{"id":916665,"date":"2026-10-05T06:22:18","date_gmt":"2026-10-05T06:22:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/916665\/"},"modified":"2026-10-05T06:22:18","modified_gmt":"2026-10-05T06:22:18","slug":"menopause-guide-how-to-reclaim-your-sleep","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/916665\/","title":{"rendered":"Menopause guide: How to reclaim your sleep"},"content":{"rendered":"

We spoke to Dr Joanna Bruce, practice owner and specialist GP and Registered nurse and health coach Anna-Klara Skarp at\u00a0Myma Health<\/a>\u00a0in Sydney, about navigating perimenopause and\u00a0menopause<\/a>, from understanding the changes happening in your body to the treatment options and lifestyle shifts that can make a real difference.<\/p>\n

As part of this six week special, Dr Bruce and Anna-Klara Skarp share their expert advice on the symptoms to look out for, the latest treatment options and the practical steps women can take to feel healthier, stronger and more like themselves through menopause and beyond.<\/p>\n

\"Woman<\/p>\n

When the going gets tough, one of the first casualties is often our sleep. However, if you notice a clear difference as you enter perimenopause, your hormones could be the reason why you\u2019re suddenly tossing and turning.<\/p>\n

According to the Sleep Health Foundation, between 40 and 60 per cent of women experience significant sleep disturbances at this time of life.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is extremely common for women to struggle with sleep issues during perimenopause,\u201d sleep physician Professor Pierre Escourrou from Withings says. \u201cThe fluctuations in oestrogen and progesterone directly impact the brain\u2019s sleep-wake regulation, turning what used to be a natural process into a nightly struggle.\u201d<\/p>\n

What is happening?<\/p>\n

Sleep issues are often one of the first symptoms women notice during perimenopause<\/a>. GP Dr Joanna Bruce from Myma Health says these early sleep struggles are often caused by falling progesterone, which declines before oestrogen.<\/p>\n

\u201cProgesterone has a natural sedating effect and supports GABA, the brain\u2019s calming neurotransmitter. As it drops early in perimenopause, sleep becomes lighter and more disrupted,\u201d she explains.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven one or two nights of disrupted sleep measurably affects cognitive performance, mood and food choices. In perimenopause, where all these systems are already under hormonal pressure, sleep deprivation compounds everything.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 3am wakeup<\/p>\n

Struggling to fall asleep is one thing, but waking up too early can be the problem that you didn\u2019t see coming. Dr Bruce says there\u2019s also a reason why these disturbances often seem to occur between 2am and 4am.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis window corresponds to the body\u2019s natural cortisol rise, which begins in the early hours to prepare for waking. In perimenopause this can be exaggerated \u2013 cortisol rises earlier and more sharply, pulling women out of deep sleep,\u201d she explains.<\/p>\n

\u201cLow blood sugar (from not eating enough in the day, or eating too early) can also trigger a cortisol spike overnight.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnxiety, which is also common in perimenopause, tends to peak in that window when there are no daytime distractions.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Older<\/p>\n

Hot & bothered<\/p>\n

Night sweats are a hallmark symptom of perimenopause and Professor Escourrou says this occurs when dropping oestrogen impacts the part of the brain responsible for heat regulation. \u201cEven a tiny increase in room temperature can trick the brain into thinking the body is overheating, triggering a massive skin flush with sweating to shed heat,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n

This can be tricky on cold evenings when you need warm bedding but don\u2019t want to wake up feeling like you\u2019re in a sauna. Professor Escourrou says, \u201cThe key is moisture-wicking layers, like bamboo or silk, and opting for multiple thin blankets rather than one heavy duvet. This allows you to shed layers quickly during a flush without freezing the rest of the night.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Older<\/p>\n

Getting out of sleep debt<\/p>\n

It\u2019s usually easy to catch up on sleep if you\u2019ve missed a night or two. However, if you\u2019ve been struggling to sleep for a while, you may need to take a closer look at any habits that you can address.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen sleep disturbance becomes chronic, as is often the case during perimenopause, the focus shifts away from catch-up sleep and towards re-establishing a stable, regular sleep\u2013wake rhythm,\u201d Professor Escourrou says.<\/p>\n

For some people, tracking their sleep could provide helpful clues for breaking the cycle. It\u2019s always a good idea to talk to your doctor, who can talk you through potential treatments and recommend lifestyle changes.<\/p>\n

\u201cTreatment often involves Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) to stabilise these levels, but non-hormonal options and specific lifestyle adjustments are also highly effective for managing the body\u2019s internal thermostat,\u201d Professor Escourrou says.<\/p>\n

\"BioIsland<\/p>\n

Brought to you by Bio Island.<\/p>\n

Proudly 100% Australian made and owned, Bio Island has been championing family health from pregnancy, infancy and beyond for close to two decades. We are committed to providing quality, evidence based nutritional solutions for every member of your family.<\/p>\n

\n\tRelated<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"We spoke to Dr Joanna Bruce, practice owner and specialist GP and Registered nurse and health coach Anna-Klara…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":916666,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[64,63,137],"class_list":["post-916665","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-health","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-health"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/916665","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=916665"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/916665\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/916666"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=916665"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=916665"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=916665"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}