✶ Sponsored by Riora ✶ The Riora Journal ✶ September 2026 ✶
✶ Sponsored by Riora ✶ The Riora Journal ✶ September 2026 ✶
Riora
My perimenopause story

I woke up at 3:14am for two years. Here's what finally helped.

For two years I blamed stress for trouble falling asleep, the 3am wakeups and the night sweats. It was perimenopause. Here's what finally worked, and no, it was NOT melatonin.

By Elise T., as shared with the Riora editorial team September 25, 2026
“Falling asleep itself was nightmare but staying asleep was the bigger problem and 'stress' never explained the soaked pajamas.”
The short version

If this sounds familiar, keep reading.

I blamed stress. Then I blamed my mattress.

What I'd never been told was that a racing mind at bedtime, 3am wakeups, night sweats can arrive together, in the same season, for the same reason: perimenopause - or as I call it, the swing years.

RACING MIND 3AM WAKEUPS NIGHT SWEATS

The clue was that the trouble falling asleep, 3am wakeups and the night sweats weren't separate problems.

01
Chapter one

The 3am club

It was always 3:14am. Not 3 o'clock. Not 3:30. 3:14, like my body had an alarm I never set. Eyes open, and my brain would start the meeting early.

Some nights I couldn't fall asleep in the first place. Lights out at ten, still negotiating with the ceiling at midnight. Other nights I dropped off fine, then snapped awake at 3:14 - too hot, then freezing ten minutes later, tomorrow's to-do list on a loop.

Either way, every night ended the same: doing the math on how many hours were left. If I fall asleep right now, I get four. Now three and a half. I'm 44. And "stress" never explained the soaked pajamas.

And here's the part I didn't say out loud for months. What scared me wasn't the lost sleep. It was wondering whether this was the start of something worse.

It wasn't just me
94%
of women aged 45-64 say menopause has changed their sleep quality 1
80%
of women experience hot flashes and night sweats during the menopause transition 2
63%
of women approaching or in the transition said they were "not feeling like myself" half the time or more 3

I started compensating - earlier bedtimes, a cooler room, a towel folded on the nightstand. Those systems helped hide the pattern. They did not explain it.

Check the ones that sound like you:
Tap the ones that fit. For the record, I checked eight.
02
Chapter two

I spent my 3am hours researching. Turns out it has a name: perimenopause. I call them the 'swing years'.

Nobody said “perimenopause” to me. I found it the way everyone does now, wide awake with my phone at 3am, reading studies I had to look up word by word.

Here's what I wish someone had just told me. Perimenopause is the stretch of years before menopause when your hormones start shifting. It can begin in your late 30s, while your periods are still regular, and sleep is often the first place it shows up.

Stress doesn't give you night sweats. Hormone swings do.

Progesterone, the calming one, drifts down first. Estrogen spikes and drops, sometimes inside the same week, and both are involved in temperature regulation and the stress response. When they swing, you get the 3am cortisol spikes, the sweats, the racing mind. Nothing is wrong with your ability to sleep. The inputs changed.

It's also why a “normal” blood test settles nothing. A single draw catches one moment of a moving target, usually at 9am, which is not when your problem happens. Normal results don't mean nothing's going on.

Doctors call this stretch perimenopause. I started calling it the swing years, because that's what it feels like at 3am.

And the advice women get? Wind down earlier, cut caffeine, try melatonin - and I did everything!

What I tried in the three months of figuring it out
Melatonin, three different brands 2mg, 5mg, then 10mg. Gave me foggy mornings.
$42
Magnesium spray for my feet The internet swore by it.
$22
A weighted blanket Lovely, honestly. Changed nothing at 3am.
$89
A sedating "PM" blend Four capsules a night, grogginess by design.
$36
A sleep tracker subscription Precise data on exactly how badly I was sleeping.
$70
Three months of guessing $259+

None of it was built for this stage. Melatonin only ever touched half of it, the falling-asleep half, and even then my 3:14 alarm kept its schedule; the only other thing it changed was how foggy my 9am felt.

