while I think this also helps I can't really be sure exactly how much.
I typically take this stack 1–2 hours before bed:
My personal supplement support for sleep includes:
This form of magnesium is chelated with glycine, which makes it well-absorbed and gentle on the digestive system. For me, it’s the foundation of evening calm. It helps regulate the nervous system by supporting GABA, a calming neurotransmitter that slows brain activity and supports deep sleep. It’s particularly helpful when I feel overstimulated or unable to ‘switch off’ mentally.
Glycine is an amino acid that plays a dual role in my sleep and skin routine. It helps lower core body temperature, which signals to the brain that it’s time for sleep — something many midlife women struggle with due to fluctuating oestrogen. It also supports collagen synthesis, which is a great bonus for overnight skin repair.
B6 is one of those behind-the-scenes nutrients that makes everything else run smoothly. It supports the conversion of tryptophan into serotonin, which then converts into melatonin — your body’s natural sleep hormone. I’ve found it helps balance mood and sleep when taken as part of a broader nutritional routine.
This is the adaptogen I reach for when stress is high or when I’m feeling that “tired but wired” sensation that often accompanies elevated evening cortisol. Ashwagandha helps regulate the HPA axis (your body’s central stress system), supporting calmer evenings and more stable sleep cycles. I find it most helpful when taken consistently — it’s not a one-night fix, but it builds over time.
While I don’t take this in the evening, I’m including it here because it plays a critical role in how well I sleep at night.
Vitamin D influences the enzymes responsible for melatonin production, and low levels are associated with sleep disturbances. I take mine in the morning — partly because it supports my mood and immune health, but also because it fits into my circadian-friendly routine of starting the day with light, movement, and nourishment.
I’m sharing this not as advice, but as a real-life example of what’s helped me.
I know how overwhelming supplement shelves can be — and how tempting it is to try everything when sleep is elusive.
But I’ve found that simple, consistent support — paired with rituals and realistic expectations — often goes further than a complicated protocol.
If you’re struggling with sleep and wondering where to begin, always speak with a practitioner who understands the nuances of hormonal shifts and midlife physiology, especially if you’re on HRT or other medications.
Sleep in midlife isn’t always easy — and it’s not a matter of willpower. You're not broken, but I know from personal experience that stretches of poor sleep can leave you feeling broken, no exaggeration.
It’s biology, and it’s highly individual depending on your personal situation, health history and lifestyle and how your body is uniquely responding to all these changes you are experiencing. Not to mention what else may be going on in your world in terms of stressors and demands on your time.
Understanding the hormonal links hopefully gives you context for the changes that you may be going through (it's different for all of us) - so no comparison or pressure.
Hopefully it allows you to respond with small, sustainable actions that honour what your body is going through.
The goal isn’t perfection.
It’s restoration — in your rhythm, your skin, and your sense of calm as much as possible as you go through your day.
Your path may look different to mine — but there is a path, and it’s worth finding.
👉 Want to learn how sleep affects skin in more depth? Read the full Sleep & Skin Connection here →
Looking for better sleep in midlife? Disrupted sleep (hormonal or otherwise) can feel like an unsolvable mystery and have a huge impact on our ability to function in our daily lives, not to mention the impact on our overall health and skin. In this blog, I share the supplement stack that transformed my own sleep, built through trial, error and experimentation over several years. There are many factors that influence good quality sleep, but sometimes we may need a little external help in the form of supplements. Not advice, just a starting point for your own research in case you're looking for something to help improve your sleep.
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