Why It Feels Harder to Stick to Healthy Habits in Menopause (and How to Make Them Last)
Have you ever started a new health habit with the best intentions, only to find that a few weeks later, you've slipped back into old routines?
Perhaps you planned to exercise more, improve your eating habits or prioritise sleep. You knew why it mattered, but work, family responsibilities, poor sleep or simply running out of energy got in the way.
If this sounds familiar, it doesn't automatically mean you lack motivation or discipline.
During perimenopause and menopause, menopause symptoms such as changes in stress and sleep, energy and everyday demands can make established routines harder to maintain. The answer isn't necessarily to try harder or overhaul everything at once.
Behaviour change is about finding ways to make healthy habits realistic, manageable and sustainable in your actual life.
In this article, I'll explore why habits can become harder to maintain during menopause and share practical ways to make changes that work with your circumstances, rather than against them.
Why Behaviour Change Can Feel Harder During Menopause
Changing a habit requires more than knowing what to do. It also depends on your energy, environment, routines, priorities and the time and resources available to you.
During perimenopause and menopause, several factors can make that process feel more challenging.
1. Your Energy and Capacity May Change
When sleep is disrupted or symptoms affect your day, activities that once felt manageable can require more effort.
You might find that meal preparation feels harder after a poor night's sleep, or that your usual exercise routine no longer fits the energy you have available.
Rather than assuming you need more discipline, consider whether your current expectations still suit your circumstances.
2. Stress and Competing Demands Can Disrupt Routines
Work, caring responsibilities, family commitments and everyday stress can leave little time or mental space for new habits.
When you're already managing a lot, even a well-intentioned plan can become difficult to maintain.
This is why sustainable behaviour change needs to account for your actual life, not an idealised version of it.
3. All-or-Nothing Thinking Can Make Setbacks Feel Like Failure
Perhaps you've missed a workout, eaten differently from how you planned or abandoned a new bedtime routine for a few nights.
It's easy to conclude that you've failed and that there's little point continuing.
But a missed day doesn't erase your progress.
The aim isn't to follow a plan perfectly. It's to develop habits you can return to, adapt and maintain over time.
How to Make Behaviour Change Stick During Menopause
You don't need a perfect routine to make progress. You need an approach that works with your current circumstances and can adapt when life changes.
Here are five ways to make that easier.
1. Start Smaller Than You Think You Need To
When motivation strikes, it's tempting to change everything at once.
You might plan to exercise four times a week, overhaul your diet and establish a completely new bedtime routine.
The difficulty is sustaining all those changes when your week becomes busy or your energy drops.
Instead, choose one manageable action.
For example:
Take a 10-minute walk after lunch.
Add a source of protein to breakfast.
Go to bed 15 minutes earlier.
Do one short strength session this week.
You can build on the habit as it becomes more established.
The first goal is to make the behaviour repeatable, not impressive.
2. Make the Habit Easier to Do
We often focus on motivation when the practical setup matters just as much.
Think about what makes the habit difficult and remove one obstacle.
For example:
Put your walking shoes somewhere visible.
Prepare ingredients in advance when you have the time.
Keep exercise equipment somewhere convenient.
Set a reminder for a habit you tend to forget.
You can also attach a new behaviour to something you already do.
For example, after making your morning coffee, you could spend two minutes planning when you'll fit in some movement that day.
The easier a behaviour is to begin, the less you need to rely on motivation alone.
3. Create a Flexible Plan for Difficult Days
A routine that only works when you're well rested and have plenty of time may be difficult to maintain.
Instead, decide in advance how you will adapt when circumstances change.
For example:
Your usual plan: A 30-minute strength session.
Your alternative: A shorter session with a few familiar exercises.
Or:
Your usual plan: Prepare a balanced evening meal from scratch.
Your alternative: Use a convenient meal option and add vegetables or another component that helps meet your needs.
The alternative isn't failure. It's a way to maintain a connection with the habit when your original plan isn't realistic.
4. Focus on Consistency, Not Perfection
Progress isn't measured by how perfectly you follow a plan.
It's about what you can sustain and how you respond when things don't go as expected.
If you miss a workout or have a disrupted week, ask yourself:
What got in the way?
Was my plan realistic?
What could make it easier next time?
What's the smallest useful step I can take now?
These questions turn setbacks into information you can use, rather than reasons to give up.
5. Recognise Progress and Practise Self-Compassion
When you're focused on what still needs to change, it can be easy to overlook what you're already doing differently.
Notice the small improvements:
You're preparing meals more regularly.
You're finding it easier to fit movement into your week.
You're returning to your routine more quickly after a disruption.
You're making choices that better reflect your priorities.
You don't need to get everything right to make meaningful progress.
