Sleep matters more than you think.
Most women assume that if they are struggling with their weight after 60, it must be because of their eating. The holidays only make this belief stronger. There are family gatherings, rich meals, disrupted routines, and the kind of emotional triggers that make even the calmest of us feel overwhelmed. What often gets overlooked is something far more powerful and far more fixable: sleep.
Sleep is one of the most important factors in weight management, especially for women navigating menopause and beyond. Yet it is also one of the first things to slip when life gets busy or stressful. If you have ever found yourself exhausted in the morning, craving sugar by mid-day, and wondering why your willpower seems to disappear after dinner, you are not imagining it. Poor sleep affects your hormones, your hunger cues, your metabolism, your mood, and your ability to make choices that support your health.
Menopause Changes the Way You Sleep
Hormonal shifts during and after menopause change how the body manages sleep. Lower estrogen and progesterone can disrupt the quality and depth of rest. Nighttime anxiety becomes more common. Waking up at two or three in the morning is something many women tell me they have simply accepted as part of aging. Do remember to have your daily water earlier in the day if you find yourself getting up to pee during the night.
Add holiday stress on top of this and you have the perfect storm for cravings, emotional eating, and weight gain.
Travel and Jet Lag Disrupt Your Rhythm
Because the holidays are a season of travel, late nights, and emotional intensity, this is often the time when sleep becomes the most compromised. Traveling across time zones brings another layer of disruption that can throw your internal rhythms even further off balance. Jet lag tends to hit harder after menopause because your natural sleep-wake cycle is already more sensitive.
A few simple shifts can make a meaningful difference.
- Gradually adjust your sleep and mealtimes by an hour or two before you travel so your body begins to ease into the change.
- Stay hydrated during flights and choose light snacks with protein to keep your blood sugar stable.
- When you arrive, get outside as soon as possible because natural daylight is the strongest cue for resetting your internal clock.
- If you feel yourself getting sleepy too early in the evening, try a short walk or gentle stretching to help you stay awake until a reasonable local bedtime.
These steps do not have to be perfect. They simply help your body settle, recover, and find its rhythm again.
I always fight to stay awake when I travel west, and to go to bed at a normal local time when I travel east. On a recent trip to Spain, flying through the night and arriving at 9:00 a.m. (which was 3:00 a.m. for me) was a definite challenge. A short nap during the day helped.
Your Body Is Not Betraying You
Here is the truth I want you to hear clearly. Your body is not betraying you. It is communicating with you. And when you learn how to work with your body’s changing needs, everything gets easier.
When you are sleep deprived, cortisol rises. Cortisol is your stress hormone, and it tells the body to hold onto fat and to seek quick energy sources. That means more cravings and a stronger pull toward foods that offer fast comfort. Ghrelin, your hunger hormone, increases. Leptin, your fullness hormone, decreases. This is why after a poor night’s sleep you can feel hungrier all day, even if you ate plenty. It is also why willpower alone will never solve the problem. Your biology is simply doing what it is wired to do under stress.
Small Shifts That Make a Big Difference
The good news is that small, consistent shifts can help you sleep better, especially during the hectic weeks of the holidays. Quality sleep is not about perfection. It is about supporting your nervous system so your body can return to a place where it feels safe to rest.
One of the most effective tools I teach my clients is creating a simple nightly wind-down ritual. It does not need to be elaborate. The goal is to signal your brain that it is time to step out of the day and into ease. This might include a warm cup of herbal tea, a few minutes of gentle stretching, or a brief breathing practice. Even two minutes of slow breathing can lower cortisol and help calm a racing mind.
For me, it is listening to Neville Goddard videos. I do not know why, but I fall asleep within 15 minutes of listening. Find what works for you. I used to listen to rain sounds. You can also purchase an inexpensive white noise device.
The Power of Self-Hypnosis and Daily Rhythm
Another powerful technique is self-hypnosis, which is simply focused relaxation that helps shift the body into a restful state. You can do it sitting up or lying down. What you are doing is guiding your mind toward a place where the body feels supported, grounded, and safe. Women tell me again and again that when they practice it consistently, they fall asleep faster and wake up less often.
What you do during the day matters, too. Morning sunlight helps regulate your circadian rhythm. Eating enough protein supports blood sugar stability, which in turn helps with nighttime calm. Moving your body, even gently, reduces stress and helps you sleep more deeply. None of this requires perfection. It simply asks you to meet your body where it is today.
Letting Go of Holiday Pressure
Because it is the holidays, give yourself permission to release the pressure to get everything right. This season already comes with more than enough expectations. Nourish yourself in ways that feel realistic. If sleep has been a struggle, even small improvements will leave you feeling more grounded, less reactive, and less pulled toward food for emotional comfort.
The Real Gift of Rest
Most importantly, remember this. Your body is always on your side. What feels like a problem is often just a sign that your needs have changed. Sleep is not a luxury. It is one of the deepest forms of self-care you can give yourself. When you honor that need, your hormones respond. Your appetite steadies. Your energy returns. And your health begins to shift in ways that feel sustainable and empowering.
Better sleep is not only a pathway to better weight management. It is a pathway back to feeling like yourself again. And that is the real gift this season can offer. Everyone will be happier if you are less grumpy, tired, and prone to anger. It is a gift for everyone this holiday season.
Let’s Have a Conversation:
How often do you wake up energized from a good night’s sleep? Do the holidays rob you from sleep?