The Menopause Sleep Checklist: 10 Small Changes That Can Make a Big Difference

Menopause |
8 min read

Published

August 21, 2026

Medically reviewed by

Alyssa Dweck MS, MD, FACOG, MSCP, Chief Medical Officer

If disrupted sleep has become your new normal since perimenopause began, you're in good company. Upwards of 70% of women in perimenopause report sleep problems related to the menopause transition, making poor quality sleep one of the more common and frustrating symptoms of this life stage.¹

As estrogen and progesterone shift, so does the body's ability to regulate temperature, mood, and the sleep-wake cycle.²

The encouraging news? Small, consistent changes in your daily routine may meaningfully improve your menopause sleep problems. Keep reading to learn more about 10 evidence-based steps to help you sleep better during menopause and beyond.

The Menopause Sleep Checklist

1. Keep Your Bedroom Cool

Lowering your bedroom temperature to around 60–67°F may be helpful for better sleep during this time. Doing so can create an environment that supports the natural drop in core body temperature your body needs to initiate and maintain sleep.³

This is especially important during perimenopause and menopause, when estrogen fluctuations and then stark declines make the body's internal thermostat more erratic — a perfect recipe for disruptive night sweats and frequent night wakings.⁴

What to Try: Consider setting your thermostat before bed, using a fan to keep air circulating, and consider a cooling mattress pad or moisture-wicking bedding to help you more-effectively manage night sweats and sleep disruptions through the night.

2. Consider Switching to Moisture-Wicking Sleepwear and Bedding

When night sweats hit, the right fabrics can be the difference between a brief disruption and being wide awake for an hour or more. Breathable, natural materials like cotton, bamboo, and linen help regulate body temperature and draw moisture away from the skin, easing the discomfort that can accompany night sweats.⁵

What to Try: Replace synthetic pajamas and heavy bedding with lightweight, natural-fiber options. Some women also find that sleeping in layers — so they can shed them quickly during a hot flash — helps them get back to sleep faster.

3. Take a Warm Shower or Bath Before Bed

This one might feel counterintuitive when you're already prone to overheating, but research supports it. A meta-analysis of 13 studies found that taking a warm shower or bath an hour or two before bedtime can shorten how long it takes to fall asleep by about 36%.⁶

The mechanism: warm water draws blood to the skin's surface, which helps release heat from the body's core — triggering the temperature drop that signals it's time to sleep.⁷

What to Try: Aim for a warm shower about 90 minutes before you plan to go to bed to support a more comfortable body temperature.

4. Stick to a Consistent Sleep and Wake Schedule

During the menopause transition, hormonal changes can negatively impact the circadian rhythm, or the body's internal clock that regulates sleep and wakefulness.⁸

A routine and consistent daily sleep and wake time helps to reinforce those natural signals, making it easier to fall asleep at night and feel alert during the day.⁹Irregular schedules, including sleeping in on weekends to "catch up," may worsen perimenopause sleep issues over time as it’s outside of routine.

What to Try: Set a consistent bedtime and wake time — even on weekends — and aim to get some natural light exposure in the morning, which helps reset your internal, circadian clock.¹⁰

5. Limit Alcohol, Especially in the Evening

Having a glass of wine may be something you turn to in order to help yourself unwind, but alcohol actually can disrupt how sleep works by reducing the deep, restorative type of sleep your body needs.

For women navigating the hormonal changes of perimenopause and sleep, the effects can be particularly pronounced. Research suggests that alcohol can widen blood vessels and trigger or worsen hot flashes and night sweats, further fragmenting sleep during this time.¹¹

What to Try: If you drink alcohol, try cutting off consumption at least a few hours before bedtime, or experiment with skipping it altogether in the evening and noticing whether your sleep improves.

6. Cut Back on Caffeine in the Afternoon

Caffeine has a longer half-life in the body than most people realize, meaning the coffee you had at 3 p.m. may still be affecting your ability to fall asleep hours later. For women already dealing with the sleep disruptions of perimenopause and menopause, caffeine in the afternoon or evening can compound the problem.¹²

What to Try: Set a personal caffeine cutoff time— midday is a reasonable goal — and consider swapping an afternoon coffee for herbal tea or another warm, caffeine-free option.

