Sleep is one of the first things to go when hormones are shifting, stress is high, or life is full. And once sleep goes, everything feels louder. Your mood is shorter, cravings get stronger, motivation disappears, and even small problems feel huge.

The frustrating part is that sleep advice online often sounds like a full-time job. No screens, no caffeine, perfect routine, magnesium, journaling, meditation, red light… it’s a lot. Most women don’t need a perfect plan. They need a realistic one.

A good starting point is classic sleep hygiene. The NHS advice is simple: aim for a consistent routine, create a sleep-friendly environment, allow time to unwind, and avoid forcing sleep when you’re wide awake. If you can’t sleep, getting up briefly and doing something calm can be better than lying there spiralling.

For women, the “why” matters too. Hormonal shifts can impact temperature regulation, anxiety levels, and sleep continuity. Add stress, mum-life logistics, and late-night scrolling, and you get the classic pattern: falling asleep fine but waking at 2–4am with a buzzing brain.

So your reset needs two parts: protecting your nights and smoothing your days. In the day, sunlight, movement, and stable meals help regulate your body clock and energy. At night, your goal is to reduce stimulation and create the same cues that tell your brain, “We’re safe, we’re done, we can power down now.”

CBD is often used by women as part of that wind-down cue. Not as a knockout pill, but as something that supports relaxation. The research picture is still mixed, but reviews have noted potential for CBD in anxiety and sleep disturbances with big variation across studies and dosing.

If you’re trying CBD for sleep support, use the same approach as any wellbeing tool: start low, keep it consistent, and track how you feel across a couple of weeks rather than judging it on one night. If sleep issues are persistent, it’s also worth knowing that insomnia can last months or years and may benefit from structured support like CBT for insomnia. If you’ve tried routine changes and you’re still struggling, speak to a healthcare professional.

Sleep doesn’t need to be perfect to be powerful. Even improving it slightly can change your hormones, your hunger cues, your patience, and your entire day.