Menopause can trigger sleep disorders
Menopause refers to the time around the permanent cessation of menstruation (menopause). The ovaries gradually stop producing the female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone.
This results in hormonal changes and fluctuations, which manifest themselves in more or less pronounced physical and/or psychological complaints. Some women feel no change at all, while others suffer from hot flashes, sweating, mood swings or dry skin, for example. Sleep disorders during menopause are also not uncommon. There may be various reasons why sleep problems occur more frequently during menopause.
Causes of sleep problems during menopause
Estrogen deficiency
In menopausal women, reduced estrogen levels also affect the quality of nighttime sleep: Estrogen affects certain metabolic processes in the brain that influence the duration of deep sleep phases. The lack of estrogen can shorten these. In addition, the body produces less sleep-promoting progesterone with advancing age.
Night sweats
The most common cause of sleep disturbances during menopause is the typical hot flashes and associated (nighttime) sweating: From one second to the next, sweat breaks out all over the body of the affected women. Sometimes the entire clothing is sweated through during such a hot flash.
Sleep apnea
Another possible cause of sleep disturbance during menopause is so-called sleep apnea. In this case, short and risky pauses in breathing occur during sleep. The affected person wakes up, but usually falls asleep again immediately, without remembering the nighttime incident later. During the day, however, they usually feel tired. It is always best for those affected to have sleep apnea medically clarified.
Medication
Certain medications prescribed for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases or hyperthyroidism, for example, can also have a negative effect on sleep – diseases that typically occur later in life.
Treatment of sleep disorders during menopause
During menopause, sleep problems can be very distressing. Initially, affected women can try to treat menopausal sleep disorders naturally. Various measures can help, for example:
- Abstaining from alcohol, caffeine, nicotine and heavy evening meals
- Relaxation exercises such as yoga before going to bed
- Avoiding naps
- Regular exercise/sports
Additionally, you can try to manage insomnia during menopause with herbal remedies. For example, many sufferers find it helpful to:
- Lavender
- Melissa
- Valerian
- Hops
- Passionflower
The active ingredients are available in capsule form or as tea mixtures and are intended to promote sleep.
You have extreme sleep disturbances during menopause and natural remedies do not help you? If so, your doctor may prescribe sleep-promoting medications. However, many prescription sleep aids can quickly become addictive and should therefore only be used for a short time, if at all.
What does the doctor do?
Hormone replacement therapy (also known as HRT, HRT or hormone therapy) can help against menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and thus indirectly also against sleep disorders during menopause. In this process, affected women receive sex hormones to compensate for the body’s own declining production.
Studies show that HRT can reduce hot flashes by up to 75 percent, which also makes it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep. Hormone therapy can also be done with plant hormones called phytoestrogens. However, phytoestrogens only affect the frequency of hot flashes, but do not prevent the occurrence of hot flashes at night.
Another study finding is that acupuncture can reduce the intensity of hot flashes, which may have a positive effect on falling asleep and staying asleep.
