Is sleep harder after 50? Understanding changes in your sleep cycle

If you're over 50 and struggling to fall asleep, stay asleep, or wake feeling refreshed, you’re not alone.

Yet, while sleep challenges can arise for some, they aren’t something you simply have to accept. Understanding the subtle changes that occur in your body over time can help pave the way back to deeper, more restorative rest.

One of the first shifts that tends to occur is in your circadian rhythm – the internal clock that regulates sleep and alertness, influenced by light exposure, melatonin production, and body temperature.

In the second half of life, melatonin production naturally declines, leading to lighter, more fragmented sleep. You may find yourself waking more often at night or earlier in the morning, even when you’re still tired. This affects both men and women, though some women find they face additional hurdles across the menopausal transition.

Fluctuations that lead to the eventual decline in estrogen and progesterone – hormones that help support relaxation, temperature regulation, and mood – can disrupt the ability to fall and stay asleep. Night sweats, hot flushes and a racing mind or heart are common experiences, though not for all.

In men, declining testosterone can reduce sleep quality, especially when combined with increased stress or body fat increases, both of which can contribute to issues like sleep apnoea. For some, a combination of lifestyle choices and ageing might bring about changes in blood glucose regulation, bladder function, and joint pain – all of which can lead to more frequent night-time waking.

Alcohol is another factor that becomes increasingly disruptive with age. While it may initially help you fall asleep, research shows alcohol interferes with the second half of the sleep cycle by reducing rapid eye movement (REM) sleep – the deeply restorative phase linked to memory, emotional regulation, and cognitive health.

Sleep also tends to become more fragmented as we age, which makes alcohol’s effects even more problematic. Alcohol in the evening raises the likelihood of waking in the early hours.

Which brings us to a lesser-known but crucial contributor to midlife sleep issues: “liver load”. Over time, the workload of the liver – your primary detoxification organ – can become stretched by a cumulative burden of alcohol, medications, synthetic hormones, and potentially problematic environmental and dietary substances.

When overworked, the liver may struggle with the efficiency of its vital functions such as detoxification, blood sugar regulation, hormone clearance, and cholesterol metabolism. This can manifest as sudden waking between 1–3am – a time associated with heightened liver activity in traditional Chinese medicine.

You may find yourself wide awake for no apparent reason, with a restless body, racing mind or heart, or overheating. Supporting your liver with more bitter green vegetables like kale, rocket, broccoli, and cabbage, reducing alcohol and ultra-processed food intake, and incorporating liver-supportive medicinal herbs can help restore better function and improve the depth and continuity of sleep.

Stress hormones are another key player. With age comes increased responsibility for some (although others describe the personal freedom of this time), but also a lower tolerance for overstimulation.

Cortisol, one of the body’s primary stress hormones, can remain elevated at night when it is supposed to be low. This is common in people who rely on caffeine during the day or push through fatigue, only to feel “wired but tired” at bedtime.

In this state, it’s easy to miss your body’s natural “sleep window” – the time you’re most primed for rest and to fall asleep easily. If this happens, you may catch what’s known as the “second wind”: an evening surge of adrenaline that leaves you alert and unable to switch off. Repeatedly overriding these signals can lead to chronic sleep disturbances.

So, what helps? Start with the foundations:

• Morning sunlight exposure and dimmed lighting in the evening support your circadian rhythm and melatonin production.
• Stick to consistent sleep and wake times.
• Avoid screens (bright light destroys melatonin) and overly stimulating or disturbing viewing before bed.
• Steer clear of alcohol late at night or, better still, have many evenings without it and opt for an early, nourishing evening meal.
• Nutritionally, support your body with key nutrients that help regulate sleep and stress hormones. Magnesium, vitamin C, zinc, and iron are all involved in calming the nervous system, melatonin production, and/or helping the liver function optimally. Herbal remedies can also play a supportive role – look for ingredients such as Withania, Chamomile, and Magnolia for calm and nervous system support, or St Mary’s thistle and globe artichoke for liver health.

If you’re consistently waking between 1–3am, consider what your liver may be telling you. If your sleep feels light and unrefreshing, consider exploring your nutrient status, hormone clearance, and stress levels – not just your bedtime routine. And if you’ve already addressed the basics but still feel tired, dig deeper.

Uncovering and addressing nutrient deficiencies (especially in iron, B12, zinc, or magnesium), improving liver function, or supporting your nervous system more thoroughly with some calming breathing practices may be the key to finally getting the rest you need.

After 50, sleep isn’t just a luxury – it’s a cornerstone of vitality. And with proper focus and support, deep, restorative sleep is entirely within reach.