Simple Sleep Rituals for Restless Midlife Nights
Have you noticed your sleep shifting as you’ve gotten older? Maybe you’re one of the mums whose sleep never quite recovered after kids. Or maybe, like me, you hit midlife and suddenly the nights feel… different.
For me, sleep changed in a big way. HRT has helped calm the night sweats and the edgy anxiety, which I’m hugely grateful for, but I still get those 2am wake-ups that feel like someone switched on a floodlight inside my chest. I’ve been trialling different things to help myself drift back to sleep faster, and a few simple rituals keep coming through as game-changers.
Why the middle-of-the-night wake ups?
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, there’s the idea of the “organ clock,” where the body’s qi moves through a 24-hour cycle. The time you wake can link to where the qi is flowing. You don’t need to go full TCM scholar to find it interesting. My takeaway is that late dinners, caffeine, alcohol and unprocessed emotions like anger or sadness can all have an impact.
Layer midlife on top... shifting hormones, more stress, increasing responsibilities, and a world that feels like a bit of a bin fire, and it’s no wonder so many of us are blinking at the ceiling at 2am.
So what can we do about it?
When you wake in the middle of the night and can’t get back to sleep, the worst thing you can do is stay in bed getting more worked up. Think of it as a gentle reset, not a failure. Sometimes you genuinely need to get up and start again.
Shake It Off
Get out of bed. Stretch. Sip some water. Go to the loo. Move your body just enough to shift the energy, reset the system, and break the spiral.
The “Mind Dump”
If your brain is doing laps, grab your journal or a scrap of paper and get everything out. What’s bothering you? What are you trying not to forget? Let it spill onto the page. You’re not solving anything, you’re simply interrupting the thought loops.
Nervous System Reset
Try a simple breathing pattern: inhale smoothly for four counts, pause, exhale slowly for six counts, pause. Repeat for 3 to 5 minutes. This lengthened exhale switches the body into calm mode. With any luck, you’ll drift off mid-breath.
Let Someone Else Take Over
Guided meditations are my go-to, both at bedtime and at 2am. There’s something comforting about letting another voice take the reins and ease you back into rest. Insight Timer has some beautiful options, or you can try the Sleep Seeker Collection - it includes a meditation specifically designed for middle-of-the-night wake-ups.
Restless nights are part of midlife, and honestly, part of being human. But having a few simple strategies in your back pocket gives you a better chance of reclaiming those solid 7 to 9 hours more often than not. I hope something here helps you find your way back under the cosy blanket of sleep a little easier.
Sleep Seeker
If you’d love support getting back to sleep, especially during those 2am wake-ups, you can download my Sleep Seeker Collection. It includes a guided meditation designed specifically for middle-of-the-night restlessness, plus soothing practices to help you drift off more easily.
Let someone else take over so you can finally get the sleep you’ve been craving.