Menopause and the 3AM Wake Up: What Light, Meal Timing and Hormones Do with Dr. Kristen Holmes

Menopause and the 3AM Wake Up: What Light, Meal Timing and Hormones Do with Dr. Kristen Holmes

From unPAUSED with Dr. Mary Claire Haver by Audacy | Mary Claire Haver, MD

August 11, 2026 · 1h 8m

About this episode

Dr. Mary Claire Haver and Dr. Kristen Holmes discuss the impact of sleep, circadian rhythms, and hormones on women's health during menopause.

In this episode of unPAUSED, Dr. Mary Claire Haver sits down with Dr. Kristen Holmes, Vice President of Performance Science at Whoop and author of the new book Aligned, to unpack why sleep and circadian rhythm matter as much as hormones when it comes to the symptoms women feel in perimenopause and menopause. Dr. Holmes explains the concept of circadian amplitude, the contrast between activity and rest, light and dark, and fed and fasted states that keeps every system in the body running on time, and why women with lower amplitude tend to report more frequent and more severe symptoms. She walks through why morning light exposure is one of the most powerful and underused tools available, how getting outside within the first part of the day sets the timing for melatonin release that night, and why a window is not a substitute for actual daylight. The conversation moves into meal timing, including why the body is more insulin sensitive earlier in the day and how consolidating calories into a shorter window can support better sleep and metabolic health. Dr. Holmes also covers where movement fits, including the specific role of zone two training in recovery, why late night intense…

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