How Menopausal Women Can Reclaim Rest

Sleep — that magical reset button — is often one of the first casualties of menopause.

- TAMANNA SINGH

Nights that once felt uneventful suddenly become restless, sweaty, or broken into frustrating fragments. For millions of women, what should be restorative has turned into a nightly battle.

And the consequences go far beyond feeling tired. Chronic sleep loss in midlife has been tied to mood swings, memory lapses, weaker immunity, heart risks, even dementia. Yet too often, women are brushed off with “it’s normal” or given sleeping pills that only mask the surface.

Why Sleep Slips Away

Two hormones are at the heart of this story: estrogen and progesterone.

• Estrogen helps steady body temperature and supports serotonin, which in turn shapes mood and sleep.

• Progesterone acts like nature's sedative, calming the nervous system.