Sleep
Poor sleep is one of the most common complaints of women during perimenopause and menopause.
A 2015, survey conducted by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), found that sleep problems increased significantly for women aged 40-59 years, who were experiencing perimenopause. The key data from the survey showed:
56% of women slept less than 7 hours a night
24.8% of women said they had trouble falling asleep 4 or more times in a week
30.8% of women said they had trouble staying asleep at least 4 nights a week
49.9% of women wake in the morning feeling tired, rather than rested, 4 or more days in a week
Why is poor sleep to common during perimenopause?
In the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN) cohort (2019), impaired sleep was predominantly linked to vasomotor symptoms–waking up when you feel as though you’re over-heating.
A decline in estrogen can cause:
A reduction in the production of serotonin and melatonin, which play a significant role in sleep
An increase in thermoregulation or simply our core temperature
Hot flashes and night sweats
A decline in progesterone can cause:
Restlessness
Anxiety
A reduction in the neurotransmitter GABA, which promotes a good night's sleep
Is there HOPE for a good night's sleep during the menopause transition?
Absolutely YES. These are my top tips to getting a good night's sleep during perimenopause
Reduce foods and drinks that trigger an increase in vasomotor symptoms such as caffeine, alcohol and spicy foods and include more foods that reduce vasomotor symptoms such as phytoestrogens found in soy, oats, flaxseed and chickpeas
Ensure you have a good sleep routine - a dark and cool room, the same sleep time, avoid technology, and try to reduce stress triggers before bedtime
Speak to a women’s health doctor about hormone replacement therapy - by topping up your declining hormones you should see a significant improvement in your sleep quality and duration. This should then have a positive effect on your overall mental and physical health.