Wake Up Glowing! Top 5 Sleep Tips for Women in Midlife

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The Importance of Good Sleep

Let’s be honest: sleep in midlife isn’t what it used to be (this is probably the understatement of the year!). One minute we're sleeping like champs on a futon in a stranger's dorm room, the next we’re lying awake at 3 a.m. wondering if we used too many exclamation marks in an email message.

Hormonal changes, stress, and shifting routines can throw off even the best sleepers. But here's the thing: sleep is non-negotiable when it comes to wellness. When we sleep well, everything else feels easier. Our skin looks brighter, our minds feel clearer, and we have the energy to actually enjoy the lives we’re building. Sleep supports hormone balance, immune function, mood regulation, metabolism, and even how our bodies respond to supplements (hello, wonderful collagen!). If you’ve been trying to improve your health, glow, or energy levels and are skipping over sleep, this is your gentle nudge to make it a primary focus.

Read on for 5 simple and realistic tips to help you get the rest your body (and skin!) is craving.

1. Stick to a Sleep-Wake Rhythm

One of the most effective (and underrated!) strategies to improve sleep quality is to establish a consistent sleep schedule. Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, even on weekends, helps reinforce your body’s natural circadian rhythm. This regularity can make it easier to fall asleep, stay asleep, and wake up feeling more refreshed.

Think of it like training your internal clock: the more consistent you are, the more your body learns when it’s time to power down and when it’s time to rise. Yes, even if you were once the queen of spontaneous late nights, midlife bodies thrive on predictability.

Start by picking a bedtime and wake-up time that fits your lifestyle and feels realistic. Then...stick with it! To make the transition smoother, work on creating a relaxing pre-bed routine that signals to your brain that sleep is coming. That might be reading a few pages of a book (not on your phone!), stretching gently, doing some breathwork, or sipping herbal tea. The key is consistency. Your future well-rested self will thank you!

2. Make Your Bedroom a Sleep Sanctuary

If your sleep space isn’t doing you any favors, it might be time for a mini bedroom glow-up. The environment you sleep in has a huge impact on how well you rest, so why not turn your bedroom into a true sanctuary?

Start by thinking cool, dark, and quiet. Most people sleep best in a room around 65°F (18°C), so don’t be afraid to dial down the thermostat a little or crack a window. Light is another sneaky sleep saboteur, especially as we get older and our sleep becomes lighter. Blackout curtains can make a big difference, ensuring there are no more 5 a.m. wakeups from the rising sun.

Noise is another common culprit, especially if you’re a light sleeper or share your space with a snorer (we see you, partners and pets). That’s where a portable white noise machine comes in handy. It's a small, affordable upgrade that has made a huge difference in my sleep quality. I love this one from Amazon. It's compact, travel-friendly, and with 21 different white noise options it helps block out everything from street sounds to snoring. Total game-changer.

Let’s talk about your bed for a moment, because it matters more than you think. Quality bedding isn’t just a luxury; it’s part of your wellness routine. If you’ve been eyeing those silky-soft sheets or a supportive new pillow, go for it! Think of it as self-care for your neck, your back, and your sleep-deprived soul.

Finally, do a quick vibe check of your space. Is it cluttered and stressful, or calm and inviting? Even small touches like a diffuser with lavender oil, a cozy throw blanket, or dimmable bedside lighting can help your body and mind shift into sleep mode.

Want some tried-and-true products to help transform your bedroom into a true sleep sanctuary? Check out my follow-up blog post with cozy, calming finds that support better rest. You can jump to the post by clicking here: Create a Midlife Sleep Sanctuary: 9 Essentials (Plus 1 I'm Dreaming of!)

3. Power Down Before Pillow Time

Scrolling before bed? Yep, we've all been there. Just one more reel, one more article, one more “why can’t I stop reading this?” rabbit hole. But as comforting as it might feel in the moment, screen time before bed can seriously mess with your sleep.

The culprit? Blue light. This type of light, emitted by phones, tablets, and TVs, suppresses melatonin production, the hormone your body naturally releases to help you wind down and fall asleep. When melatonin is disrupted, your body doesn’t get the signal that it’s time to rest, making it harder to fall (and stay) asleep.

Try powering down your electronics at least 30–60 minutes before bedtime. If a full screen detox feels too ambitious at first, even small steps help. Consider using “night mode” or “dark mode” settings on your devices to reduce blue light exposure. Amber-tinted blue light blocking glasses are another great option, especially if your wind-down routine includes evening screen use.

This is also the perfect window to experiment with calming, screen-free rituals, such as reading a physical book, journaling, stretching, or practicing breathwork. If you’re not sure what to do with yourself without your phone in hand, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Scroll down to Tip 5 for a list of relaxing activities that can help ease your mind and prepare your body for rest.

Making this change might take a little intention at first, but once you start noticing how much more easily you fall asleep (and how much more refreshed you feel in the morning), it will be totally worth it.

4. Be Mindful of Food & Fluids

What you eat and drink, especially in the evening, can seriously impact how well you sleep. While that late-night snack or glass of wine might feel comforting in the moment, your body might not thank you for it once your head hits the pillow.

Let’s start with the big three: heavy meals, caffeine, and alcohol. A rich or spicy dinner too close to bedtime can lead to indigestion or heartburn that keeps you tossing and turning. Try to finish your main meal at least 2–3 hours before bed so your body has time to digest before winding down.

Caffeine, of course, is a well-known sleep disruptor. But it sticks around even longer than you may think. Even that innocent afternoon cup of coffee (or green tea, or chocolate!) can affect your ability to fall asleep hours later. If sleep’s been tricky lately, consider setting a personal caffeine curfew around 2 p.m.

