16/06/2026
Here’s why this happens in perimenopause and it’s not what you think.
As oestrogen and progesterone shift, your body’s ability to regulate cortisol changes too.
Cortisol is supposed to be LOW at night (so you sleep deeply) and HIGH in the morning (so you wake refreshed).
In perimenopause? That rhythm gets disrupted.
So you might:
→ Fall asleep fine but wake at 2 or 3am
→ Sleep 8 hours but feel unrested
→ Hit a wall at 3pm every single day
→ Feel wired at night and foggy in the morning
This is called cortisol dysregulation, and it’s one of the first things I look at with every client.
The fix isn’t more sleep.
It’s understanding why the rhythm broke, and rebuilding it.
Take the free Menopause Health Quiz. Link in my bio. You’ll find your pattern in 3 minutes.