7. Move Your Body, but Earlier in the Day

Regular physical activity is one of the most well-supported tools for improving sleep quality in midlife women, including those navigating menopause sleeplessness.

Exercise helps regulate mood, reduce stress, and support the body's natural sleep rhythms.¹³ But timing matters, as vigorous exercise too close to bedtime can have a stimulating effect and make it harder to fall asleep.¹⁴

What to Try: Aim to complete any moderate to vigorous exercise at least 3–4 hours before bed. Morning or early afternoon workouts tend to be most beneficial for sleep.

8. Create a Wind-Down Routine

A consistent pre-sleep ritual sends a clear signal to your nervous system that it's time to shift out of "on" mode. During perimenopause, when progesterone — a naturally calming hormone — is declining, many women notice they may feel more wired, anxious, or unable to quiet their thoughts at night.¹⁵

Incorporating a deliberate wind-down routine can help counteract that.

What to Try: In the 30–60 minutes before bed, choose one or two calming activities: a few minutes of gentle stretching, reading something low-stakes, light journaling, or a breathing exercise. The specific activity matters less than the consistency of the routine.¹⁶

9. Put the Screens Away

The blue light emitted by phones, tablets, and televisions can interfere with the production of melatonin — the hormone that helps regulate the sleep-wake cycle.¹⁷ Melatonin production is already negatively affected by declining estrogen during the menopause transition, making it even more important to protect against things that suppress it further.¹⁸

What to Try: Set a device "curfew" at least an hour before bed. If scrolling before sleep is a tough habit to break, try switching your phone to night mode to reduce blue light exposure, or swap screen time for a book or podcast.

10. Consider Mindfulness or Relaxation Practices

Research suggests that mind-body practices — including mindfulness meditation, yoga, and Pilates — can meaningfully improve sleep quality in women during perimenopause and menopause, in addition to supporting mood and reducing anxiety.¹⁹

For women whose sleep is disrupted more by racing thoughts than by night sweats, these approaches may be especially helpful.

What to Try: You don't need a lengthy practice to see benefits. Even 5–10 minutes of guided meditation or deep breathing before bed can help calm the nervous system and make falling asleep easier. Free apps and online videos make it easier than ever to find something that works for you.

For more tips on how to improve sleep during menopause, check out this quick video from Bonafide Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Alyssa Dweck, below:

Over-the-Counter Remedies for Menopause Sleeplessness

Some women may also find over the counter remedies, such as dietary supplements for menopause sleeplessness, worth exploring, including magnesium, particularly magnesium glycinate, which plays a role in nervous system relaxation and may support sleep quality.²⁰ As with any supplement, it's worth discussing with your healthcare provider before adding it to your routine, especially if you take other medications.

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Healthcare Provider and Talk Therapy Support

If menopause sleep problems are significantly affecting your daily life — like your mood, work, or relationships — that's worth bringing it up with a trusted healthcare provider.

Cognitive behavioral therapy for sleeplessness (CBT-I) is a well-supported, non-pharmacological treatment that's been shown to meaningfully improve sleep in menopausal women, with benefits that can last well beyond the treatment itself.²¹ Menopause Hormone Therapy is another option that may help some women who are more greatly impacted by disruptive night sweats. A knowledgeable provider can help you weigh whether this makes sense for your situation – there are also other non-hormonal prescription options that may help with menopause sleeplessness. It’s always best to talk with your provider to determine the best approach for your needs.²²

Better Sleep is Achievable in Menopause

Knowing how to sleep better during menopause doesn't have to be a mystery. For most women, meaningful improvement starts with a handful of consistent, evidence-informed habits, not an overhaul of everything at once. Try adding one or two items from this checklist at a time and notice what shifts. Small changes, made consistently, can add up to real improvements in rest.

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