Are you in midlife and exhausted? Does your bed feel like a battleground as you toss and turn all night? There are a few things worth knowing:

  • You are in very good company as more than half of perimenopausal women experience sleep issues.
  • New or heightened sleep problems are hallmark symptoms of perimenopause and menopause, often paired with hot flashes and night sweats.
  • Poor sleep often leads to mood and other health issues so it's important to seek help.
Fortunately, you can sleep better. And you deserve to. To start, check out our recent Menopause Talk with two sleep experts, and a Let's Talk Menopause "Ask the Expert" article with a CBT-i therapist.

Learn how to overcome insomnia and disrupted sleep during the menopause transition and beyond with experts Dr. Fiona Baker and Dr. Daniel J. Buysse.

We spoke to Dr. Sara Nowakowski, a leading expert on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-i), to answer our questions about why so many women struggle with sleep during perimenopause and what to do about it.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-i) and other options to help improve sleep

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-i or CBTI) is a short-term, structured, and evidence-based approach to resolving symptoms of sleep dysregulation and insomnia. According to a recently published report, CBT-i was the most effective intervention for sleep issues/insomnia.

Dr. Fiona Baker and Dr. Buysse in our recent Menopause Talk recommended the following CBT-i resources:
Other resources:
In the Menopause Talk, they also address medication options for sleep issues/insomnia.
The Menopause Society provides these guidelines for improving sleep in the menopause transition and beyond.

Fill out our symptoms checklist!

Please answer the questions to complete the symptoms checklist. While not a diagnostic tool, it is a printable resource to share with your povider to have an informed discussion about perimenopause.

illustration of symptoms checklist