Midlife Insomnia? Try These Reflexology Techniques for Better Sleep Tonight
If you’re a midlife woman who wakes up at 2am, 3am, or struggles to fall asleep, you’re not alone. Many women in perimenopause and menopause experience disrupted sleep due to hormonal shifts, stress, and an overactive nervous system.
While sleep supplements and medications are common, there’s a natural, drug-free way to support restorative sleep: hand reflexology.
In this post, I’ll show you two key reflexology points you can work on tonight to help calm your nervous system, release tension, and prepare your body for a deeper, more restorative sleep.
Why Midlife Women Struggle with Sleep
Midlife insomnia is often caused by a combination of factors:
Hormonal fluctuations
Cortisol spikes and stress
Adrenal fatigue
Emotional overwhelm
Nervous system overload
Even if your life feels calm, your nervous system may be stuck in a “fight-or-flight” mode, making it impossible to settle into deep sleep.
Reflexology helps by sending a clear signal to your body: “You are safe. You can relax.”
Hand Reflexology for Better Sleep:
Key Points
1. Solar Plexus Reflex Point
Location:
Center of the palm, just below the base of the two middle fingers (soft pad area).
How to work it:
Press gently with your thumb in slow, circular motions for 30–60 seconds on each hand.
Breathe slowly and deeply as you apply pressure.
Why it works:
Activates the body’s relaxation response
Calms the nervous system
Eases stress and anxiety, helping you transition into sleep
2. Adrenal / Kidney Reflex Point
Location:
Towards the joint of the thumb on the palm.
How to work it:
Press gently with your thumb using small walking motions or hold on tender spots for 1 minute on each hand.
Focus on slow, rhythmic movements while breathing deeply.
Why it works:
Supports adrenal function and hormone balance
Reduces tension and midlife fatigue
Helps the body move out of “wired” mode into rest mode
3. Hypothalamus Reflex Point
Location:
Very top of the thumb.
How to work it:
Use your thumb or index finger to press and gently massage for 30–45 seconds on each thumb.
Apply slow, gentle pressure and breathe deeply, imagining your nervous system softening.
Why it works:
The hypothalamus regulates sleep, stress, and hormones
Stimulating this point helps balance sleep-wake cycles and hormone regulation
4. Chest / Lung Reflex Point
Location:
Across the upper part of the palm, just below the fingers, where the metacarpals are, spanning from thumb to little finger side.
How to work it:
Use both thumbs to gently press and sweep across the upper palm for 30–45 seconds per hand.
Encourage slow breaths, inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth.
Why it works:
Opens the chest and supports deeper breathing
Helps release stress held in the upper body
Improves oxygenation, calming the nervous system
5. Diaphragm Reflex Point
Location:
Midway across the palm, just below the chest/lung area, roughly in the middle of the palm horizontally.
How to work it:
Press gently with your thumb, hold for a few seconds, underneath the metacarpals, then release, repeating for 30 seconds per hand.
Focus on breathing deeply into the lower belly as you do this.
Why it works:
Relaxes the diaphragm and eases tension from stress
Supports deep, restorative breathing
Helps the nervous system transition from alert to relaxed state
Hand Reflexology Routine (Total 5–7 Minutes)
Sit comfortably and take three slow, deep breaths.
Work the Solar Plexus point for 30–60 seconds per hand.
Work the Kidney reflex point for 1 minute per hand.
Work the Hypothalamus reflex point for 30–45 seconds per hand.
Work the Chest / Lung reflex point for 30–45 seconds per hand.
Work the Diaphragm reflex point for 30 seconds per hand.
Finish with gentle strokes along the palm to relax the hand and release any remaining tension.
A Simple Reflexology Routine for Tonight
Sit comfortably in bed or on a chair.
Take three slow, deep breaths.
Work the Solar Plexus point on one foot for 30–60 seconds.
Work the Kidney reflex point on the same foot for 1 minute.
Repeat on the other foot.
Finish with gentle strokes along the foot to relax.
Total time: about 4–6 minutes.
Even doing this once can create a noticeable shift in relaxation and readiness for sleep.
Extra Tips for Better Sleep
Keep a consistent bedtime and wake-up routine
Avoid screens 30–60 minutes before bed
Dim lighting and a quiet space support nervous system calm
If you wake in the middle of the night, repeat the Solar Plexus point to soothe your body.
Final Thoughts
Midlife insomnia is common, but it doesn’t have to control your nights. Hand and Foot reflexology is a gentle, effective, and drug-free tool to help you relax, release tension, and prepare your body for restorative sleep.
If you’d like to experience the benefits of reflexology hands-on, you can book a session with me in Eastbourne. You’ll receive personalised support for stress relief, midlife fatigue, and improved sleep.
✨ Bonus: For at-home support, check out my Skin Vitality Blueprint, which includes facial reflexology, facial massage, and natural wellbeing rituals for midlife women.
Visit my YouTube Channel where I share this specific hand reflexology for insomnia routine.
