How to lose weight during menopause: the sleep connection

Why You Can’t Lose Weight During Menopause—Until You Fix This One Thing

Are you eating well, exercising... and still gaining weight during menopause? You’re not alone—and the problem might not be your food choices. In this episode, I reveal the hidden connection between menopause sleep problems, hormonal changes, and stubborn weight gain—and what to do about it.

✨ You’ll learn:
 ✅ Why perimenopause and menopause insomnia make weight loss harder
✅ How cortisol and sleep affect belly fat and metabolism
✅ The role of estrogen in weight regulation
✅ How fixing your sleep can finally help you lose weight
✅ 11 powerful sleep hygiene tips to reset your hormones naturally

I also share the story of my client Tina, who did everything “right” but still couldn’t lose weight—until she started getting better sleep.

Whether you're struggling with perimenopause sleep problems, hot flashes, or constant fatigue, this episode will show you how to support your body, balance your hormones, and finally feel like yourself again.

When you're ready, here are 3 ways I can help you to feel your best during perimenopause and menopause:

1. Want more science-backed health tips? Click here to sign up for my free weekly newsletter for practical advice on navigating menopause with confidence:

2. Click here to get the free guide: 5 Natural Ways To Reduce Menopause Symptoms.

2. For more information about Lynda and how she supports women on their health journey, click here to learn more.

3. Interested in seeing if nutrition coaching with Lynda is right for you? Click here to book a free discovery call with Lynda.

