Natural Supports for Better Sleep During Menopause

Menopause is inevitable, but that doesn’t mean it must be unpleasant. Many women have found that embracing menopause can make it a positive experience. Still, it brings some challenges such as difficulty sleeping. Sleep problems are very common in menopause impacting up to 50% of all women.

Insomnia due to menopause can be debilitating especially when a woman also experiences hot flashes and nights sweats. Even women who have never had sleep problems can find themselves having sleep disruptions beginning in their mid-to-late 40s. These problems range from difficulties falling asleep to waking and being unable to fall back asleep.

Getting good quality sleep is important to your overall health. Sleep deprivation can impact your mood and aggravate many symptoms like stress, depression, memory loss, and physical discomfort. Let’s take a look at the best ways to help you get a good night’s sleep despite menopause.

What causes sleep problems in menopause?

The primary cause of sleep problems in menopause is the change in your hormones. Because both estrogen and progesterone play a role in sleep, declining levels during perimenopause can cause sleep disturbances. Lower estrogen levels are also responsible for hot flashes and night sweats that can also make sleep miserable as well as anxiety and depression that lead to difficulty falling asleep and frequent night waking.

In addition, melatonin naturally decreases with age and because it’s produced from serotonin, whose production is dependent on adequate estrogen levels, the lower estrogen state can also lower melatonin levels. Stress can also decrease your melatonin levels. All of these changes are normal and natural, but they do frequently result in poor sleep.