Awake at 3am Again?.

You know the feeling. Wide awake, doing the math on how many hours are left.

Sleep changes are very common in perimenopause and menopause. Hormone shifts, night sweats and a busy mind can all play a part. Here's what helps.

• Don't check the clock. Turn it away. Knowing it's 3:07 never helped anyone fall back asleep.
• Keep it cold. A cool room, a fan, and breathable sheets and pyjamas.
• Get up if you can't sleep. If you've been lying awake for a while, get up, keep the lights low, do something boring (no phone), and go back when you feel sleepy.
• Same time, every day. A consistent wake-up time, even on weekends, helps reset your rhythm.
• Watch the evening wine and the afternoon coffee. Alcohol often makes sleep lighter later in the night, and caffeine can linger for hours.
• Ask about CBT-I. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia is a well-studied, drug-free approach. Your doctor can point you toward it.
• Talk to your doctor if poor sleep is wearing you down. You don't have to just put up with it.

Sweet dreams (eventually), deia