Sound familiar? You’ve had a busy day of work, grocery shopping, the gym, housework, paying bills. Come day’s end, you’re exhausted. Time to shut ‘er down and head to bed.
You know where this is going: You finally flop into bed and then… toss and turn, unable to actually fall asleep and get the rest you know you need. This was exactly me, last night, TBH.
Poor sleep is an issue for many of us midlife ladies. I recently sent out an email asking women what some of their main health concerns were. Top response? Sleep. If this is you, you’re not alone.
Here’s an overlooked truth: sleep is foundational to energy, strength, mood, and weight.
Why Sleep Matters (Especially in Midlife)
I’ll admit it: I ain’t the best sleeper (though I am improving). Because it’s foundational for so many things, I’ve been working on having better sleep hygiene. Good sleep plays a role in:
- Hormonal balance
- Weight regulation
- Cognitive function/memory (“Umm… why did I come into this room??”)
- Mood and emotional resilience (obvi!)
- Muscle recovery and physical performance
Check out this stat: “Women aged 40–60 are more likely to experience insomnia symptoms than any other demographic.” – National Sleep Foundation. Hey girls, we’re winning!
So, What’s Sabotaging Your Sleep? Or, Common Sleep Disruptors for Midlife Women
- Hormonal shifts (perimenopause/menopause)
- Stress and mental load (caring for aging parents AND aging children, work-life balance, trying to solve all the world’s problems)
- Nighttime habits: screens (hello, Instagram!), caffeine, alcohol, late-night snacking
- Irregular routines
- Sleep environment (light, noise, temperature)
Okay, so what’s a girl to do?
✨ Julie’s Sleep Reset: What You Can Start Tonight
- Set a consistent sleep/wake time – even on weekends. Me last night? Hubby was out of town and that’s when I tend to get engrossed in projects, reading, playing guitar and singing, scrolling all the funny Instagrams, mopping the floor (at 2 a.m., for realz). All good sleep hygiene goes out the window.
- Create a wind-down routine (e.g., dim lights, bath, reading, stretching)
- Cut caffeine after 10am-ish (sorry ’bout that, but caffeine can stay in our system for 10 hours)
- Keep screens out of the bedroom (maybe get an old-fashioned alarm clock instead of using your phone as an alarm… or at least move your phone to the other side of the room where you’re not tempted to look at it when you wake up to pee at 3:00 a.m.)
- Cool down the room (65–68°F ideal)
- Try a sleep-promoting magnesium supplement (check with your doc)
- Mind dump before bed – journal or list tomorrow’s to-dos. This one is hugely helpful for me since, you know, I’m trying to solve all the world’s problems. The ones I didn’t solve today, I’ll add to my to-do list for tomorrow.
- Daily movement helps – even 20–30 minutes. Best to finish exercise prior to at least a couple hours before bed, so you don’t have the opposite effect of too much stimulation.
- Lift heavy weights – not-so-subtle plug to encourage weight training. On days when I deadlift at the gym, I always sleep well (they’re my “sleeping pills”). But you can start weight training with just your bodyweight… no fancy equipment required. Here’s a quick non-fancy video I made to get you started in your living room!
How about you?
How’s your sleep, really? What one small change could you make tonight?
To better zzzzzz’s,
Julie