And while alcohol might make you feel drowsy, it can actually reduce sleep quality by interrupting your natural sleep cycles and making you more likely to wake up throughout the night. If you enjoy a glass in the evening, try having it earlier, and drink water alongside it to reduce its dehydrating effects

Hydration is also important for overall health (and for midlife skin, just saying), but try to front-load your water intake earlier in the day. Guzzling too much right before bed increases the chances of middle-of-the-night bathroom runs (aka, instant sleep disruption!).

Being mindful doesn’t mean being restrictive. It's just about setting your body up for rest, not digestion or dashes to the washroom!

Consider Natural Supplements to Support Better Sleep

While tweaking your food and drink habits can go a long way toward better sleep, some midlife women find that adding a few natural supplements to their routine gives that extra nudge toward deep, restful rest. Always check in with your healthcare provider first, of course, but here are some gentle options worth exploring:

Magnesium – This essential mineral plays a big role in relaxation and nervous system regulation. Two forms often recommended for sleep are magnesium glycinate and magnesium threonate, as they’re easy on the stomach and more readily absorbed.

Melatonin – Often called the “sleep hormone,” melatonin helps regulate your natural sleep-wake cycle. A low-dose supplement (around 0.5–3 mg) can be helpful for occasional sleeplessness, especially when your body clock feels off, like after travel or during hormonal transitions.

Herbal Sleep Aids – Soothing herbs like valerian root, passionflower, lemon balm, and chamomile have been trusted for centuries. You can find them in teas or capsules. One of my personal favorites is Nighty Night Extra Herbal Tea, available on Amazon. It blends lemon balm, valerian, and passionflower, and honestly, just the ritual of sipping it helps signal to my brain: bedtime is coming.

L-theanine – Found naturally in green tea, this calming amino acid helps quiet racing thoughts without making you feel groggy. It’s a great option if your brain tends to run wild the moment your head hits the pillow.

These supplements aren’t magic bullets, but paired with a consistent bedtime routine and mindful sleep habits, they can help ease you into more peaceful, restorative nights. And in midlife, that kind of support can make all the difference!

5. Unwind With a Wind-Down Routine

If you’ve ever tried to go from full-speed scrolling or multitasking straight into sleep, you know it doesn’t exactly work like flipping a switch. Your body, and especially your mind, needs a little runway to ease into rest mode. That’s where a consistent wind-down routine comes in.

Incorporating relaxing activities into the final 20–30 minutes of your evening can make a big difference in how quickly you fall asleep. And how deeply you stay there. The key is to choose calming practices that help shift your nervous system out of “go-mode” and into “rest-and-repair.” Over time, this ritual becomes a cue to your body and brain: we’re powering down for the night.

You don’t need to do all of these. Start by trying one or two that resonate and stick with them. Even just 10 minutes of something calming is better than nothing. The goal isn’t perfection, it's creating a pattern your body learns to associate with rest.

Gentle Stretching or Yoga – Loosen tight muscles and shake off the tension of the day.

Breathing Exercises – Simple breathing patterns like 4-7-8 can lower your heart rate and bring on a sense of calm quickly.

Guided Meditation – A great option if your mind tends to race. There are plenty of apps and YouTube channels with sleep-focused meditations.

Listening to a Podcast, “Sleep Story,” or a Sleep Sounds Playlist – Listen for calm, soothing voices or ambient sounds that signal your body to relax.

Reading a Physical Book – Fiction works especially well to transport your mind without overstimulating it like screens can.

Mindful Coloring or Journaling – Channel your inner creative or simply brain-dump the day’s worries onto the page. Both practices help calm a restless mind and gently ease the transition from go-go-go to slow. Coloring can be meditative, while journaling helps you process thoughts, reflect on gratitude, or simply unload mental clutter before bed.

I’m sharing a free printable PDF to help you build this habit into your nightly routine. It includes 10 calming mandalas to color and 10 journal pages with gentle prompts focused on self-reflection, positivity, and peace.

✨ Download the “Mindful Moments: Bedtime Journal and Coloring Bundle” here ✨

Take a Bubbly Bath – A warm bubble bath before bed can be the ultimate calming ritual. The gentle rise in body temperature followed by a gradual cool-down mimics your body’s natural sleep signals, making it easier to drift off.

For an extra soothing boost, I love adding Dr. Teal’s Soothe & Sleep Foaming Bath with Lavender Essential Oil available from Amazon. The smell is amazing - it's like spa night in a bottle!

Final Thoughts

Sleep isn't a luxury! It's essential, especially during midlife when so many of our systems are shifting and recalibrating. By incorporating these five simple yet powerful sleep hygiene strategies, you're not just aiming for a better night’s sleep, you’re investing in your overall health, focus, energy, and emotional resilience.

Small changes, done consistently, can lead to big shifts. And yes, there will still be nights when sleep feels elusive (thanks, hormones), but with the right tools and routines, those nights can become fewer and farther between.

Sweet dreams, friends. You’ve earned them.

Sleep Better, Starting Tonight!

Can’t sleep? You’re not alone! And you don’t have to figure it out alone either. Grab my FREE RESOURCE designed to help midlife women finally get the rest they deserve:

5 Sleep Tips + Weekly Sleep Tracker

This free, instant PDF download is two pages, and includes:

5 Sleep Tips: Simple, realistic tips designed to help midlife women fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer, and create a calming bedtime routine that actually works with your changing body.

Weekly Tracking Sheet: Track your sleep each night to spot patterns, triggers, and improvements over time. A helpful tool for building better habits!

BONUS: Print as many copies of the tracking sheet as you need! This tracker is designed to be reused weekly so you can start noticing trends, and use it to advocate for your health when talking with a doctor or other health care provider.

Click HERE to download the Sleep Tips + Weekly Sleep Tracker