So, what does it all mean? A sleep expert offers her thoughts

Dr Nerina Ramlakhan, sleep expert and professional physiologist, says: “You have some great habits, which is not surprising given that you work in wellbeing, but a few changes might help you to navigate the perimenopause and then menopause stages with more ease.

“During these years, changing levels of the steroid hormones oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone can really affect the nervous system making you more prone to insomnia, night sweats, anxiety, joint pain and exhaustion, so self-care is really important. What you did before this age might no longer be helpful – for example, hard endurance exercise can actually cause increased levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which then exacerbates all the symptoms mentioned above. The key is good nutrition and hydration and balancing rest and activity levels.”

“How can I stop the perimenopause messing with my sleep?” A sleep expert answers your questions