5d (edited) • General discussion
Doable Sleep Solutions that Actually Work
This week in UNSTUCK - the 6-week group coaching program, we're doing a deep dive into sleep. Let’s talk about the most common midlife sleep pattern I see:
✅ You fall asleep fine…
✅ You wake up between 2–4am…
✅ Your brain immediately opens 27 tabs and starts budgeting your entire life.
If this is you, I want you to hear this clearly:
This, although incredibly annoying, is a normal response to your situation. Your body is doing what it was designed to do: protect you. And in perimenopause, “protection” can look like: light sleep, frequent wake-ups, night sweats, anxiety spikes, restless legs, or that wired-but-tired feeling.
Why it’s happening (in the most simplest of terms)
In midlife, your system gets more sensitive to “threat signals,” like:
- Blood sugar dips overnight → your body releases stress hormones to rescue you (hello, 3am wake-up)
- Cortisol rhythm gets dysregulated → you’re tired at night but oddly alert at 2am
- Estrogen + progesterone shift → temperature regulation + calming neurotransmitters get disrupted
- Inflammation + alcohol + late-night snacks → amplify all of the above
Translation: your sleep is your body’s safety signal.When your body feels safe, it sleeps. When it doesn’t, it stays on patrol.
And this might be controversial: The goal isn’t “perfect sleep.”
It’s more stable nights and a nervous system that stops treating bedtime like a fire drill.
Here’s what I want you to try this week (realistic, not precious):
🌙 TRY THIS: The Peri Posse “Sleep Stack” (choose 2–3)
1) If you’re waking at 2–4am, make sure your evening meal is sufficient, contains protein AND complex carbs (rice, sweet potato, squash). In addition, try to eat this meal at least 90 minutes before you actually go to bed.
If you wake at the same time nightly, that’s often blood sugar.
Why it works: it helps prevent that overnight dip that triggers cortisol.
2) Stop doing cortisol’s favourite hobbies after dinner
These are the “innocent” things that quietly mess with sleep:
- scrolling in bed
- intense workouts late at night
- replying to stressful texts/emails
- doom-news (respectfully… no ❤️)
Pick a cutoff time. Even 30 minutes earlier helps. But you must adhere to your own bedtime.
3) Make your room a cave (cool + dark wins)
Midlife bodies run warmer. If night sweats are a thing, you’re not imagining it and you need to do something about it.
Try:
- cooler room temp
- fan / cracked window
- breathable layers you can peel off
- blackout blinds or sleep mask
This is so simple and a little prep in advance will have your 3am self thanking you. The simplest solutions are usually the most effective.
4) The 90-second nervous system reset (my favourite “I can’t sleep” tool)
If you wake up and feel alert:
Inhale 3 seconds, exhale 6 secondsRepeat 6 times.
Longer exhale = your body gets the message: we are not being chased by a bear.
Do it in the dark. Don’t grab your phone. (Phones are basically tiny cortisol vending machines.)
5) Caffeine audit (no judgement, just data)
If you’re struggling with sleep, try:
- no caffeine after 12pm for 7 days
- OR cut your usual amount in half (swap decaf)
Don’t change 10 things at once. Just run the experiment.
👇 Quick check-in (comment below)
Which one feels most doable this week?
- bedtime snack
- screen cutoff
- cooler room
- 90-second breathing reset
- caffeine audit
And if you want, comment SLEEP and I’ll drop my simple “Sleep & Stress” guide in the comments (the one I use with clients when sleep is a mess but life is busy).
xo Christie 🤍
2
1 comment
Doable Sleep Solutions that Actually Work
powered by
skool.com/the-perimenopause-circle-9820
Join women in the hormonal trenches - sharing tools, stories, and the odd meltdown. Come for the tips, stay for the “it’s not just me” moments.
Suggested communities
Powered by