The Best Sleep Prep Happens Before 3 p.m.

January 14, 2026

Why thyroid health + daytime rituals matter more than your nighttime routine (especially in peri & menopause)

Let’s start with the obvious: Sleep gets weird in midlife.

Hot flashes. Night sweats. 3 a.m. wide-awake spirals. That bone-deep exhaustion where you’re tired and wired. Studies estimate 40–60% of women in perimenopause and menopause report chronic sleep disturbances: difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking too early. But you didn’t need a stat to know that.

What is under-discussed is this:

Most sleep problems don’t start at night. They start with how your body is fueled and regulated during the day.

And one of the most overlooked players here is your thyroid.

Your thyroid is not a sleep hormone—but it runs the system that lets sleep happen

Your thyroid doesn’t “make you sleepy.”
It does something more foundational: it regulates metabolic rate, energy production, body temperature, and circadian signaling.

Think of it as your body’s thermostat + battery.

When thyroid function is off—even subtly—you’re more likely to experience:

Evening restlessness or anxiety
Temperature dysregulation (hello, night sweats)
Blood sugar instability
That exhausted-but-can’t-sleep feeling

All of which become more common in perimenopause and menopause, when estrogen’s stabilizing effect on the thyroid axis declines.

So in addition to excellent sleep hygiene, we are diving into your daytime rituals. Good sleep is built upstream.

Daytime energy regulation = nighttime calm

Here’s the pattern we see over and over again:

Under-fuel in the morning
Cortisol stays elevated
Energy dips mid-afternoon
Cue the second (or third) coffee
Adenosine gets blocked
Melatonin release gets delayed
You’re exhausted… at midnight

This is not a willpower problem. It’s a physiology problem.

When your thyroid is supported and your energy is steady all day, you’re far less likely to need late-day stimulants that sabotage sleep later.

The most underrated sleep ritual: the first hour of your day

1. Wake with your circadian rhythm (it’s less forgiving with age)

As we get older, our circadian rhythm becomes more sensitive to mistiming. Late mornings, inconsistent wake times, and indoor-only light exposure can all blunt the cortisol awakening response that tells your brain, “We’re up. We’re safe. Let’s go.”

2. Get sunlight in your eyes (yes, really)

Neuroscientist Andrew Huberman has popularized this for a reason:
Morning light exposure (ideally within 30–60 minutes of waking) helps anchor your circadian rhythm, improving alertness during the day and melatonin release at night. No supplements required. Just light.

3. Eat something—especially if you train

This one matters deeply for women.

Renowned exercise physiologist Stacy Sims has shown that fasted training can increase stress hormone output in women, impair thyroid signaling, and worsen energy crashes later in the day—particularly in peri/menopause.

Translation:
If you’re asking your body to perform, feed it first.

A small, balanced bite that includes carbohydrates, fats, and micronutrients can help stabilize cortisol and blood sugar—two things your sleep depends on.

What does food have to do with sleep?

More than we’ve been taught.

The ingredients in the Rootless Daily Bite weren’t chosen for sedation—they were chosen for daytime regulation, which is what allows nighttime rest.

Here’s how they play a role:

Dates: provide natural carbohydrates and sugars that support sustained energy and fight fatigue.
Almonds: rich in magnesium and healthy fats, supporting nervous system function and glucose stability.
Sesame & sunflower seeds: contain B vitamins, zinc, and essential fatty acids involved in hormone signaling and energy metabolism.⁹
Seaweed: one of the most bioavailable natural sources of iodine—an essential mineral your body cannot make, but your thyroid absolutely requires.

When iodine intake is insufficient, the thyroid struggles to produce hormones efficiently. Even mild deficiency has been associated with fatigue, cold intolerance, mood changes, and disrupted sleep patterns.

Steady thyroid input = steadier daytime energy = less reliance on afternoon caffeine = better sleep.

About nighttime rituals (and why fabric matters more than you think)

In addition to healthy morning habits, healthy nighttime rituals are key to good sleep.

Temperature and moisture regulation at night are huge for menopausal sleep, which is why we love what Lusomé is doing. There is a lot of snake oil being sold as “cooling” ware on the market. Lusome did an extensive clinical study with Harvard University on their Xirotex™ fabric, which showed:

Sleep Duration: On average, sleep duration increased by 26 minutes.
Sleep Quality: 69% of participants reported improved sleep quality.
Restorative Sleep: Scores on the Restorative Sleep Questionnaire improved from 24.8 to 31.1, indicating a substantial enhancement in restorative sleep.
Sleeping Too Hot: The proportion of participants reporting trouble sleeping due to heat decreased significantly.
Night Sweats: Among those who experienced night sweats, 42% reported a reduction in severity, with 33% eliminating symptoms entirely.
Psychological Well-being: Participants reported increased alertness, happiness, energy levels, and overall health, as well as a maintained sense of calm throughout the study.

This matters because night sweats aren’t just uncomfortable—they fragment sleep architecture.

