Menopause and Sleep Deprivation in Women

Updated on July 23, 2020

A report by NCBI states that approximately 1.3 million women in the US become menopausal each year. Menopause isn’t a disease or disorder. It is a natural process that every menstruating woman undergoes when she reaches 45 or 50 years of age. 

Also, 47% of the women in menopause suffer from sleep deprivation and hot flashes. Many medical studies suggest that Integrative supplements in the diet can reduce sleep-related problems caused by menopause.

According to an article on preventive medicine, insomnia is a common problem in perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause. The hormonal imbalance is the root cause of the fluctuation in estrogen and progesterone levels. The volatility in these hormones causes severe fatigue and sleep apnea.

How to Treat Sleep Disruption and Menopausal Effects?

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is the foremost step to reduce the symptoms of sleep disruptors. Exercising and active workouts can metabolize your body and maintain the smooth functioning of your vital organs. Eating veggies, fruits, and dairy products in a balanced amount will further boost your immunity system.

HRT (hormone replacement therapy) is also one of the solutions to resolve the sleep-related problems. Along with this, yoga, intellectual stimulation, and massage therapies also boost endocrine functions. 

The over activation of hormonal interaction between the brain and the adrenal gland may impact the sleep function. Resulting in sleep apnea, REM sleep behavior disorder, parasomnia, and sleep terrors. But with proper menopause treatment and the use of dietary supplements, you can fight back the sleep disruptors.

To further curb the menopausal effects, you need to incorporate the therapeutic supplements into your diet. 

Let’s learn how supplements can benefit you.

Boosts Melatonin

A hormone called Melatonin is secreted by the pineal gland that regulates the reproductive cycle and promotes sleep. But in menopause, the ovaries stop producing or releasing eggs, resulting in low melatonin in the body, leading to difficulty in sleeping and weariness. Integrative supplements can boost melatonin formation in the body.

Controls Cortisol

Stress is also the primary cause of sleep disturbances. Cortisol is a stress hormone. The higher levels of cortisol in the body, the higher the exhaustive feeling. In turn, it also causes heavy sweating and affects sleep quality. Hence, you must use dietary supplements that can help in managing the cortisol level.

Suppresses RLS

Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is another problem that women face during menopause. There is a tingling, creepy, or crawling feeling in the legs at night. This syndrome is found to have affected 67% of the women in menopause. But with the help of proper medication and supplements, you can easily control the tingling sensation and improve sleep quality.

Stimulates Progesterone and Estrogen

The ovarian hormones are known to affect sleeping patterns. Women, who have undergone hysterectomy, stop producing progesterone. Hence, progesterone therapy becomes essential in such women. 

But women who have become menopausal with their uterus intact, still have problems with producing estrogen and progesterone hormones. Progesterone has both sedative and anxiolytic features. And estrogen is associated with the metabolism of serotonin, norepinephrine, and acetylcholine-neurotransmitter. Both these hormones have a significant impact on sleep quality, and hence, need to be balanced after menopause.

+ posts

Throughout the year, our writers feature fresh, in-depth, and relevant information for our audience of 40,000+ healthcare leaders and professionals. As a healthcare business publication, we cover and cherish our relationship with the entire health care industry including administrators, nurses, physicians, physical therapists, pharmacists, and more. We cover a broad spectrum from hospitals to medical offices to outpatient services to eye surgery centers to university settings. We focus on rehabilitation, nursing homes, home care, hospice as well as men’s health, women’s heath, and pediatrics.