The Hidden Ways Your Evening Routine May Be Disrupting Your Sleep (And How to Fix It)

It’s late. You’re ready for sleep, but your body seems to have other plans. OR … you fall asleep quickly, only to wake up at 2 or 3 AM, heart racing, mind alert. OR! … you wake up at +/-5AM, far too early, but unable to go back to sleep. You tell yourself: “I’ll rest better tomorrow!” BUT the cycle repeats. Ughhh!

First, I didn’t question these disturbances. I figured they were a fluke that will pass. Unfortunately, this continued for me for several weeks and that’s when I started really looking into the reasons WHY???

For 2 weeks I tried wearing a blood glucose monitor, I noticed a pattern: every time I woke up suddenly in the middle of the night, my blood sugar had dropped. Interesting! When I started tracking my evenings, I saw something else: small changes, like when I ate my last meal, when I exercised, or whether I looked at my phone before bed, made a difference in how well I slept.

To address this problem from all angles, I also decided to learn about helpful supplements and incorporated them into my evening routine.

I actually learned and tried a lot of things! Did I completely get rid of this problem? Unfortunately not 100%! But I definitely improved the situation.

First, Let’s Figure out Why Sleep Becomes So Unpredictable in Menopause

Sleep disturbances are one of the most commonly reported symptoms in perimenopause and menopause. It’s not just a phase of life, it’s actually a direct result of hormonal shifts.

✔️ Declining progesterone levels – Progesterone has a natural calming effect on the brain, almost like an internal tranquilizer. As levels drop, so does its ability to quiet the nervous system, which makes it harder to fall and stay asleep.
✔️ Fluctuating estrogen – Estrogen helps regulate body temperature and melatonin production. When it dips, night sweats, sudden wake-ups, and fragmented sleep become common.
✔️ Cortisol spikes – With hormones shifting all kinds of ways, stress hormones like cortisol can rise at the wrong time, making it harder to stay asleep or causing you to wake too early.

Considering that these 3 important hormones are ‘not on our side’ during perimenopause, it makes sense to be extra mindful of our bedtime routines and habits to ensure we’re not sabotaging our sleep even more. So the question is: “What CAN we control to improve sleeping situation??”

The Silent Disruptors of Sleep

Blue Light Before Bed: A Signal to Stay Awake

Your brain has a natural rhythm, responding to light and darkness to regulate sleep. But artificial blue light from phones, tablets, and TVs confuses that rhythm, signaling to your body that it’s still daytime. Research from the National Institute on Aging has shown that blue light exposure before bed suppresses melatonin, the very hormone responsible for helping you fall asleep.

👉 Try This Tonight: Dim your lights in the evening and avoid screens for at least an hour before bed. If screen time is unavoidable, use blue light-blocking glasses or switch your devices to a warm color mode.

That Evening Glass of Wine (Or Late-Night Chocolate)

A drink before bed can feel relaxing, but alcohol actually fragments sleep. It sedates you early on, but later in the night, it disrupts deep sleep cycles and increases the likelihood of waking up too early.

I learned this the hard way. One of my first noticeable perimenopause symptoms was waking up drenched in sweat after having red wine. And chocolate? While it seems innocent enough, dark chocolate contains caffeine, which stays in your system for several hours.

👉 Try This Tonight: Swap out nighttime drinks for herbal teas like chamomile or valerian root, and if you crave chocolate, have it earlier in the day.

Too Much, Too Little, or the Wrong Food?

Waking up at 2 or 3 AM for no clear reason can be one of the most frustrating sleep disturbances. But I noticed a pattern – on the nights my blood sugar dropped too low, I woke up.

👉 Try This Tonight: If you wake up in the middle of the night, experiment with having a small, balanced bedtime snack. A spoonful of almond butter, some Greek yogurt, or a handful of nuts can help stabilize blood sugar overnight.

Is Your Evening Workout Keeping You Awake?

We all know exercise is good for overall health, but timing matters, especially when it comes to sleep. Strength training or intense workouts late in the evening can disrupt sleep by depleting glycogen stores, which may contribute to nighttime blood sugar drops. When glycogen levels are low, the body may trigger a stress response to compensate, potentially leading to midnight wake-ups or early morning cortisol spikes. Additionally, workouts raise body temperature and increase adrenaline levels, both of which can make it harder to wind down for sleep.

