Read on for further info into the causes of sleep issues in your 40s and tips on how to improve your sleep health. 

Sleep used to be so easy for me! Why is it getting harder?

Before kids came along, I was a great sleeper. I could easily go to bed when I felt tired and crash into the land of nod until morning where I would wake feeling refreshed and energetic.

After kids came along sleep obviously became more interrupted and sporadic but I was always able to fall back to sleep (usually) without any issues. Now that my kids are older, staying in their beds and sleeping longer I noticed a change in my sleeping habits that could no longer be blamed on my children.

Suddenly, I was experiencing bouts of insomnia, restlessness, tossing & turning, waking up and not being able to go back to sleep. Not at all like my ‘usual’ sleep patterns.

Was it do to with my age and reaching *GULP* dreaded “middle age”?

Was it to do with something else?

I wanted to know why I was suddenly becoming a sleep deprived mum which was turning me into a cranky mum. I needed answers!!

What Are the Causes of Sleep Issues in Your 40s?

Did you know sleep issues in your 40s can be caused by a variety of factors, including stress, hormonal changes, unhealthy sleeping habits, health problems and lifestyle choices?

Think of all the things going on in your life at the moment – parenting, working, caring for ageing parents, your future prospects & responsibilities.

We are currently in a very busy & stressful time of our lives!

Add in the natural biological factors that occur in middle age and it’s no surprise that sleep has become a problem for so many of us.

What Do Hormones Have To Do With Sleep?

Did you know that our hormones that help us sleep start to decrease as we get older?

And this usually starts around the age of 40 PLUS if we don’t get enough sleep then this leads onto another whole area of pain – weight gain. 

This is applicable to BOTH men & women. Hence, why getting sleep under control first is of uttermost importance.

It’s hugely important to get enough sleep for hormones to work properly since many of them rely on our sleep-wake cycle. If we continue to have ongoing sleep problems it throws our hormones out of balance thus opening the door for other health problems.

We want to avoid the vicious cycle of poor sleep and hormone imbalance.

The ideal amount of sleep required for most adults is 7 to 9 hours. Are you getting this?

Two hormones that can impact on our sleep and need to be in balance are:

Melatonin
This hormone plays a significant role in helping us get a good night’s sleep as well as regulating our body’s natural daily rhythm. Melatonin starts to decline from about age 40. Lack of quality sleep can reduce the amount of melatonin produced in our body causing us to struggle with proper sleep.

Cortisol
Otherwise known as the ‘stress hormone’, cortisol actually plays an important part in your sleep. 

As we are winding down for the evening, cortisol starts to reduce whilst melatonin starts to increase. When we wake up in the morning its the opposite. Melatonin starts to decrease whilst cortisol kicks us and many of other hormones into gear to get us up and moving for the day.

Too much stress & worry can increase your cortisol levels of an evening, which in turn may affect the production of melatonin and therefore disrupt your sleep.

Sleep helps to control our cortisol so it is very important for these two hormones to be in balance.

10 Simple Tips for Improving Your Sleep Quality

  • Establish a regular sleep routine by going to bed and getting up at the same time every day

  • Avoid caffeine & electronic devices before bedtime

  • Practice good sleep hygiene by having a regular routine like reading or listening to music which signals your body its getting ready for sleep

  • Make healthy food choices

  • Exercise regularly

  • Practice mindfulness & stress management techniques

  • Drink herbal tea before bed – [Grab my free guide below to 6 popular teas that are known to help with sleep]

  • Avoid eating large meals before bed

  • Reduce sugar consumption

  • Use a sleep mask

Takeaway

Sleep is essential for hormones to be balanced in our body. Unhealthy sleeping habits, lack of sleep & stress can cause hormone imbalances, which can be a challenging cycle to break as we get older.

By having a good sleep regime and listening to our bodies we can improve our sleep and get our hormones working more efficiently thus avoiding some of the pitfalls such as weight gain or insomnia,

I’ve created a free guide of  6 Popular Teas to Help Improve Sleep for any tea lovers out there. Pick a favourite type or combo of flavours. I hope you like it and if it improves your sleep I’d love to know!

References:

Breus, M., Ph. D. (2019, October 8). What Your Sleep Is Like in Your 40s and 50s. Psychology Today. Retrieved February 13, 2023, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/blog/sleep-newzzz/201910/what-your-sleep-is-in-your-40s-and-50s

Faasm, M. B. P. D. (2022, December 13). What Sleep is Like at Every Age: 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s and Beyond. The Sleep Doctor. https://thesleepdoctor.com/aging/sleep-problems-in-middle-adulthood/

Hicks, T. (2022, June 20). People in Their 40s Tend to Sleep the Least: These Tips Can Help. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health-news/people-in-their-40s-tend-to-sleep-the-least-these-tips-can-help#Why-middle-aged-people-get-less-sleep

Tennessee, S. C. O. M. (2022, March 9). Which Hormones Affect Sleep? 5 Hormones to Know About | Sleep Centers of Middle Tennessee. Sleep Centers of Middle Tennessee. https://sleepcenterinfo.com/blog/which-hormones-affect-sleep/

Vinall, M. (2021, September 1). How Sleep Can Affect Your Hormone Levels, Plus 12 Ways to Sleep Deep. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/sleep/how-sleep-can-affect-your-hormone-levels#hormones-and-sleep