Why none of it worked
✗
The melatonin
Aimed at: Falling asleep. Three brands and three doses treated 3am like a falling-asleep problem. What it missed: It helped me drop off, on some nights. It did nothing at 3am, and my 9am got foggier.
✗
The gadgets
Aimed at: The symptoms. A weighted blanket for comfort, a tracker to measure the damage. What it missed: They documented the pattern beautifully. They couldn't touch why it was happening.
✗
The “PM” blends
Aimed at: Everything at once. Four capsules a night, sedation by design. What it missed: Sedation isn't sleep. Dosed to knock you out means dosed to fog your morning.

I wasn't failing to fix the problem. I was fixing the wrong problems, one at a time.

Every fix was aimed at one symptom: the falling asleep, or the sweats, or the racing mind. But the wakeups, the sweats and the 3am spiral were never three separate problems. They were one problem, wearing three faces, and nothing on my nightstand was built for it.

How experts explain it

Dr. Costa H. Sousou, MD, FACOG
The clinical view Dr. Costa H. Sousou, MD, FACOG Board-certified OB-GYN (FACOG) · Riora Expert Panel

“Women describe it to me the same way: ‘I wake at 3am and I'm just awake, no nightmare, just awake and slightly hot.’ There is no bad dream and no noise outside. Then you lie there and feel the hours you need slipping away, which only makes it harder to drop off again. Sleep often becomes easier to interrupt during the menopause transition. Your brain's temperature-control center becomes more sensitive as estrogen changes, so a small shift in core temperature can trigger flushing and sweating - a night sweat. The sweats break your sleep apart, and the broken sleep wrecks the day that follows.

Estradiol: spikes and drops Progesterone: drifts down
Late 30s The swing years 50s

Riora's Peri/Menopause Night Support is designed to support an evening wind-down routine.* Shatavari, the botanical in it, has been studied for hot flashes and night sweats, along with better, more restful sleep* - the very thing night sweats take from you.”

Shanel Laureen, CAP (NAMA)
The Ayurvedic view Shanel Laureen, CAP (NAMA) Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner · Riora Expert Panel

“Sleep breaks here for two reasons. Progesterone, a calming hormone that carries deep sleep, falls years before estrogen, so nights turn fragmented. And in the early hours, sleep lightens as cortisol rises, waking you around 3am. Ayurvedic system of medicine separates sleep quality from quantity, holding a long, broken night depletes you more than a shorter, deep one.

Progesterone falls · cortisol rises
two shifts, three faces
The 3am wakeup Night sweats A racing mind

Riora's Peri/Menopause Night Support works on the same wind-down, with Shatavari and L-Theanine to help promote relaxation and restful sleep, taken as part of your evening.*”

Made for this exact stage
Built for the swing years, not all "women 18 to 80"

Riora Peri/Menopause Night Support was built for exactly this stage: the 3am wakeups of the perimenopause years, and everything that comes with them.*

03
Chapter three

Ancient wisdom, modern science. That's what finally worked.

Peri/Menopause Night Support

Ancient wisdom, modern science. 5,000-year-old Ayurvedic botanicals, combined with modern calming actives and clinical validation, in one capsule before bed. No melatonin anywhere.*

Helps manage:*
Poor sleep Night sweats Hot flashes Stress
L-Theanine · 200mg The calm-focus compound found in green tea, that helps you relax into sleep without drowsiness.*
GABA · 300mg Your body's own calming messenger to help quiet the mind before sleep.*
Shatavari · Xeya™ 50mg The hero. The “queen of herbs,” clinically studied to help ease perimenopause signs, from hot flashes at night to mood.*
Ashwagandha · KSM-66® 120mg An ancient adaptogen root that helps the body wind down from the stress of the day.*
Liposomal Magnesium · 15mg A gentle, well-absorbed form that rounds out the formula.
Third-party tested, using random samples
Every dose printed on the label
One capsule, zero melatonin
60-day money-back guarantee
Five calming ingredients, each at the doses with clinical evidence
200mg
Calm
L-Theanine · from green tea

