There’s something frustrating I hear from a lot of women over 40.
We can spend years sleeping relatively well, then suddenly find ourselves waking at 3am, struggling to switch off or feeling exhausted despite a full night in bed.
And while we often blame stress, busy schedules or getting older, our hormones may be playing a much bigger role than we think.
The good news is that understanding the connection between hormones and sleep gives us some practical ways to support better rest.
The Hormone Connection
Our sleep isn’t controlled by one single hormone. It’s influenced by several working together, particularly progesterone, oestrogen, cortisol and melatonin.
Progesterone: Our natural calming influence
Progesterone has a calming effect on the nervous system, which is one reason it’s linked with sleep.
During our reproductive years, progesterone rises after ovulation. But as we approach perimenopause, ovulation can become less predictable, meaning progesterone production may become more inconsistent.
For some women, this coincides with lighter sleep, more frequent waking and that frustrating feeling of being physically exhausted but mentally wide awake.
Cortisol: When the stress response stays switched on
Cortisol often gets a bad reputation, but it’s essential for healthy energy, alertness and our response to stress.
Ideally, cortisol follows a natural daily rhythm, generally higher in the morning and lower towards bedtime.
However, ongoing stress and disrupted sleep can affect this rhythm, and feeling wired in the evening can make it harder to settle.
When progesterone is fluctuating, some women may feel less settled at the same time they’re managing significant work, family and emotional demands.
It’s not necessarily that cortisol is rising because progesterone is falling. Rather, hormonal changes, stress and poor sleep can overlap and reinforce one another.
Oestrogen: Temperature, comfort and sleep
Oestrogen helps influence our body’s temperature regulation.
As levels fluctuate during perimenopause, some women become more sensitive to temperature changes overnight, which can interrupt sleep.
Even small disruptions can affect how refreshed we feel the following day.
Four everyday ways to support better sleep
Understanding our hormones is one part of the equation. Creating the right environment for sleep is another.
Our brains still respond to the same signals that have regulated human sleep for thousands of years: daylight, darkness, temperature and routine.
Here’s how to use those signals to your advantage.
1. Protect your sleep quantity
Most adults need seven to nine hours of sleep each night.
While individual requirements vary, regularly cutting sleep short can affect mood, memory, concentration and metabolic health.
Start by working backwards from your morning alarm and allowing enough time for sleep.
Consistency matters too. Our bodies respond well to predictable rhythms.
2. Use light to your advantage
Light is one of the strongest signals controlling our circadian rhythm.
Bright natural light in the morning tells the brain it’s daytime, while reduced light in the evening supports the natural rise of melatonin.
Try getting outside shortly after waking, then gradually dimming your home lighting in the evening.
Think warm lamps instead of bright overhead lights, candles and less screen exposure in the hour or two before bed.
Small changes, but powerful signals.
3. Keep your sleeping environment cool
Our core body temperature naturally decreases as we prepare for sleep.
If you’re finding yourself more sensitive to temperature at night, a cooler bedroom can be particularly helpful.
Aim for a comfortably cool room, often around 18 to 21°C as a starting point, and choose breathable bedding.
A warm bath or shower before bed can also help by encouraging heat loss as the body cools afterwards.
The goal is comfort, not being cold.
4. Give your nervous system permission to stop
This might be the most overlooked part of women’s sleep.
We spend the day managing work, family, responsibilities and an endless mental to-do list, then expect ourselves to switch off the moment our head hits the pillow.
But our brains don’t always work that way.
Create a clear transition between your day and your evening.
Put the work away. Dim the lights. Read, stretch, breathe or enjoy some quiet time.
And perhaps most importantly, remind yourself gently that rest is not something you have to earn once everything else is finished.
Building your evening routine
Good sleep isn’t just about our bedroom environment.
Nutrition, regular movement, stress management and adequate recovery all contribute to how well we feel and function.
Because while we can’t control every change our bodies go through, we can give ourselves the best possible conditions for rest.
Looking to get healthy again? Needing answers for your body? A 1:1 with me is where to start
Something that can help
Chief Sleep is a blueberry and vanilla drink you have 30 minutes before bed. It’s formulated to support healthy sleeping patterns, help reduce the time it takes to fall asleep and promote deep, quality sleep, as part of your evening routine.
ALWAYS READ THE LABEL AND FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS FOR USE.
References
- [Authors]. Sleep Disturbance and Perimenopause: A Narrative Review. [Journal], 2025. [Funding source, if stated]. Read study (PubMed)
- [Authors]. The Influence of Sleep on Human HPA Axis Reactivity: A Systematic Review. [Journal], 2018. [Funding source, if stated]. Read study (PubMed)
- [Authors]. Stress & Sleep: A Relationship Lasting a Lifetime. [Journal], 2019. [Funding source, if stated]. Read study (PubMed)
