Sleep Support For Menopause

If menopause is disrupting your sleep, this gentle guided meditation is designed to help calm your nervous system and create the conditions for rest.

Hormonal changes in perimenopause and post-menopause can lead to nighttime anxiety, racing thoughts, hot flashes, and difficulty falling or staying asleep. This practice uses slow breathing, body awareness, and grounding to help your body feel safer and more settled so sleep can arrive naturally.

This meditation is especially helpful for:

• menopause sleep problems
• waking in the night
• anxiety at bedtime
• hot flashes and restlessness
• nervous system dysregulation
• feeling wired but tired

You can listen to this meditation as you’re getting into bed, during nighttime wake-ups, or anytime your body needs help slowing down.

No experience is required. Simply listen and allow your body to rest.

Transcript

You don't have to fall asleep right now.

Just let your body rest.

If your mind is busy or your body feels uncomfortable,

That's okay.

We're not trying to force anything to change.

We're simply creating the conditions for sleep to arrive on its own.

Begin by noticing the weight of your body,

The way you're being held by the bed,

The couch,

Or the floor beneath you.

You don't need to hold yourself up.

You can let go.

Take a slow breath in through your nose and an easy,

Gentle breath out through your mouth.

Again,

In through the nose,

Out through the mouth.

Let the exhale be just a little longer than the inhale.

Longer exhales tell your nervous system that it's safe to settle.

Now let your breathing return to its natural rhythm.

Bring attention to your feet.

Notice any warmth,

Tingling,

Or heaviness there.

You don't need to change anything.

Just feel.

Slowly move your awareness up through your legs,

Your calves,

Your knees,

Your thighs.

Let your legs be heavy.

Let them sink.

Now bring your awareness to your hips and lower back.

If there's tension there,

You don't have to release it.

Just notice it and breathe gently around it.

Move your awareness up to your belly.

Menopause can make this area feel tight,

Bloated,

Or unsettled.

See if you can let the belly soften even a little.

Feel the rise and fall of your breath there.

Bring attention to your chest.

Notice the gentle movement of breathing.

If your heart feels fast or fluttery,

Just let it be.

You're not in danger.

Your body is just trying to find its balance.

Now bring awareness to your shoulders.

Allow them to drop away from your ears and let the weight of the day fall off your body.

Soften your neck,

Your jaw,

Your tongue.

Let your face be smooth and relaxed.

There's nothing you need to think about right now.

Nothing you need to solve.

Sleep is not something you do.

It's something that happens when the nervous system feels safe enough to let go.

Take one more slow breath in and a long,

Gentle breath out.

If thoughts come,

Imagine them drifting past like clouds.

You don't have to follow them.

Just keep coming back to the feeling of your body resting.

You are allowed to rest.

You are allowed to sleep.

You are allowed to take this time for yourself.

Let the sound of my voice fade into the background.

And let your body do what it knows how to do.