SILENT NIGHTS: HOW TO PROTECT YOUR SLEEP DURING THE HOLIDAY RUSH

Have you ever stayed up late wrapping gifts or scrolling through endless holiday sales, only to wake up feeling like a zombie the next day? For women in perimenopause, sleep is already hard to come by - throw in holiday stress, and it can feel nearly impossible.

In this blog, I’ll share why sleep becomes harder in perimenopause, explain how your sleep cycles work, and give you practical strategies to protect your rest during the busy holiday season.

WHY SLEEP IS HARDER DURING PERIMENOPAUSE (AND WHY IT MATTERS EVEN MORE NOW)

Perimenopause brings significant hormonal changes that can wreak havoc on your sleep. As estrogen and progesterone levels begin to fluctuate and decline, your body’s ability to regulate its sleep cycles is disrupted.

Estrogen plays a critical role in producing melatonin, the hormone that signals your body it’s time to sleep. With less estrogen, melatonin production drops, making it harder to fall and stay asleep. Estrogen changes also affect how your brain regulates temperature, leading to night sweats and hot flushes, which can wake you up in the middle of the night feeling drenched and uncomfortable.

Progesterone, nature’s calming hormone, helps you relax, fall asleep, and stay in deep sleep. But during perimenopause, progesterone levels drop faster than estrogen, which can lead to racing thoughts at bedtime and frequent midnight wake-ups.

On top of that, cortisol, the stress hormone, can spike unpredictably due to hormone imbalances, making it harder to wind down in the evening and causing you to wake up at 2 or 3 am, or feeling “wired but tired” at bed time. It’s a frustrating cycle where less sleep leads to higher cortisol levels, increasing stress and making restful nights even more elusive.

HOW SLEEP WORKS: UNDERSTANDING YOUR SLEEP STAGES

Sleep is divided into two major types: Non-REM sleep and REM sleep. Throughout the night, your body cycles between these two types several times, with each cycle lasting about 90 minutes. Every stage has a unique purpose, helping restore both your mind and body.

NON-REM SLEEP: THE FOUNDATION OF REST

Non-REM sleep is when your body does its deepest repair work. It has three distinct stages based on brainwave activity measured in sleep studies:

STAGE 1: LIGHT SLEEP (THE TRANSITION)

This is the moment between wakefulness and sleep. Your breathing slows, muscles relax, and your body starts to wind down. It’s easy to be woken up in this stage, which typically lasts just a few minutes.

STAGE 2: CORE SLEEP (TRUE SLEEP)

By this stage, you’re officially asleep. Your heart rate slows, and your body temperature drops. Brain waves slow down, but bursts of activity still occur, helping process information from the day. You’ll spend the largest portion of the night in this stage.

STAGE 3: DEEP SLEEP (SLOW-WAVE SLEEP)

This is the most restorative phase of sleep, also called slow-wave sleep due to its distinct brainwave patterns. During deep sleep, your body focuses on:

• Cell and tissue repair
• Immune system strengthening
• Metabolic regulation
• Brain detoxification (clearing out waste products)

Deep sleep is vital for physical recovery and overall health, but it naturally declines as we age - especially during perimenopause.

REM SLEEP: THE MIND’S REPAIR ZONE

REM sleep (Rapid Eye Movement) is when your brain becomes highly active, similar to when you’re awake. Your eyes move rapidly under your eyelids - hence the name - and this is when most of your dreaming occurs.

During REM sleep, your muscles become temporarily paralysed to prevent you from acting out your dreams (a built-in safety feature!). Brain activity during this stage supports:

• Memory consolidation: Turning new information into lasting memories
• Emotional processing: Managing stress, trauma, and daily emotions
• Creative thinking: Boosting problem-solving and innovative thinking

Timing tip: You get more REM sleep in the second half of the night. If you wake up frequently after midnight, you may miss this critical phase, leaving you feeling emotionally drained and forgetful the next day.

Fun fact: In colder temperatures, you may get less REM sleep. This happens because your body stops regulating its temperature during REM sleep, making chilly environments more disruptive.

WAYS TO IMPROVE SLEEP THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

1. SYNC WITH NATURE’S CLOCK

Your body’s internal clock, known as your circadian rhythm, relies on light exposure to regulate sleep hormones like melatonin. Sunlight in the morning signals your brain to produce less melatonin, waking you up naturally. In the evening, the sunset (and keeping lighting warm and dim inside) helps cue your body that it’s time to wind down and prepare for sleep.

HOW TO TRY IT:

• Spend at least 20 minutes outside in natural light before 10 a.m., even if it’s just a short walk around the block or breakfast on your patio.
• Watch the sunset in the evening or go for a gentle walk outside to help trigger melatonin production.
• Switch off bright overhead lights at home after dinner, using warm, low-light lamps or candles instead.

2. RETHINK YOUR EVENINGS

Good sleep starts long before bedtime. Stimulants like coffee, chocolate, alcohol, and even intense TV/streaming shows can make it hard to unwind. A structured evening routine sends calming signals to your brain and sets you up for restful sleep.

HOW TO TRY IT:

• Create a wind-down routine: Dedicate the hour (or whatever time you can carve out) before bed to screen-free activities like reading, stretching, a calming herbal tea, or listening to calming music.
• Make your bedroom a sleep sanctuary: Use blackout curtains, a comfortable mattress, sheets that help you regulate your temperature (I love bamboo for this), and clutter-free surroundings. Keep your phone off, or at least in flight mode, and 1m+ from your head.
• Limit stimulants: Avoid caffeine, chocolate, and alcohol after mid-afternoon, especially during holiday events.

3. TRY A “SLEEP RESET” NIGHT

If holiday activities throw off your schedule, plan an intentional early-to-bed night to reset your circadian rhythm. One good night of rest can help realign your body’s internal clock.

HOW TO TRY IT:

• Pick a quiet evening with no obligations.
• Be in bed by 9 p.m., and spend 30 minutes unwinding beforehand - try a herbal tea, warm bath, or journaling session.
• Skip the screens: No phones, tablets, or laptops for at least an hour before bed - blue light from devices can suppress melatonin.

4. MAGNESIUM: YOUR HOLIDAY HELPER

Magnesium supports muscle relaxation, calms the nervous system, and even helps your body produce melatonin. Many women are deficient in magnesium, especially during stressful periods.

HOW TO TRY IT:

• Eat magnesium-rich foods: Include dark leafy greens like spinach, broccoli, red oak lettuce, and almonds, pumpkin seeds in your meals.
• Try an epsom salt bath: Soak in a warm bath with Epsom salts before bed for relaxation and some mineral absorption. (Magnesium baths and sprays don’t significantly raise blood levels of magnesium, but are great for muscle relaxation and unwinding.)
• Supplement wisely: Consider a good quality magnesium glycinate, citrate, or amino acid chelate supplement, especially if stress or restless sleep is persistent. Around 300mg elemental is safe and effective for most adults. However, check with a health professional and read the package instructions.

The festive season doesn’t have to mean sacrificing your sleep - or your sanity. By understanding how your body’s sleep cycles work and making small but powerful adjustments, you can enjoy the celebrations while staying rested, calm, and energised.

What’s your go-to trick for winding down during the holiday rush? Drop your favourite sleep tip in the comments or tag me on Instagram at @ThePerimenopauseNaturopath, I’d love to hear what works for you and share it with others!