​👉 Try This Tonight: If you’re noticing restlessness, middle-of-the-night awakenings, or early wake-ups after late workouts, try shifting exercise to earlier in the day or at least 4-5 hours before bedtime to allow your body enough time to recover and stabilize blood sugar levels.

Room Too Light? Or Is Your Clock Keeping You Awake?

You check the clock, it is 5:15 AM. Too early, but you’re fully alert. Frustratingly, you didn’t even get your full sleep requirement. One common mistake? Checking the time the moment you wake up. When you glance at the clock, your brain immediately starts processing the information, trying to calculate how much sleep you’ve got, how long until the alarm, and often triggering stress or wakefulness that keeps you from going back to sleep.

👉 Try This Tonight:

• Keep your bedroom cool and dark. Even small amounts of early morning light can reinforce the habit of waking up too soon.
• Avoid checking the time if you wake up before your alarm. Train yourself to relax, keep your eyes closed, and resist the urge to calculate your remaining sleep.

Supplements That Support Perimenopause Sleep

After doing some research and combing through reviews, I zeroed-in on these 4 supplements that I have successfully incorporated into my evening routine.

Symptom	Best Supplement(s)	Why
Trouble Falling Asleep	Magnesium Glycinate + L-Theanine	Relaxes the nervous system and reduces racing thoughts.
Waking Up at 2-3 AM	Glycine + L-Theanine	Glycine lowers body temperature, L-Theanine calms nighttime anxiety.
Waking Up Too Early (5-6 AM)	Magnesium Glycinate + Glycine	Helps regulate cortisol spikes and deeper sleep cycles.
Night Sweats / Hot Flashes	Magnesium Glycinate + Glycine	Regulates body temperature and supports hormonal balance.
Stress & Anxiety Before Bed	L-Theanine + Magnesium	Reduces stress hormones, promotes calm focus.

Effectiveness of these Supplements for Perimenopausal Sleep Issues

Data from:
Abbasi B et al. “The effect of magnesium supplementation on primary insomnia in elderly: A double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial.” J Res Med Sci, 2012.
Kimura K et al. “L-Theanine reduces psychological and physiological stress responses.” Biol Psychol, 2007.
Bannai M et al. “The effects of glycine on subjective daytime performance in partially sleep-restricted healthy volunteers.” Front Neurol, 2012.
Langade D et al. “Efficacy and safety of Ashwagandha root extract in insomnia and anxiety: A randomized controlled trial.” Cureus, 2020.

Why these 4 you ask?

1. Magnesium Glycinate – The Relaxation Mineral

Why It Helps with Sleep & Perimenopause:
✔️ Calms the Nervous System → makes it easier to fall and stay asleep.
✔️ Eases Muscle Tension & Restless Legs – Magnesium can relieve muscle cramps, tension, and restless leg syndrome, which are common sleep disruptors.
✔️ Supports Progesterone Production – Since progesterone has natural calming effects and declines during perimenopause, ensuring adequate magnesium levels can support hormonal balance.
✔️ Helps with Night Sweats & Hot Flashes – Some studies suggest magnesium may help regulate temperature fluctuations and reduce the severity of hot flashes.

Best Form for Sleep:

• Magnesium Glycinate – Highly absorbable, gentle on digestion, and specifically beneficial for relaxation, anxiety, and sleep.
• Avoid Magnesium Oxide – Poor absorption, mostly works as a laxative.

How to Take It:

• Dosage: 200-400 mg 1 hour before bed.
• Pair with L-Theanine or Glycine for a stronger sleep effect.

2. L-Theanine – The “Calm but Not Sedated” Sleep Aid

Why It Helps with Sleep & Perimenopause:
✔️ Reduces Anxiety & Racing Thoughts – L-Theanine is an amino acid found in green tea it quiets overactive thoughts and makes it easier to unwind.
✔️ Promotes Relaxation Without Drowsiness – Unlike sedatives, L-Theanine doesn’t knock you out, instead it helps to switch off stress hormones.
✔️ Increases GABA, Serotonin & Dopamine – These neurotransmitters support a stable mood and relaxation, counteracting the heightened stress response that often worsens during perimenopause.

