Our hormones play a significant role in a wide range of bodily functions, produced by various organs within our endocrine system. These include metabolism, growth, mood, sleep, and reproductive health. For women, when the menstrual cycle winds down, the body enters a period called menopause.
Sleep can become more difficult during this transitional period, leading to insomnia and other issues, thanks to the hormonal changes. It often happens during perimenopause, so let’s explore this part of menopause, why the sleep changes occur, and what you can do to cope with them and get some more rest at night.
Dr. Staci McHale and the WHASN Sunset Valley team serve the OB-GYN needs of the Las Vegas, Nevada area, helping to manage all women’s health needs, including the transition through menopause and the symptoms it brings.
The first part of the process, perimenopause, happens before menopause, where the estrogen levels begin to decrease and create imbalances with the progesterone in your body. Often starting in your mid-40s, the slow hormone reduction generally takes four years on average, but can last up to eight years.
It usually starts with irregular periods, and common complaints around this time are symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, libido issues, urinary urgency, mood swings, vaginal dryness, and sleep. Despite the changes in your menstrual regularity during this time, until you start having no periods at all, you should assume you’re still ovulating.
Between 40-60% of women struggle with sleeping issues during this time, and the frequency increases the closer you get to menopause. Due to the combination of aging and hormone loss, issues like insomnia, night sweats, and hot flashes lead to a range of problems trying to get a decent night’s rest.
Other issues can affect how well you sleep during this time as well, such as stress, health problems, and changes in your routine. Additionally, sleeping problems you struggled with before perimenopause started also affect these other factors.
To manage the sleeping problems that perimenopause can bring, here are some tips to try:
To reduce any distractions that keep your brain alert, turn off lamps, overhead lights, and any other sources of light that you might see as you lie down. You should also turn your alarm clock away from view by turning it to face the opposite direction out of eyesight.
You don’t need to be awakened in the middle of the night with all of the sleeping problems you already have, so keep your phone off during sleep hours.
To relax the body and lower stress levels, things like yoga and calm music before bed can ease you into sleep.
Cooler temperatures can help you rest and reduce other symptoms like night sweats and hot flashes, so turn the thermometer to around 60-67℉ for improved comfort.
If these options don’t help alleviate your sleep issues enough, schedule an appointment with Dr. McHale and the WHASN Sunset Valley team to receive the assistance you need for a restful night’s sleep.
