Sleep problems in older women are reaching epidemic proportions, yet most of us have been told they’re simply “part of aging.” As a psychiatric nurse practitioner who has spent over 15 years working specifically with women navigating their 60s and beyond, I can tell you this harmful myth is keeping millions of women from the restorative sleep they deserve.

I have a confession to make about my own journey with this.

For years, I told myself that waking up at 3 AM with racing thoughts was just “part of getting older.” That chronic insomnia and sleep disruption was something I had to accept. That feeling exhausted by 2 PM was simply my new normal at my age.

I was wrong. And if you’ve been telling yourself the same story, you might be wrong too.

The Wake-Up Call I Needed About Sleep After 60

It wasn’t until I started working with women over 60 struggling with sleep disorders in my psychiatric practice that I realized something profound: the women who were thriving weren’t the ones with perfect diets or intense exercise routines. They were the ones who had mastered restorative sleep.

Margaret, 67, came to me feeling like her brain was “wrapped in cotton.” She couldn’t concentrate, felt anxious about everything, and was convinced she was developing early signs of dementia.

Six months later, after focusing primarily on improving her sleep quality, she told me: “I feel like myself again. Actually, I feel better than I have in 20 years.”

What changed? Not her age. Not her circumstances. Her sleep.

What Most Women Don’t Realize About Sleep and Brain Health

Quality sleep isn’t just about feeling rested (though that would be nice, wouldn’t it?). Sleep is literally your brain’s reset button and crucial for mental health after 60. While you sleep, your brain:

• Clears out metabolic waste that builds up during the day (crucial for preventing cognitive decline)
• Consolidates memories and processes emotions (essential for mental wellness)
• Regulates hormones that control hunger, stress, and mood
• Repairs and regenerates cells throughout your body

When you’re experiencing chronic sleep problems after menopause, it’s like trying to run your life on a phone with 15% battery. Everything feels harder because it actually is.

The Science-Based Good News About Sleep After 60

Despite what you may have been told, poor sleep is not an inevitable part of aging for women. Yes, sleep patterns change during and after menopause. But chronic insomnia, frequent night wakings, and feeling exhausted every day? These are treatable sleep disorders with evidence-based solutions.

I’ve seen 70-year-old women who sleep better than 30-year-olds because they’ve learned to work with their bodies instead of against them using holistic sleep medicine approaches.

The Most Dangerous Sleep Myth for Women Over 60

The biggest myth I hear from women experiencing menopause-related sleep problems? “I just need less sleep now.”

Here’s the scientific truth: your sleep needs don’t dramatically decrease with age. What changes is your sleep quality and your body’s ability to fall asleep and stay asleep due to hormonal changes, medication side effects, and age-related sleep disorders.

Accepting poor sleep quality in seniors as “normal” is like accepting that your car should run on empty. It might move, but it won’t get you where you want to go.

My Personal Sleep Transformation Journey (And Why I’m Sharing This)

After my own sleep improvement success story—and after helping lota of women over 60 overcome insomnia—I’ve become passionate about sharing what I’ve learned. Because I know that behind every email I receive asking about anxiety in older women, memory concerns after menopause, or feeling “not like myself anymore” is often a woman who hasn’t had truly restorative sleep in years.

Sleep hygiene for seniors isn’t selfish. It’s not lazy. It’s not optional.

It’s the foundation that makes everything else possible—your energy, your mood, your ability to show up for the people and activities you love.

Evidence-Based Hope for Better Sleep

If you’re reading this and thinking “but I’ve tried everything,” I want you to know that I hear you. I believe you. And I want you to also know that it’s not too late to improve sleep quality after 60.

The sleep solutions that work for women in our stage of life aren’t the same as what worked in our 30s and 40s. They’re gentler, more holistic, and honor the wisdom our bodies have gained over the decades.

A Special Resource for Sleep Transformation

I’m putting together something special for women who are ready to transform their relationship with sleep. Not another list of generic “sleep tips” you’ve heard a hundred times, but a comprehensive, science-based approach that addresses the real reasons why sleep becomes elusive after menopause. Look for an e-mail with more information about this at the beginning of September.

If you’re curious about finally getting the restorative sleep your body is craving, click here to download my free “5 Sleep Myths Busted” guide. It’s the first step in understanding why what you’ve been told about sleep after 60 might be keeping you awake.

Because you deserve to wake up feeling like yourself again. You deserve sustainable energy that lasts all day. You deserve the kind of quality sleep that makes everything else in life feel possible.

Restorative sleep is not just for the young. It’s your birthright at every age.

With love and rest,
Inge

P.S. The guide includes the #1 mistake I see women over 60 make with their bedtime routine (hint: it has nothing to do with your phone). Get your copy here and start your journey to better sleep tonight.