Why you can’t sleep

Why Sleep Gets Tricky in Perimenopause (and How Nutrition Can Help You Drift Off Easier)

If you’ve found yourself lying awake at 3am, mind buzzing, or waking far earlier than you’d like, you’re not imagining things. Sleep disruptions are incredibly common in perimenopause. In fact, research shows that changes in hormone levels during this stage can directly impact how quickly you fall asleep, how deeply you rest, and how often you wake (Korman et al., 2023; Zaslavsky et al., 2023).

For some women, this is about oestrogen and progesterone shifts, both influence temperature regulation, melatonin production, and brain activity during sleep (Zaslavsky et al., 2023). For others, it’s about stress hormones like cortisol, which can creep up at night and keep the mind wired. And for many, nutrition plays a bigger role than we realise.

What the research says about sleep & diet in midlife

Several recent studies looking at pre-, peri-, and post-menopausal women have found fascinating links between what we eat and how we sleep:

• Low nutrient intake – Women in perimenopause who ate fewer total foods, or had low intake of protein, carbohydrates, thiamin (B1), folate, choline, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, and selenium, were more likely to have very short sleep (<5 hours) (Xu et al., 2023).

• Low-salt diets & long sleep – Interestingly, in perimenopausal women, being on a low-salt diet was linked with a lower risk of excessively long sleep (≥9 hours) (Xu et al., 2023). While that might sound like a bad thing (who doesn’t love a sleep-in) regularly sleeping much longer than average can sometimes signal that the body isn’t getting quality rest during the night, or that there’s an underlying health concern. In other words, it’s not just about how long you sleep, but how restful that sleep is. Lower salt intake may help keep sleep patterns in a healthier 7–8 hour range by supporting blood pressure balance, reducing fluid retention, and possibly improving sleep quality overall.

• Sugar and short sleep in post-menopause – For post-menopausal women, higher sugar intake, combined with lower phosphorus and zinc intake, was linked to shorter sleep (Xu et al., 2023).

• Protein for better rest – Across multiple studies, a higher-protein diet (especially from whole food sources) was consistently associated with better sleep quality (Korman et al., 2023; Zaslavsky et al., 2023).

While these findings don’t prove cause-and-effect, they give us valuable clues about the nutrients that may support healthy sleep patterns during midlife.

Why this matters in perimenopause

In perimenopause, sleep can be affected by:

• Night sweats and hot flushes disrupting temperature regulation (Korman et al., 2023)

• Lower progesterone making it harder to relax (Zaslavsky et al., 2023)

• Fluctuating oestrogen impacting serotonin and melatonin (Zaslavsky et al., 2023)

• Stress load and blood sugar swings making night-time waking more likely (Korman et al., 2023)

When you’re also eating a diet low in key nutrients, it’s like asking your body to run on an empty tank. The result? Your sleep quality suffers even more.

 

Nutrition strategies for better midlife sleep

Based on the evidence, here are some practical, food-first ways to support your sleep:

1. Prioritise protein
   1. Aim for a source of protein at every meal to stabilise blood sugar, reduce night waking, and support neurotransmitters involved in sleep regulation. Think eggs, lean meats, legumes, fish, and Greek yoghurt (Korman et al., 2023).

2. Don’t fear healthy carbs
   1. Whole food carbs, like sweet potato, quinoa, and fruit, can help signal to the brain that it’s time to rest, especially when eaten at dinner (Xu et al., 2023).

3. Boost your B vitamins & minerals
   1. Thiamin (B1), folate, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, and zinc all appear in sleep research. Include leafy greens, nuts, seeds, seafood, and legumes regularly (Xu et al., 2023).

4. Keep an eye on sugar
   1. Reducing refined sugar not only helps sleep but also supports hormone balance and energy (Xu et al., 2023).

5. Balance your fluids & electrolytes
   1. If you’re intentionally cutting salt, be mindful of potential electrolyte imbalances, especially if you’re active or prone to night sweats (Xu et al., 2023).

When to seek extra support

If you’re struggling with your sleep, or experiencing other perimenopausal symptoms, like mood changes, brain fog, or heavy periods, it’s a sign your body may need deeper support.

 At Katie Blakely Wellness, we consider your entire picture, including hormones, stress load, nutrition, and lifestyle factors. Together, we can create a personalised plan to enhance your sleep and overall well-being.

Book your free discovery call with me here.

Wondering if you’re in perimenopause?

Download our Free Quiz and get more of an idea of if perimenopause might be driving your symptoms.

More than just one on one:

Please keep an eye on our Health Hub to see what we have available. We also have a great collection of free resources which you can download here. By joining the mailing list we will also let you know when new resources are uploaded – ps. we have a LIVE perimenopause webinar coming end of October! We will be updating those on the mailing list first.