Do you find yourself becoming frustrated because you can’t fall asleep at night? And once you do, do you wake up every half hour, just to have difficulty falling back to sleep? You may also still feel tired upon waking up in the morning, and then drag yourself through the day. Occasional sleeplessness is one of the common symptoms of perimenopause.

What is it?

Occasional sleeplessness in perimenopause is defined by the inability to fall asleep or stay asleep, as well as frequent waking during the night.

What causes it?

The most likely cause of your sleeplessness is the hormone fluctuations taking place in your body. It could also be due to:

• Night sweats (also a clear indicator of hormone imbalances)
• Stress
• Alcohol or caffeine consumption

What can you do?

• Avoid caffeine in the late afternoon and evening hours.
• Avoid or decrease alcohol. This may help you fall asleep initially, but can disturb your sleep later and cause you to awaken in the middle of the night.
• Eat a high protein snack at bedtime.
• Keep your bedroom cool at night to prevent night sweats.
• Exercise daily, but refrain from vigorous exercise within three hours of bedtime.