Treat yourself with the same patience you would offer someone else who was learning a new skill.
Over time, these small adjustments can help you build routines that are more realistic and sustainable.
How Do You Know Which Habit to Focus on First?
When several areas of your health could benefit from attention, it's tempting to try to change them all.
Instead, start by asking yourself three questions.
1. What matters most to me right now?
Perhaps you want to feel more rested, become stronger, improve your eating routine or make more time for yourself.
Choose something that feels relevant to your current needs.
2. What is realistic given my circumstances?
Consider your energy, time, responsibilities and existing routines.
A small change you can repeat may be more useful than an ambitious plan you struggle to maintain.
3. How will I know whether it's helping?
Choose a simple way to notice progress. This might mean tracking how often you complete a habit, reflecting on how manageable it feels or reviewing what you've learned after a few weeks.
You don't need to measure everything.
The aim is to identify a useful starting point, learn from the experience and adapt your approach as needed.
If you want to explore the wider picture first, my article on holistic menopause support explains how nutrition, movement, digestive health, sleep, stress and everyday habits fit together.
Not sure where to start?
You don't need to change everything at once. Start by understanding what matters most to you and identifying a manageable next step.
If you'd like help getting clearer on your priorities, download my free Menopause Blueprint.
Ready to Turn What You Know into Practical Action?
Understanding how habits work is a useful starting point. You may also want a clearer framework for deciding where to focus your attention across the different areas of menopause health.
Menopause Essentials is my self-paced programme covering nutrition, gut health, movement, behaviour change, stress and sleep.
It offers a structured way to build your understanding, explore practical strategies and identify changes you can work towards at your own pace.
You don't need to tackle everything at once. Start with what matters most to you and build from there.
When Personalised Support Might Help
Sometimes, the difficulty isn't knowing which habits could help. It's working out what to prioritise, adapting your approach to your circumstances and finding a way to make changes that fit your life. That is what menpoause coaching helps you with.
If you'd like to understand how a menopause health coach can help with this process, read What Does a Menopause Coach Do?.
If you're ready to explore whether individual support might be right for you, you can also book a free 30-minute Menopause Clarity Call.
The aim isn't to do more or follow a perfect plan. It's to find an approach that works for you.
References
Kwasnicka, D., Dombrowski, S.U., White, M. and Sniehotta, F. (2016) ‘Theoretical explanations for maintenance of behaviour change: a systematic review of behaviour theories’, Health Psychology Review, 10(3), pp. 277–296. doi:10.1080/17437199.2016.1151372. PMID: 26854092.
Gollwitzer, P.M. and Sheeran, P. (2006) ‘Implementation intentions and goal achievement: a meta-analysis of effects and processes’, Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 38, pp. 69–119. doi:10.1016/S0065-2601(06)38002-1.
Sniehotta, F.F., Presseau, J. and Araújo-Soares, V. (2014) ‘Time to retire the theory of planned behaviour’, Health Psychology Review, 8(1), pp. 1–7. doi:10.1080/17437199.2013.869710. PMID: 24393066.
Sniehotta, F.F., Presseau, J. and Araújo-Soares, V. (2016) ‘On the development of health behaviour change interventions’, or, preferably, use the following more directly relevant review: Kwasnicka, D. et al. (2016) above.
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Sirois, F.M. and Hirsch, J.K. (2019) or, more directly: Sirois, F.M., Molnar, D.S. and Hirsch, J.K. (2019) ‘The effect of self-compassion on the self-regulation of health behaviors: a systematic review’, Journal of Health Psychology, 24(14), pp. 2060–2071. doi:10.1177/1359105317713361. PMID: 28810473.
Mantzios, M. and Egan, H. (2026) ‘Self-compassion, stress and health behaviour: a systematic review and meta-analysis’. PMID: 42640104.
Gibson, C.J. et al. (2026) ‘Impact of sleep disturbances on health-related quality of life in postmenopausal women: a systematic review’. PMID: 40924877.
Baker, F.C., de Zambotti, M., Colrain, I.M. and Mellman, T.A. (2018) ‘Sleep disturbance during menopause: mechanisms and management options’, or the more recent review: (2024) ‘Sleep disturbance associated with the menopause’. PMID: 38916279.
Chen, M.-N., Lin, P.-Y. and Yang, W.-H. (2021) ‘Menopause and sleep disorders’. PMID: 35707298.
Dall, P.M. et al. (2024) or the article you already identified: ‘Exercise recommendations for peri- and postmenopausal women’. PMID: 38599003.
Michie, S., van Stralen, M.M. and West, R. (2011) ‘The behaviour change wheel: a new method for characterising and designing behaviour change interventions’, Implementation Science, 6, 42. doi:10.1186/1748-5908-6-42. PMID: 21513547.
