How 5 Women In Wellness Get A Good Night’s Sleep

Sleep has always been important to me – but midlife made it more fragile. I’ve always prioritised sleep, both professionally and personally, but in recent years I’ve noticed just how sensitive it has become. Things that never used to disturb me – late nights, screen time, a second coffee – now make a real impact. Sleep affects everything – my emotional resilience, stress tolerance, clarity and even how much joy I feel in my day. Most of the lifestyle tweaks I’ve made over the last decade have been rooted in safeguarding my ability to sleep well. 

My mornings start with a walk. I walk with the intention of seeking awe – whether it’s sunlight through trees, a striking skyline or birdsong. It’s a simple ritual that anchors my circadian rhythm, lifts my mood and reminds me to stay present. I also take a magnesium supplement in the late afternoon. It’s my go-to instead of caffeine. And I’m consistent with my bedtime and wake time – routine matters, especially in midlife.

The most powerful sleep tools aren’t high-tech. Breathwork, yoga nidra and restorative movement have all been game-changers for me. If we want to sleep better, we have to learn how to truly relax – even if it’s just 30 seconds at a time. The small moments add up.

Giving up caffeine changed everything. The most radical – and unexpectedly transformative – thing I’ve done was quitting caffeine. Once I got past the withdrawal, I was amazed at the difference. Without it, I’m less reactive, more resilient and I sleep more deeply. It’s had a ripple effect on my entire sense of wellbeing.  

Checking in with yourself is vital. If I could recommend one mindset shift for better midlife sleep, it would be to slow down and check in with yourself. It doesn’t have to be elaborate – even taking a quiet moment while you drink a glass of water can help. I’ll often place a hand on my chest as a simple reminder and ask, how am I doing? What do I need? These small moments of reflection allow us to catch early signs of depletion, rather than pushing through to the point of burnout. When we respond early and consistently, everything – including sleep – starts to feel more manageable. 

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Sleep is impacted by hormonal shifts. What surprises many women is that they don’t need to be having hot flushes to experience hormonal sleep disturbances – in fact, sleep is often impacted long before the more obvious symptoms of the menopause appear. Falling progesterone can increase anxiety, raise cortisol and reduce sleep quality. Even early waking – that frustrating 4am alertness – can be hormonal. Cortisol can also become dysregulated, especially in busy, high-functioning women who are juggling work, family and changing hormones. That ‘tired but wired’ state is common in midlife. 

But poor sleep is not inevitable. Many women assume midlife insomnia is just part of the deal, but it’s not. Another common mistake is treating sleep issues in isolation. You need to look at the bigger picture – hormones, nutrition, stress, alcohol and daily rhythm all play a part. Alcohol is one of the most disruptive factors when it comes to sleep. A glass of wine might help you feel relaxed, but it fragments deep sleep and causes middle-of-the-night wakefulness. 

Start with simple changes. Balancing blood sugar in the evening – think protein-rich dinners and cutting back on refined carbs or late-night snacking – can dramatically reduce night-time cortisol spikes. Morning light within 30 minutes of waking is another quick win. It helps reset your circadian rhythm and supports melatonin production later in the evening. I also swear by breath-led meditation, a cool bedroom (around 18°C) and natural fibre bedding – Devon Duvets are a personal favourite. 

Magnesium is a must. It’s gentle yet effective, especially when taken with l-theanine – they’re ideal for women who want to support sleep without feeling knocked out. I recommend the Oura Ring to many of my clients – it helps track sleep patterns and empowers women to understand their own rhythms. Weighted silk sleep masks are another favourite – they help stimulate melatonin while blocking light. I always do a digital sunset, too, turning all devices off at least an hour before bed. If I have to work late, I’ll wear blue-light blockers. 

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I used to treat sleep as optional – now it’s my superpower. For years, I cut corners on sleep when life got busy. But sleep is the foundation of everything – from mood and immunity to mental sharpness and even skin health. It’s not a luxury or something passive – it’s something we should all take seriously. Now, even with two young children, sleep is non-negotiable. It’s how I stay well and show up at my best. 

Consistency is my secret weapon. No matter what the day throws at me, I turn the lights off at 10pm. That regular rhythm supports circadian health, which in turn impacts everything from energy to metabolism. I have a strict fiction-only rule for bedtime reading, drink a calming tea and massage Fiore’s Firmante tonic on my legs. These rituals ground me physically and mentally, and they signal to my body that the day is done. 

I’m selective about what I use. The LYMA supplement earned its place because the results are tangible – a sharper mind, better mood and deeper sleep. I also swear by the Human Charger, a device my friend and longevity expert Dr Tam introduced me to. It delivers concentrated light through the ear canal to help reset the circadian rhythm – perfect after long-haul flights or on dark winter mornings when I need a boost. 

I finish dinner by 7pm and avoid late snacking. Giving my gut time to rest overnight has made a noticeable difference to my sleep quality. Movement is another must. I do a simple circuit workout every day – five moves, five rounds – focused on functional patterns that support strength and longevity. It’s quick, effective and the hormone boost regulates my mood and sleep. 

Sleep doesn’t need to be perfect – just nourishing. Too many of us turn rest into another achievement to tick off. But sleep shouldn’t be a chore. Choose a few rituals you look forward to – dim the lights, sip something calming, use scent, sound or breathwork – and create a sense of closure. When you send a clear message to your mind and body that it’s time to rest, sleep will come.

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My evening routine is sacred. I’ve seen firsthand how poor sleep throws everything out – from cortisol to oestrogen and hunger hormones. At 9pm, I switch gears – a chamomile tea, magnesium glycinate and ashwagandha, followed by a calming skincare ritual. I’ll usually journal or read to clear my head, too. I also keep my bedroom completely dark – essential for melatonin production to ensure deep sleep. And I never skip my morning meditation or evening breathwork – both keep my nervous system grounded and my cortisol levels in check. 

Tech can be a sleep ally. For women who find traditional meditation frustrating or hard to stick with, devices like Muse and Sensate can be transformative. Muse uses real-time feedback to help you learn how to shift into a calmer brain state, which is useful if your mind races at night. Sensate, on the other hand, uses sonic vibrations on the chest to tone the vagus nerve – it’s all about downregulating stress and easing the body into a sleep-ready state. Neither is a gimmick; both are backed by science and can fast-track relaxation when you need it most. 

We need to talk more about natural progesterone. It’s a calming, sleep-supportive hormone, but levels slowly decline in midlife, which is why insomnia, anxiety and poor sleep quality can creep in during perimenopause. This isn’t about synthetic progestins in birth control – I’m talking about body-identical progesterone, either prescribed or supported naturally through supplements like agnus castus, vitamin C, and foods rich in zinc and B6 like pumpkin seeds and almonds. When progesterone is optimised, sleep often improves dramatically – especially in that fragile window before your period or during hormone shifts in midlife.

Food timing is more important than we think. Eating my largest meal earlier in the day – rather than at dinner – has made a huge difference to how I sleep. Cortisol is released when we eat heavier meals and that can interfere with the body’s natural wind-down process. Using my Fitbit to track my heart rate overnight really opened my eyes to how certain foods were spiking it. 

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