Relaxation without drowsiness, so you settle into sleep rather than get switched off.* The calm-focus compound found in green tea, for a calmer wind-down and more satisfying sleep.†

  • Helps promote relaxation without drowsiness*
  • Helps support healthy, restful sleep and more satisfying sleep*
  • Supports a calm mind and a healthy stress response*
300mg
Quiet mind
GABA

Your body's own calming messenger, helping a busy mind settle before sleep.* An amino acid you make naturally, for falling asleep more easily and a more settled night.†

  • Helps promote relaxation and a calm state before sleep*
  • Helps you fall asleep more easily and supports a shorter time to fall asleep*
  • Supports a settled night with fewer occasional sleep disturbances*
50mg
The hero
Shatavari · Xeya™ Modern Shatavari™

Clinically studied for the perimenopause transition, supporting occasional hot flashes, restlessness at night, and hormone balance.*† In a 4-month clinical study at 50mg (15% shatavarins), Xeya™ Shatavari improved overall menopausal symptom scores by 51%.*†

  • Helps ease common signs of the perimenopause transition, including occasional hot flashes, restlessness at night and difficulty sleeping*
  • Supports healthy hormone balance*
  • Supports a balanced mood and emotional steadiness through the menopause transition*
120mg
Stress
Ashwagandha · KSM-66® root extract

An ancient adaptogen root that helps the body wind down from the stress of the day.* One of the world's most clinically studied ashwagandha extracts: KSM-66 is the branded, full-spectrum extract behind most of the herb's modern human research.

  • Made from the root alone, through a clean, water-based process
  • One of the world's most clinically studied ashwagandha extracts
  • A full-spectrum extract that stays true to the whole root
15mg
The mineral
Magnesium · liposomal

A small, deliberate dose in a liposomal form chosen for how well it absorbs, here to complete the formula rather than to act as a standalone magnesium supplement.

  • A liposomal format, chosen for better absorption than conventional magnesium salts
  • A small, considered amount, selected to sit alongside the other actives
  • Part of the complete formulation, not a standalone daily magnesium dose
WHAT EXPERTS SAY ABOUT NIGHT SUPPORT
Dr. Costa Sousou, MD, FACOG Obstetrics and gynecology · 32+ years in practice

“Riora's Peri/Menopause Night Support is designed to support an evening wind-down routine.* Shatavari, the botanical in it, has been studied for hot flashes and night sweats, along with better, more restful sleep - the very thing night sweats take from you.*”

Dr. Trupti Gokani, MD Integrative medicine and neurology

“The products don't use caffeine or melatonin but actually work with your body's own processes to help ease what this transition brings... This is a formulation I am comfortable sharing with women.”

Shanel Laureen, CAP (NAMA) Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner

“Riora's Peri/Menopause Night Support works on the same wind-down the old traditions built their evening rituals around, with Shatavari and L-Theanine to help promote relaxation and restful sleep, taken as part of your evening.*”

WHAT REAL WOMEN ARE SAYING
★★★★★
Aug. 31st
I wake up feeling refreshed

I cannot say enough about this product. I'm so excited! I feel completely different. It has truly changed my life. After just the first week of taking it, I feel rested and full of energy—emotionally, physically, and mentally. I wake up feeling refreshed and excited about life. Before, everything felt like a struggle, from waking up in the morning to getting through the day. I had even lost the energy and motivation to work out and felt emotionally drained. This product has helped me so much.

Rested morningsEnergy
M
Mariangela C. ✓ Verified buyer
★★★★★
Sep. 8th
Made good on all of its claims

I loved this product. In a very short time this product made good on all of its claims for peri/menopausal support.

Peri/menopause support
L
Lauren B. ✓ Verified buyer
★★★★★
Sep. 7th
Improved my mood and sleep quality

These supplements really has helped improve my mood, sleep quality and reduced my perimenopause symptoms.

