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Christine Meehan
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February 26, 2025
You know what’s fun? Sleep. You know what’s not fun? Lying in bed at 2 a.m. while your brain decides it’s the perfect time to replay every embarrassing thing you’ve ever done, analyze tomorrow’s to-do list like it’s a NASA launch, and—just for variety—loop a song you hate on repeat.
Welcome to menopause, where your hormones have turned into a gang of sleep-depriving chaos gremlins, and your stress levels are permanently set to “WHY AM I LIKE THIS?!”
The Midnight Brain Circus: A Lineup of Annoyances
The Anxiety Acrobats – “Did I lock the door? Did I send that email? What if I think I sent the email, but I actually sent it to the wrong person? What if I never sent it at all?!” Spoiler: The door is locked, the email is fine, and no, you do not need to solve your entire life between 1:00 and 3:30 a.m. (A little L-theanine wouldn’t hurt, though—it’s great for calming racing thoughts.)
The Overthinking Tightrope Walkers – Balancing between “I should’ve handled that differently” and “If I ever run into that person again, I will spontaneously combust from embarrassment.” (Ashwagandha, a natural adaptogen, can help take the edge off these overthinking spirals by supporting your stress response. Because honestly, menopause does not need extra stress.)
The Musical Clown Show – Featuring that one song you haven’t heard in ten years, but your brain has lovingly decided to blast on repeat at full volume. Extra points if it’s something truly awful, like a jingle from an ad you hate. (Maybe your brain just needs some magnesium—deficiencies are linked to restless sleep and muscle tension, and it’s great for relaxing both body and mind.)
The Future-Predicting Fortune Teller – “What if everything goes wrong?” “What if I forget something important?” “What if I wake up looking like I aged 40 years overnight?” (Let’s be real, that last one is just from bad sleep.) A little lion’s mane mushroom might help here—it’s been studied for brain health and memory, so at least if you’re overthinking, you’ll be doing it with enhanced cognitive function.
The Escape Plan: How to Shut Down the Show
We can’t fire the entire circus crew, but we can try to shut the whole thing down early. Here’s how:
The “Write It Down & Forget It” Trick – Keep a notepad by your bed. When your brain starts with the “must remember this” list, write it down and tell yourself, That’s tomorrow’s problem, not 3 a.m. me’s problem.
The Mindless Distraction – Sometimes, the best way to break the cycle is to replace it. Listen to a podcast with calming voices, or play an audiobook where someone talks about something so dull your brain gives up. (Hello, sleep meditations about the history of paper.)
The Body First Approach – Your brain might be a runaway train, but your body can help apply the brakes. Try progressive muscle relaxation—tense and release your muscles one by one. It’s like tricking your brain into thinking, Oh, I guess we’re shutting down now. Pair it with magnesium glycinate before bed for extra relaxation.
Natural Sleep & Stress Support – If your brain insists on behaving like a caffeinated squirrel, consider adding:
L-theanine – Found in green tea, but available in supplement form, it’s great for taking the edge off anxious thoughts.
Ashwagandha – Helps regulate cortisol (the stress hormone that loves to spike at night).
Magnesium Glycinate – One of the best forms of magnesium for sleep and muscle relaxation.
Lion’s Mane Mushroom – Supports memory, focus, and overall brain health. If you’re going to overthink, might as well do it with sharper cognition!
Laugh About It – Because honestly, if we don’t laugh, we might cry, and that’s a whole other emotional rollercoaster we don’t have time for.
Final Thoughts (But Not at 3 A.M.)
Menopause, stress, and overthinking are like an unruly circus we never signed up for. But if we can’t make it disappear, we can at least manage the madness. So next time your brain refuses to shut up, take a deep breath, try a few tricks (and maybe a supplement or two), and remind yourself: This circus isn’t forever. But if my brain plays that song one more time, I’m suing.
