Breescape and Sleep Expert Kelly Murray Reveal How Hormonal Shifts Are Secretly Sabotaging Women’s Sleep

The sleep science-led brand uncovers why women’s hormones are keeping them awake at night and what they can do about it

NEW YORK, May 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — During Women’s Health Month, Breescape^®, the bedding brand dedicated to uninterrupted cooling comfort for hot sleepers, is highlighting how hormonal changes can affect sleep quality for women throughout life.

Hormonal changes from the menstrual cycle, postpartum recovery, perimenopause, and menopause cause many women to lose sleep, often without realizing hormones are to blame. Estrogen and progesterone help support healthy sleep, but when their levels change, women may wake up more often or have trouble falling asleep. Up to 60% of women experience sleep problems during perimenopause, and hormones are a major reason, which can be compounded by stress and aging. Lower estrogen means less melatonin is produced, and lower progesterone reduces GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) activity. Both changes make it harder for women to fall and stay asleep.

“Women’s sleep needs are different from men’s, and they change at every stage of life,” said Kelly Murray, Breescape’s sleep wellness advisor, certified adult sleep coach, and Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner (FDN-P). “When we understand the reasons behind our sleepless nights, we can finally start making real, lasting change.”

Murray focuses on functional health and creates personalized sleep solutions for busy women and professionals, helping them regain energy and overcome insomnia, sleep loss, and hormone-related sleep problems.

Along with Breescape, Murray shares the following tips for women to get restful, uninterrupted sleep in spite of hormonal changes:

• Cool the sleep environment to combat hormonal temperature surges: A common symptom of hormonal changes – during the luteal phase, after childbirth, or in menopause – is an increase in core body temperature. Lower hormone levels and their effects on the brain can cause night sweats, cold flashes, and broken sleep. Murray suggests keeping your bedroom between 65 and 68°F and using products that help regulate temperature for a cooler sleep environment.

• Address the cortisol-sleep cycle that causes 3 a.m. wake-ups: That mysterious 3 a.m. wake-up that so many women experience isn’t random. The common 3 a.m. wake-up is often caused by an early cortisol surge, which becomes more pronounced when progesterone levels are low. Murray advises women to wind down with intentional stress-reduction rituals beginning at least 60–90 minutes before bed to blunt that cortisol spike before it disrupts sleep. Journaling, gentle stretching, and breathwork are all powerful tools.

• Support GABA levels with a consistent sleep schedule: Low progesterone and high cortisol levels wreak havoc on sleep. GABA is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system (the body’s natural “off” switch), and it slows nerve activity in the brain, which leads to feelings of calm and relaxation. When progesterone drops, so does natural GABA activity. Murray emphasizes that one of the most effective (and free) ways to support the GABA system is through consistent sleep and wake times, which regulate the body’s internal clock and reduce neurological hyperarousal over time.

• Use weighted comfort to quiet an anxious, hormonally wired nervous system: Hormonal changes, especially drops in estrogen before menstruation or during perimenopause, can increase anxiety and make it harder to relax before sleep. Murray suggests using deep pressure stimulation, which is a proven way to calm the nervous system and lower anxiety before bed.

• Track sleep alongside the menstrual cycle to anticipate (and prepare for) the worst sleep nights: One of her key strategies is to track sleep alongside the menstrual cycle. She encourages women to note how their sleep changes with their cycle or hormone patterns, so they can adjust their sleep environment, stress levels, and bedtime habits before times when they are most likely to have trouble sleeping, such as before menstruation or during hormonal dips in perimenopause.