Why sleep gets harder in your forties

Up at 3am? In perimenopause, shifting estrogen and progesterone fragment the deep sleep you used to get. Dinner cannot fix your hormones, but it can stop working against you.

Let dinner stop working against you

Eat a dinner that consists of protein, fiber, and fat. Keep your meal time consistent, and give yourself at least 2 to 3 hours to digest before bed. And give magnesium a regular spot on your plate: salmon, greens, nuts, seeds, and high fiber grains.

How much sleep do you actually need?

Seven to 8 hours is the sweet spot for most women. Needing nine or more hours a night is usually a signal, not the cause: hot flashes, sleep apnea, or low mood can fragment your sleep and leave you unrefreshed, so you stay in bed longer trying to catch up. That is worth mentioning to your clinician.

Source: Silveira et al., Age and Ageing 2026. The study followed 6,429 adults over 50 for eight years.

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The Monday Catch-Up: menopause care is finally having a moment