Transcript

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Have you ever felt like you're doing everything right, eating clean, working out, watching your portions, but the weight still won't budge? Well, what if I told you that something unexpected might be standing in your way- how well you sleep. In today's episode, I'm going to share an important reason why many women struggle with menopause weight gain, especially around the belly, and why menopause sleep problems may be sabotaging your efforts. I'll also tell you about Tina, one of my clients who was doing everything right and still couldn't lose weight until we uncovered what her body really needed. If you've been dealing with perimenopause sleep problems, waking up at 3:00 AM or dragging yourself through the day with caffeine and willpower, you're going to want to hear this. Because I'm going to show you exactly how sleep hormones, and weight loss are all connected. So let's get started. Menopause doesn't have to feel like you are living in someone else's body. Your host, Lynda Enright, has spent the last 25 years helping women to thrive in midlife. Here you'll find science-based practical advice that you can start using today to get real results for your health. Welcome to Joyful Menopause. Now I know what you might be thinking. You're a nutritionist, shouldn't we be talking about food and yes, I work with my clients to help them create the best diet to get results. And of course that plays a huge role in all this too. But the truth is, women come to me all the time who are doing all that, who are eating all the quote unquote right foods of what they've been told, what they've read online. And a lot of it might be doing just fine, but when you're not sleeping, your cortisol is high, your body might be going into survival mode and your metabolism might be slowing down, and that's why I have to talk about sleep. If we ignore it, we might be ignoring one of the root causes of why weight loss during menopause feels so hard. And what if I told you also that your body's entire sleep rhythm shifts during perimenopause and menopause and fighting it might be the very thing that's keeping you stuck. So we'll get into that next. So here's what most women don't know, your body's sleep needs and the timing can change during midlife. If you've noticed menopause insomnia, night wakings, or an inability to sleep in, maybe like you used to do, it's not just aging. It's your hormones. Estrogen drops, and that impacts serotonin and melatonin, your mood and sleep hormones. Progesterone, which calms your brain, promotes deep rest also declines, and then melatonin too. Your production of melatonin drops off in perimenopause and post menopause. So add stress to the mix. Now your cortisol levels are spiking, especially in the early morning hours, leaving you wide awake, wired and wondering why your brain won't shut off. So what does all this mean for your weight? It means that you could be doing everything right nutritionally, but still holding onto fat because your body thinks it's under threat. I'll explain how that works and exactly what to do about it right after I want to tell you about my client, Tina. So Tina came to me to lose weight. She was eating well, she was exercising and doing everything she used to do, but nothing was working. So when I asked her about her sleep, she said, I'm a night owl. I generally go to bed after midnight, but now I can't sleep late like I used to. I wake up around 5:00 AM and I just cannot fall back asleep. So that was her normal not going to bed until midnight. But here's the thing. She used to be able to sleep in and now her body clock has shifted. As can happen in perimenopause and menopause, and she was getting only five hours a night at best. So once we prioritized her sleep, moving her bedtime earlier and helping her get consistent, deep rest, everything changed, her energy came back, her stress felt more manageable, her cravings disappeared, and the weight it finally started to drop. So what exactly did we do to help her sleep better? I'm going to walk you through the most effective sleep hygiene tips that I have found work for women in menopause. And it's not just about cutting caffeine, which is the first thing that a lot of times we focus on. So let's walk through some of the most effective strategies that I share with my clients who are dealing with menopause sleep problems, especially if they're also struggling with weight gain, fatigue, or brain fog. So these are simple evidence-based actions that can make a huge difference when done consistently, I have 10 ideas for you, for things you can do. Don't get overwhelmed by that. I know it's a lot and I expect some of these you're probably already doing, but see if there is just one thing that you could add to start making a shift, and then over time you can add one more until you have built a great sleep routine that gets results. Number one, get sunlight early in the day. Your body's internal clock is regulated by light. One of the best ways to anchor your rhythm and boost melatonin production later at night is to expose your eyes to natural sunlight first thing in the morning. An added bonus when you get sunlight early in the morning it can improve your focus, concentration and productivity. So aim to get outside within maybe an hour after you wake up. Even 10 to 15 minutes of daylight can help reset your system, improve your energy and support better sleep at night. Number two, move your body earlier in the day. Exercise is one of the best tools we have to reduce stress, regulate hormones, and support better sleep. But the timing of when you do it can matter more now at this time in life than maybe it did when you were younger. Late day workouts can be too stimulating and they might elevate cortisol or your body temperature interfering with falling asleep. So instead, try moving your workouts if possible to the morning or early afternoon, even if it's just a brisk walk or some stretching. Number three, avoid alcohol especially in the evening. Alcohol might feel like it helps you relax or fall asleep faster, but it actually fragments your sleep and prevents that deep restorative sleep cycle. Even one glass of wine can raise your core body temperature and trigger night sweats, or 3:00 AM wake ups. I see it all the time in the women I work with. Eliminating alcohol even temporarily can lead to dramatically better sleep, more stable moods, and better weight regulation. Number four. Cut caffeine after noon. So caffeine actually has a halflife of up to six to eight hours, meaning it stays in your system long after that last cup of coffee. So for sensitive sleepers, even small amounts in the morning can disrupt nighttime rest. One client of mine, she would always be done by noon. And she thought that was enough, but she had so much caffeine in the morning that when she cut it down to just a couple cups in the morning, she turned out to be sleeping a lot better at night. So we want to reduce the total quantity of caffeine. Maybe try switching to herbal tea after noon. If you're struggling to fall asleep or you wake frequently, just consider cutting it out even entirely for a week. It's just an experiment. All of these things are also just trial and see how it works. See if you notice some improvement. Number five, unplug from screens one to two hours before bed. Phones, TVs, tablets, laptops, they all emit blue light, which suppresses melatonin production and delays the onset of sleep. So start dimming the lights in your home even, even in the last couple hours of the night. If you can just start making it a little darker, that can help your body to understand that it's getting to be time for sleep. Replace screens in your life with relaxing rituals, reading, stretching, a warm bath, or maybe journaling. Blue light blocking glasses can also help if screen is unavoidable and there's just something you have to be doing later. Number six, balance your blood sugar. This is a big one and I talk about it in another podcast. Blood sugar fluctuations throughout the day and especially at night, can lead to cortisol spikes, which can jolt you awake in the early hours of the morning. So eating regular meals with protein, healthy fats and fiber rich carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables, avoid sugar, refined carbs and alcohol in the evening. A small protein rich snack before bed can help stabilize blood sugar overnight for many women. Number seven, maintain a consistent sleep schedule. Your body thrives on rhythm, so going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, even on the weekends, helps reinforce your natural sleep wake cycle. Trying to get to bed by 10 if possible, this aligns best with your body's natural melatonin peak. Consistency helps regulate hormones. It can lead to deeper, more refreshing sleep. Wouldn't that feel amazing? Number eight, create a cool calming bedroom environment. Sleep quality is strongly tied to temperature, comfort, and sensory cues, so keeping your bedroom even around 65 degrees is really a great temperature to keep your body cool enough to fall asleep. There's cooling mattress toppers, breathable sheets, fans if you run hot. Lots of ways to help to bring that temperature down too. Make your bedroom also screen-free stress-free sanctuary would be ideal. Number nine. Explore natural supports. Things like teas and supplements could be an option for you. Gentle, natural sleep supports can help create calm and signal your body that it's time to rest. There's herbal teas like chamomile, lavender, or sleepy time. They can be part of sort of that nighttime relaxing routine. Supplements, like magnesium glycinate may help your body if it's deficient. Not for everyone is it needed, but for some women I found that to be helpful. Of course, always check with a health professional before starting any new supplement. And lastly, number 10, there's tools out there that can help support relaxation. For some women, simple tools can make a huge difference. Um, there's something I've discovered called the Cozy Band which is a headband that you can wear that has built, built-in Bluetooth speakers, so you can listen to calming music or meditation in bed more comfortably. You can use guided sleep meditations or white noise apps that can help ease you into sleep. Weighted blankets, cooling pillows for some women, those can be helpful too. The key here is consistency. Remember, you don't need to do all these at once. Start with one or two changes and then build up from there. These small shifts add up, and they're powerful when they're done consistently. And remember, these sleep strategies don't just help you feel more rested they create the environment for your hormones in your body to lose weight, reduce stress, and thrive in menopause. Sleep is not optional, especially not during menopause. It's not just about avoiding fatigue, it's about hormone balance, weight, regulation, mood, and again, simply your ability to thrive. So if you're eating clean, you're moving your body and you're still feeling stuck, look at your sleep. Prioritize it, honor it, let it become non-negotiable for you. Thanks for listening today to Joyful Menopause. If this episode resonated with you, or if someone you love is dealing with sleep and menopause issues, please share it and click on the link in the comments to sign up for my weekly email newsletter, where each week I give you tips like these to help you create a joyful menopause.