Does Menopause Make You Tired? Simple Tips for Better Sleep and More Energy

The hormonal changes of menopause may not be immediately visible, but they affect almost every system and aspect of health, from your waistline to your brainpower to your energy levels. Here, we’re diving into the issue of energy. Does menopause make you tired? Yes, it often leads to fatigue, but there are ways to fight it. But there are easy strategies that can help you maintain your energy levels and combat menopause fatigue. Read on to find out!

Why does menopause make you tired?

“I was a news anchor for three decades, waking up at 2 am or not getting in bed until midnight,” shares Tamsen Fadal, award-winning journalist, menopause and women’s health advocate, author of How to Menopause: Take Charge of Your Health, Reclaim Your Life, and Feel Even Better than Before (March 25, 2025) and producer of The M Factor: Shredding the Silence on Menopause, premiering on PBS on October 17 in advance of World Menopause Day. “I had very little sleep and never felt as exhausted with that as I did during perimenopause and menopause. I had more energy at 2 am than I did during this time.” 

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Why do perimenopause and menopause cause such extreme exhaustion? “It comes down to hormone changes, but also reexamining lifestyle,” says Fadal. During perimenopause and menopause, decreasing progesterone and estrogen hormone levels cause a decline in metabolism, higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol and an increased risk of insulin resistance, all of which contribute to lower energy levels. It’s, unfortunately, one of the most common symptoms of menopause.

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Hot flashes and night sweats make it hard for women to fall asleep and stay asleep. “Everything piles on top of each other, and you’re feeling that exhaustion, feeling so tired that you can’t get to sleep,” Fadal adds. This combination of exhaustion and lack of restful sleep creates a cycle of fatigue that’s difficult, but not impossible, to break out of. 

How to treat menopause fatigue

You can overcome menopause fatigue and regain your energy during this phase of life. “I cut back on a lot of things that I did at 30 and gave myself little wins,” says Fadal. Here, three additional simple strategies that helped her reclaim her energy.

• Add these key vitamins

“I’ve added magnesium and vitamin D. It made a big difference,” Fadal says. “I was so low in D, but I had no idea that was even a thing.” Both magnesium and vitamin D boost mitochondrial function to increase energy at the cellular level. Fadal adds that she had her vitamin D levels tested and took a larger amount at first before switching to a commercially available supplement.

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• Exercise in the morning

“I do all my working out as early as I can in the morning, before the day starts,” shares Fadal. If you squeeze in some physical activity first thing, you’ll achieve an all-day metabolism boost, plus feel mentally sharper and more energized throughout the day. “Then around 4 pm, I try to get outside and move around,” she adds, to help overcome a late-afternoon slump.

• Give yourself a bedtime

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Establishing a set bedtime, Fadal says, allows her to start preparing for bed at the same time every night and makes it easier to get to sleep. “I try for 10 pm. If I can be asleep by then, I’m really happy.” 

Another tip: Fadal uses the Oura Ring, which notifies her to start unwinding at a certain time and keeps track of how much restful sleep she’s getting to help improve sleep quality. Good sleep hygiene, like setting a bedtime, blocking out light, and making small adjustments for deeper sleep can leave you feeling more energized when you wake.

If menopause makes you tired, talk to your doctor

In addition to these lifestyle changes, ask your doctor about hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) might be right for you. Hormone therapy can help bring your levels of estrogen and progesterone back to a more balanced state, which helps you feel less tired during menopause.