How to Take It:

• Dosage: 100-200 mg before bed.
• Pairing: Works well with magnesium or glycine for an even deeper relaxation effect.

💡 Bonus Tip: If you wake up in the middle of the night and can’t fall back asleep, a small dose of L-Theanine (50-100 mg) may help quiet the mind without grogginess the next day.

3. Glycine – The Sleep Enhancer That Also Cools the Body

Why It Helps with Sleep & Perimenopause:
✔️ Lowers Core Body Temperature for Deeper Sleep. It helps by enhancing blood flow to the skin, allowing the body to release excess heat, which can be especially helpful for hot flashes or night sweats.
✔️ Increases Deep Sleep & Sleep Quality – Studies show glycine improves sleep efficiency, meaning you spend more time in deep, restorative sleep and wake up feeling more refreshed.
✔️ Reduces Nighttime Cortisol & Stress Responses – If you wake up wired in the middle of the night, glycine helps quiet the stress response and bring the body back into a parasympathetic “rest-and-digest” state.

How to Take It:

• Dosage: 3-5 grams (3000-5000 mg) before bed.
• Forms: Powder (tasteless, can be mixed into water or tea) or capsules.
• Pairing: Magnesium + Glycine is an excellent combination for those experiencing restless sleep, stress, or night sweats.

4. Ashwagandha – The Stress Reliever That Helps You Sleep Deeper

Why It Helps with Sleep & Perimenopause:
✔️ Reduces Cortisol (Stress Hormone). One of the biggest culprits behind mid-night wakeups and early awakenings is elevated cortisol levels, which can remain high when they should be dropping for sleep. Ashwagandha is an adaptogen, meaning it helps regulate cortisol and promotes a more balanced stress response.
✔️ Improves Sleep Quality. Studies suggest Ashwagandha can increase total sleep time and improve sleep efficiency (how much of your time in bed is spent actually sleeping). It enhances non-REM sleep, which is important for deep, restorative rest.
✔️ Supports Progesterone & Hormonal Balance. Ashwagandha may support adrenal health, which in turn helps with overall hormonal balance, indirectly supporting progesterone and reducing nervous system overactivity.
✔️ Helps with Anxiety & Restlessness. Ashwagandha helps lower brain hyperactivity, making it easier to relax. It can reduce nighttime anxiety, which is often a major contributor to difficulty falling asleep.

How to Take It:

• Pairing: Works well with magnesium glycinate, L-theanine, or glycine for deeper relaxation.
• Dosage: 300-600 mg about 30-60 minutes before bed.
• Tea vs. Supplement: You can also drink Ashwagandha tea in the evening, though capsules or powders tend to have a stronger effect.

2 BONUS Tricks that actually work!

A Breathing Trick to Fall Asleep Faster

If your body feels tired, but your mind refuses to settle, try this simple breathing method. I came across this technique in my Instagram feed and decided to try. It definitely worked for me 😉

1. Lie in bed and breathe slowly and calmly for five cycles.
2. On the sixth cycle, open your eyes briefly, then close them again.
3. Repeat this pattern.

By the fourth or fifth cycle, your eyes will feel noticeably heavier, and sleep will come naturally.

Using Hypnosis & Sleep Stories for Deep Rest

Some nights, even when everything is right, the mind just won’t settle. This is where sleep hypnosis can be a game-changer.

👉 Try This Tonight:

• Download an app like Hypnosis, Calm, or Insight Timer and look for guided sessions like “Falling Asleep Hypnosis” or “Sleep Story for Deep Rest.”
• Many of these use gentle storytelling techniques, like adult fairytales, to lull your brain into sleep without effort.

This is a great example of a sleep story that might help you.

This is a great hypnosis track for deep sleep:

Encouragement

Tonight try one or two suggestions and see how you feel. Stick with them for a week, note any improvements. Add something else. Before long, you will be able to find what works and stick to it!

Cheers to sleeping well!