MoodSleep quality
B
Brandy M. ✓ Verified buyer
★★★★★
Aug. 18th
10/10 recommend

Great product specially in this stage in my life . I have noticed a huge difference in my body 10/10 recommend

This stage of life
S
Samantha F. ✓ Verified buyer
✱
What changes first

What it feels like when it starts working

✓
Fewer 3am wake-ups

You may still wake now and then, but it stops happening every night, like clockwork.*

✓
You fall back asleep faster

When you do wake, you drift back off instead of lying awake for an hour.*

✓
Clearer mornings

Nothing sedating at night, so you wake up without the grogginess.*

✓
Fewer night sweats

Fewer hot-then-cold swings that leave you kicking off the covers.*

→
The routine

How it fits into a night

Take one capsule before bed

I keep mine on the nightstand so it's part of the routine, right next to my book.

1
Sleep as normal

Nothing in it sedates you, so there's no knockout effect at night and no grogginess to sleep off.

2
Notice the change by week 3-4

That's when the studies show it kicking in. For me, it was realizing the 3am wake-ups had quietly stopped.*

3
?
Expectations

When do the nights actually change?

Nothing here forces sleep, so there is no knockout effect on night one. Your nights come back consistently, month over month.
DAY 1
Nothing to feel yet

There's nothing sedating in it, so there's no knockout effect on night one and nothing to sleep off. Botanicals work on weeks, not hours, which is why every milestone below has a study date behind it.*

Month 1
The wind-down gets easier

An easier wind-down and a shorter time to fall asleep build through the first month, from GABA and L-Theanine.*†

Month 2
Hot flashes at night begin to ease

In the clinical study, Shatavari's hot-flash scores showed measurable improvement by the day-56 check, and kept improving from there.*†

Month 3
The wake-ups ease

Restlessness at night and difficulty sleeping, the night-time signs Shatavari is studied for, ease further as its support deepens toward the final study check.*†

Month 4
You feel like yourself again

Steadier mood and hormone support from Shatavari, with a 51% improvement in overall symptom scores in the four-month clinical study.*

Around week five I woke up to my actual alarm and lay there genuinely confused, trying to remember the last time that had happened. I texted my sister about it, which tells you how big it felt.

1

capsule before bed, on the nightstand. That's the entire ask.

0mg

melatonin. Zero grogginess borrowed from tomorrow morning.

5

calming ingredients, each at the dose used in the studies. Nothing else.

60

days to decide, with a full money-back guarantee.

vs
Side by side

Night Support vs. what I'd already tried

Riora Night Support
Melatonin
Sedating “PM” blends
Basic magnesium
Built for the transition
✓ Yes, that is the whole point
✗ No
✗ No
✗ No
Morning grogginess
✗ None by design
✓ Common complaint
✓ Foggy mind in the morning
✗ None
The 3am wakeup
✓ Formulated around it
✗ Not made for this
✗ Sedation, not support
✗ Does not solve
Ingredients
✓ Clinically studied & standardized
✗ Hormonal, keep increasing doses
✗ Proprietary blends, hidden doses
✓ Usually labeled
Night sweats & hot flashes
✓ Shatavari, clinically studied for both*
✗ Not addressed
✗ Not addressed
✗ Not addressed
Dependency
✗ Non habit-forming, works with your own wind-down*
✓ Nightly reliance is common
✓ Hard to sleep without it
✗ None
Risk
✓ 60-day money-back
✗ None
✗ 14 to 30-day windows
✗ None
Risk-free The 60-day money-back guarantee

Try it for two full months. If your nights don't change, contact support and they'll refund you, opened bottle and all.

$
The offer

Choose how you start

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1 / 8
★★★★★★★★★★ 4.6 · Verified reviews
1-Month Supply, Autoship & Price Locked for Life 30 capsules · delivered monthly · skip or cancel anytime
✓ 30-day supply, delivered monthly
$59.99$41.99
✓ 30% off the one-time price, every month
Included
✓ The Foundation Guide
Free
✓ Nutrition Plan
$79Free
✓ 90-Day Reset Program
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✓ US shipping
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Skip or cancel anytime, no fees
60-day money-back guarantee
Delivered monthly
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1 / 8
★★★★★★★★★★ 4.6 · Verified reviews
One-Time Purchase 30 capsules · one bottle, no subscription
✓ 30-day supply, 30 capsules
$59.99
✓ US shipping
Free
✓ 60-day money-back guarantee
Included
$59.99 /month
No subscription
60-day money-back guarantee
♥
REVIEWS

What real women are saying

L
Lauren B. Peri/Menopause Night Support · September 8, 2026
★★★★★
“Made good on all of its claims”
Peri/menopause support

I loved this product. In a very short time this product made good on all of its claims for peri/menopausal support.

