1. Hot Flushes and Night Sweats
When you’re not sleeping well, your body releases a stress hormone called cortisol. High cortisol levels can disrupt thermoregulation—your body’s ability to manage temperature properly. The result? Hot flushes and night sweats can become more intense and frequent, creating a vicious cycle: poor sleep raises stress hormones, which trigger night sweats, which then wake you up, leading to more poor sleep.
What you can do:
- Keep your bedroom cool—around 16–18°C can make a big difference.
- Avoid foods and drinks that rev up your nervous system at night, such as spicy meals, high-salt or sugary foods, caffeine, and alcohol. One woman told me she noticed her night sweats disappeared within a week after cutting out a cup of coffee after dinner.
- Wear light, breathable clothing—cotton is ideal, or even sleeping au naturel if that helps.
- Choose natural fibres for bedding, like cotton sheets and feather duvets, to help keep you cool.
Extra tip: Sage is a helpful herb for easing menopausal hot flushes and excessive sweating. Our Menoforce Sage tablets are an easy way to take it—just one tablet a day.
2. Increased Sensitivity to Pain
Fluctuating oestrogen levels during menopause can already cause joint and muscle aches, stiffness, and general discomfort. Poor sleep only adds fuel to the fire. Without restorative deep sleep, your body releases more inflammatory markers, which can increase joint inflammation and pain. Sleep deprivation also lowers your pain threshold, meaning aches feel sharper and more persistent.
What you can do:
- Try gentle stretching or yoga before bed to relax muscles and joints, especially if you’ve been sitting for long periods.
- Practise relaxation techniques, such as slow, deep breathing and visualising your muscles releasing tension.
- A warm bath with a few drops of lavender oil can be incredibly soothing and prepare your body for sleep.
3. Brain Fog
Sleep is when your brain performs essential “housekeeping.” During deep sleep, it stores memories, processes experiences, and clears out chemical debris that accumulates during the day. Without proper sleep, this cleaning and filing process is interrupted, leading to memory lapses, loss of focus, slower thinking, and mental fog.
This can show up in everyday situations. For example, you might notice that at work or while driving—when you need to think quickly—your responses feel slower or it takes longer to process information.
What you can do:
- Create a calming pre-sleep routine: avoid screens for at least an hour before bed, enjoy a warm bath, read a book (but avoid thrillers), or play soothing music.
- Get plenty of daylight in the morning to help set your circadian rhythm.
- Try journaling before bed—writing down thoughts or noting what you’re grateful for can calm a busy mind.
What else can help?
Magnesium is essential for good sleep. It calms the nerves, relaxes the muscles, and helps your nervous system wind down. The type I recommend is magnesium glycinate, taken about an hour before bed, ideally with a little snack as magnesium is best absorbed with food.
Herbal remedies can also support sleep. Valerian and Hops are calming herbs that may help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. Lemon balm helps maintain normal sleep. These ingredients are included in our products—Dormeasan Sleep, which contains Valerian and Hops, and Sleep Well Dissolvable Granules, which contain Lemon Balm, Lactuca extract, and a little extra magnesium for added support.
A.Vogel Sleep Well Dissolvable Granules | Pour Directly into Mouth | Bitter Orange Flavour
£15.99 (14 sachets x 2g) In Stock
Share your sleep stories
Sleep is one of the most common symptoms of perimenopause and menopause, but it’s also a key factor in how other symptoms manifest. If you’ve found ways to improve your sleep, what worked for you? Have you noticed other symptoms worsening when you don’t sleep well?
I’d love to hear your stories. Share them in the comments below.
Have a lovely week, and here’s to better sleep!
