Building a Winding Down Routine That Works During Perimenopause
A consistent winding down routine can transform sleep quality during perimenopause. This guide explains what works, what to avoid, and how to build a routine that fits your life.
Why a Wind-Down Routine Matters More in Perimenopause
The transition from wakefulness to sleep is not instant. It requires a gradual lowering of cortisol, a fall in body temperature, and a shift in the nervous system from the active sympathetic state to the parasympathetic rest state. In perimenopause, this transition becomes harder because lower progesterone levels reduce the brain's natural calming tone, and a more reactive stress response means the nervous system can stay wired well into the evening. A deliberate wind-down routine provides the biological and psychological signals the brain needs to begin that downshift. Without one, many women find themselves lying in bed wired despite being exhausted.
The Timing Window: Starting Earlier Than You Think
The wind-down window ideally begins sixty to ninety minutes before you plan to be asleep. For most people, that means starting around 9pm if a 10:30pm bedtime is the goal. This feels early at first, but the brain needs that much preparation time when the nervous system is dysregulated. Think of it less as going to bed early and more as gradually stepping away from the day. The exact timing matters less than consistency. A routine done at the same time each night trains your brain to associate those cues with sleep, so the process becomes easier over time.
Activities That Support the Downshift
The most effective wind-down activities reduce physiological arousal while still being enjoyable enough to sustain as a habit. A warm bath or shower sixty to ninety minutes before bed is one of the most evidence-backed strategies. It raises surface temperature briefly, then the subsequent cooling mirrors the body's natural sleep-onset temperature drop. Reading a physical book (not a screen) in low, warm light is another reliable option. Gentle stretching or a short yoga sequence releases muscle tension accumulated through the day. Light creative activities like knitting, colouring, or journalling shift the brain away from analytical problem-solving toward a quieter mode. A brief body scan or guided relaxation recording is particularly useful for women whose anxiety tends to peak at night.
What to Avoid in the Wind-Down Window
Certain activities actively prevent the nervous system from downshifting and are worth moving earlier in the evening. Checking work emails or engaging with stressful news raises cortisol reliably, even when the content itself seems minor. High-intensity exercise after 8pm can delay sleep onset by ninety minutes or more in some women. Scrolling social media is particularly problematic, combining blue light exposure, emotionally activating content, and the intermittent reward structure of feeds in a way that keeps the brain alert. Alcohol might feel like it helps you wind down, but it fragments sleep in the second half of the night and frequently contributes to early waking and night sweats. Keeping the kitchen closed after 8pm helps prevent heavy digestion competing with sleep onset.
Building a Routine You Will Actually Keep
The most effective routine is one you enjoy enough to do consistently. Start with two or three activities rather than overhauling your entire evening at once. A warm shower, ten minutes of stretching, and ten minutes of reading is a simple and effective starting framework. Add to it gradually. Write the routine down as a short list and keep it visible in the bedroom for the first few weeks. Linking routine steps to existing habits, like starting your stretch immediately after cleaning your teeth, makes them more likely to stick. If you miss a night, start again the following evening without self-criticism. Consistency across weeks matters far more than perfection.
How This Fits with Broader Perimenopause Management
A wind-down routine works best alongside attention to the other factors that affect perimenopause sleep: managing hot flashes through appropriate treatment, keeping the bedroom cool and dark, addressing anxiety if it is significant, and maintaining regular daytime activity. For women on HRT, the routine reinforces and complements the stabilising effect of hormonal treatment. For women who prefer non-hormonal approaches, a consistent wind-down routine is one of the most powerful tools available. PeriPlan lets you log your symptoms and sleep quality over time so you can see whether a new routine is making a measurable difference to how you feel each day.
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