✓ Verified purchase
B
Brandy M. Peri/Menopause Night Support · September 7, 2026
★★★★★
“Improved my mood and sleep quality”
MoodSleep quality

These supplements really has helped improve my mood, sleep quality and reduced my perimenopause symptoms.

✓ Verified purchase
M
Mariangela C. Peri/Menopause Night Support · August 31, 2026
★★★★★
“I wake up feeling refreshed”
Rested mornings

I cannot say enough about this product. I'm so excited! I feel completely different. It has truly changed my life. After just the first week of taking it, I feel rested and full of energy—emotionally, physically, and mentally. I wake up feeling refreshed and excited about life. Before, everything felt like a struggle, from waking up in the morning to getting through the day. I had even lost the energy and motivation to work out and felt emotionally drained. This product has helped me so much.

✓ Verified purchase
S
Samantha F. Peri/Menopause Night Support · August 18, 2026
★★★★★
“10/10 recommend”
This stage of life

Great product specially in this stage in my life . I have noticed a huge difference in my body 10/10 recommend

✓ Verified purchase
+
The expert panel

Reviewed by people who do this for a living

Dr. Costa H. Sousou, MD, FACOG
Dr. Costa H. Sousou, MD, FACOG Board-certified OB-GYN and former Chair of Obstetrics & Gynecology at Mayo Clinic Health System, with 32+ years in women's health.
Dr. Trupti Gokani, MD
Dr. Trupti Gokani, MD Board-certified neurologist and integrative-medicine physician, bringing Ayurveda together with Western medicine, with 15 years directing the Zira Mind and Body Center.
Shanel Laureen, CAP (NAMA)
Shanel Laureen, CAP (NAMA) Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner with 2,000+ hours of clinical training under Ayurvedic Vaidyas, founder of Cali Veda, with more than a decade in the healing sciences.
Dr. Janine Blackman, MD, PhD
Dr. Janine Blackman, MD, PhD Board-certified integrative physician, published author on women's hormonal health, and Fountain Life longevity physician with 20+ years in women's health.
Why Riora exists

We couldn't find it. So we made it.

Walk any supplement aisle and count the products made for "women 18 to 80." Now count the ones made for the handful of years when your hormones swing hardest and nobody hands you a map. That gap is why Riora exists.

It's why the label is three ingredients instead of fourteen. It's why the timeline on this page is honest, why the reviews above are verified, and why the guarantee runs a full 60 days. We'd rather earn your trust slowly than fake it fast.

Riora
Team Riora
?
WANT TO KNOW MORE?

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Night Support for? +

Peri/Menopause Night Support is a nightly supplement made to help manage poor sleep, night sweats, hot flashes, and stress. It is taken once in the evening.*

Is this a sleep aid? Will it knock me out? +

No. Night Support is not a sleeping pill and is not meant to sedate you. It is made to support your body's natural wind-down and sleep quality, and it is melatonin-free, so there's nothing to feel groggy about the next morning.*

Why is there no melatonin? +

Melatonin mainly helps you fall asleep. The perimenopause pattern is usually the opposite: you fall asleep fine, then wake at 3am. Night Support is built around that instead.

I have taken supplements before. How is this different? +

Night Support uses five ingredients, including Shatavari, GABA and L-Theanine, each at a clinically studied dose, with every dose printed on the label rather than hidden in a proprietary blend. It is built specifically for the perimenopause transition rather than for "women 18 to 80," and it is third-party tested and melatonin-free. You are not paying for a long list of under-dosed extras.

