Why You Can’t Sleep During Perimenopause (and what to do about it)

Good sleep seems simple until it becomes elusive. In midlife, a lot of us begin to suffer in the length and quality of our nightly rest.

Many of the internal structures that support good sleep begin to decline after forty. To the trained eye, the type of sleep challenge reveals areas where we need the most support: cortisol regulation, liver congestion, declining progesterone levels and blood sugar balance.

Part of the reason improving our sleep seems impossible is because the things we try aren’t targeting our specific sleep issue. We take a handful of stabs in the dark, and when little changes, we give up, resigned to never sleep well again.

The systems that drive sleep disturbances are multi-faceted, and need tending on several levels. The actual changes required to improve sleep are manageable. While most of us are looking for “one and done” solutions, improving sleep shows us that real change is usually layered. One small habit on top of another until the tides begin to change. And while HRT can be an important piece of the puzzle, it is one of many & not “The Answer” to all sleep woes.

The question is, which habits to change? And which imbalances are driving your sleep troubles? While the solutions are often simple, knowing where to start is a science and and art. There are too many remedies to try them all. It’s important to have someone who can take a deeper look at your symptoms and sleep disturbances to help coax your body back into restful states of sleep through targeted, meaningful change.

That is where practitioners like Functional Nutritionists come in. Where traditional Western medicine looks more to relieving symptoms through medicine, the functional approach is geared towards prevention and habit change. Through a framework of looking at the foods you eat, and targeted, manageable lifestyle changes, you can make huge strides in regaining quality rest.

I’ve created a sleep guide for my clients that helps them track which area of sleep (cortisol, liver, declining progesterone, blood sugar) they need the most support in, so they can target interventions that will actually help. It’s available for free when you sign up for my newsletter: traciprendergast.squarespace.com/promotion