If you’re going to invest in nighttime support, give their effective and sexy sleepware a try with 25%, apply code HOPE25 at checkout!

The Rootless take

Sleep isn’t something you “hack” at 9 p.m.

It’s something you work on gently throughout the day—by:

Supporting your thyroid
Eating early and consistently
Respecting your circadian biology
Reducing the need for late-day stimulants
Creating an environment your body feels safe resting in

Your hormones don’t need to be fixed.
They need to be fed.

References

Kravitz HM et al. Sleep in perimenopause and menopause. Menopause. 2018.
Santoro N et al. Endocrine changes in menopause. Endocr Rev. 2015.
Hood S, Amir S. The aging clock: circadian rhythms and aging. Trends Neurosci. 2017.
Huberman A. Circadian rhythm & light exposure. Stanford Neuroscience.
Sims ST, Heather AK. Myths of fasted training in women. Sports Med. 2018.
Zimmermann MB. Thyroid hormone metabolism. Endocr Rev. 2009.
Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for B vitamins & zinc.
Teas J et al. Seaweed and iodine bioavailability. Thyroid. 2004.
Freedman RR. Thermoregulation and menopausal hot flashes. Endocr Rev. 2014.
Independent Moisture Management & Air Permeability Testing of Xirotex™ Fabrics (Lusomé internal report).

Back to blog

Why thyroid health + daytime rituals matter more than your nighttime routine (especially in peri & menopause)

Let’s start with the obvious: Sleep gets weird in midlife.

What is under-discussed is this:

Most sleep problems don’t start at night. They start with how your body is fueled and regulated during the day.

And one of the most overlooked players here is your thyroid.

Your thyroid is not a sleep hormone—but it runs the system that lets sleep happen

Your thyroid doesn’t “make you sleepy.” It does something more foundational: it regulates metabolic rate, energy production, body temperature, and circadian signaling.

Think of it as your body’s thermostat + battery.

When thyroid function is off—even subtly—you’re more likely to experience:

All of which become more common in perimenopause and menopause, when estrogen’s stabilizing effect on the thyroid axis declines.

So in addition to excellent sleep hygiene, we are diving into your daytime rituals. Good sleep is built upstream.

Daytime energy regulation = nighttime calm

Here’s the pattern we see over and over again:

This is not a willpower problem. It’s a physiology problem.

When your thyroid is supported and your energy is steady all day, you’re far less likely to need late-day stimulants that sabotage sleep later.

The most underrated sleep ritual: the first hour of your day

1. Wake with your circadian rhythm (it’s less forgiving with age)

As we get older, our circadian rhythm becomes more sensitive to mistiming. Late mornings, inconsistent wake times, and indoor-only light exposure can all blunt the cortisol awakening response that tells your brain, “We’re up. We’re safe. Let’s go.”

2. Get sunlight in your eyes (yes, really)

Neuroscientist Andrew Huberman has popularized this for a reason: Morning light exposure (ideally within 30–60 minutes of waking) helps anchor your circadian rhythm, improving alertness during the day and melatonin release at night. No supplements required. Just light.

3. Eat something—especially if you train

This one matters deeply for women.

Renowned exercise physiologist Stacy Sims has shown that fasted training can increase stress hormone output in women, impair thyroid signaling, and worsen energy crashes later in the day—particularly in peri/menopause.

Translation: If you’re asking your body to perform, feed it first.

A small, balanced bite that includes carbohydrates, fats, and micronutrients can help stabilize cortisol and blood sugar—two things your sleep depends on.

What does food have to do with sleep?

More than we’ve been taught.

The ingredients in the Rootless Daily Bite weren’t chosen for sedation—they were chosen for daytime regulation, which is what allows nighttime rest.

Here’s how they play a role:

When iodine intake is insufficient, the thyroid struggles to produce hormones efficiently. Even mild deficiency has been associated with fatigue, cold intolerance, mood changes, and disrupted sleep patterns.

Steady thyroid input = steadier daytime energy = less reliance on afternoon caffeine = better sleep.

About nighttime rituals (and why fabric matters more than you think)

In addition to healthy morning habits, healthy nighttime rituals are key to good sleep.

This matters because night sweats aren’t just uncomfortable—they fragment sleep architecture.

If you’re going to invest in nighttime support, give their effective and sexy sleepware a try with 25%, apply code HOPE25 at checkout!

The Rootless take

Sleep isn’t something you “hack” at 9 p.m.

It’s something you work on gently throughout the day—by:

Your hormones don’t need to be fixed. They need to be fed.

References

Your thyroid doesn’t “make you sleepy.”
It does something more foundational: it regulates metabolic rate, energy production, body temperature, and circadian signaling.

Neuroscientist Andrew Huberman has popularized this for a reason:
Morning light exposure (ideally within 30–60 minutes of waking) helps anchor your circadian rhythm, improving alertness during the day and melatonin release at night. No supplements required. Just light.

Translation:
If you’re asking your body to perform, feed it first.

Your hormones don’t need to be fixed.
They need to be fed.