How long before I notice anything? +

Give it at least four weeks of consistent daily use. Our recommended window is 12 weeks, since some women notice changes sooner and some later, particularly with sleep, and different symptoms can settle at different rates. If it is not right for you, our 60-day money-back guarantee has you covered.

Does this contain caffeine or stimulants? +

No, neither formula contains caffeine or added stimulants.

How many capsules should I take, and when? +

Take one capsule daily in the evening with water, preferably with a meal, or as directed by a healthcare professional. Do not exceed one capsule a day.

Can I take Day Support and Night Support together? +

Yes. They are made to work together, Day Support in the morning and Night Support in the evening, each taken as directed on its own label.

Can I take this alongside HRT? +

Many women take a supplement alongside hormone therapy, but because it depends on your treatment, please check with your healthcare provider first. You can find the full Supplement Facts on the product page at tryriora.com to share with them. Night Support is a dietary supplement, not a treatment or a replacement for any therapy.

Is it safe to take every day, long term? Is it habit-forming? +

Yes, these formulas are made for daily use, and the ingredients are not habit-forming. As with any supplement taken long term, it is sensible to review it with your healthcare provider from time to time.

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.6  · Verified reviews by real women

Five Calming Ingredients. Built for the Transition. One Capsule Before Bed.

Riora Night Support brings together botanicals Ayurvedic tradition has used for thousands of years - Xeya™ Shatavari and KSM-66® Ashwagandha - with three studied calming actives: L-Theanine, GABA and liposomal magnesium. Each dose is printed on the label in full. Five actives - no proprietary blends, no melatonin.

Xeya™ Shatavari 50mg
L-Theanine 200mg
Ashwagandha KSM-66® 120mg
GABA 300mg
Liposomal Magnesium 15mg

Built for the part of perimenopause nobody prepares you for: the racing mind, 3:14am wakeup and the soaked sheets.*

✓
Supports healthy, restful sleep*
✓
Promotes relaxation and an easier wind-down, without drowsiness*
✓
Helps maintain a calm mind and a healthy stress response*
✓
Helps ease perimenopause signs, including occasional hot flashes*
Reviewed by an OB-GYN, an MD and a Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner.
60-day money-back guarantee Third-party lab tested Free US shipping

Give it 60 nights

You're not imagining it. And there's a better plan than dreading bedtime.

$41.99 per month for life!

Free shipping, every order 60-day money-back guarantee $199 in free gifts for subscribers
How the 60-day guarantee works

Take it nightly for two months. If your nights don't change, email support and they'll refund you. The window is long on purpose: it puts you well past week four, where the first of these studies saw changes.

The statistics
  1. American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Sleep Prioritization Survey, press release, May 18, 2026.
  2. The 2023 nonhormone therapy position statement of The North American Menopause Society. Menopause. 2023;30(6):573-590.
  3. Coslov N, Richardson MK, Woods NF. "Not feeling like myself" in perimenopause - what does it mean? Observations from the Women Living Better survey. Menopause. 2024;31(5):390-398.
The studies
  1. Xeya Modern Shatavari™ (Asparagus racemosus root extract, CL22209). Yadav P, Yadav S, Vedururu SS, Kumari G. Functional Foods in Health and Disease 2025;15(7):415-443. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in perimenopausal women, with 50 mg and 100 mg daily arms over 120 days and assessments at days 30, 60 and 120. All figures cited are from the 50 mg arm. Riora Day Support and Night Support each contain 50 mg per capsule.
  2. Hidese S, et al. Nutrients. 2019;11(10):2362. L-Theanine 200 mg, four-week randomized controlled trial measuring sleep quality and stress. Riora Night Support contains 200 mg per capsule.
  3. Byun JI, et al. J Clin Neurol. 2018;14(3):291–295. GABA 300 mg, four-week randomized controlled trial measuring sleep latency and efficiency. Riora Night Support contains 300 mg per capsule.
  4. KSM-66® Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera root extract). Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials for stress and sleep quality, with intervention periods commonly running eight to ten weeks. Riora Night Support contains 120 mg per capsule.
Riora Peri/Menopause Night Support $41.99/month for life · 60-day guarantee
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