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It is scientifically proven that women require more sleep than men. A good night's sleep is so important - yet women struggle to sleep well. During child rearing we learn to live on broken sleep, and learn to sleep lightly to listen out for little voices call us in the night. Then when Perimenopause hits at about age 45 - 49, sleep again becomes illusive.
So are women just destined to always be tired? Or do we have sleep disorder due to menopause?
Let's look at all the facts and see!
The Importance of Good Sleep
Sleep is a basic human need. How much sleep every individual person needs is different, and changes with age. On average, humans need from 7 - 9 hours of quality sleep per night. The American Psychiatric Association quotes that:
"Nearly 30% of adults get less than six hours of sleep each night, and only about 30% of high school students get at least 8 hours of sleep on an average school night."
Women Are More Stressed During Those Perimenopause Years
Whilst you may think that those early child rearing years were your most stressful, Perimenopause coincides with many big changes in a women's life. Children are older and off to university or they are old enough to leave home. Some women are dealing with aging parents, or dealing with health problems.
Because of the physical changes of Perimenopause, such as a lower libido and irritableness, this can cause relationship issues that add to the stress. So you pile all this stress on top of the sleep issues that perimenopause itself causes, and it is a spiral.
More Reading: How Vagina's Change After Menopause
What is Classified as a Sleep Disorder?
A sleep disorder is classified as any problems with the quality, timing and amount of sleep. Sleep disorders are very common and are often linked to physical and emotional problems. Sleep disorders can make you sleepy during the day, and have problems functioning during work.
Insomnia, snoring, restless legs syndrome and narcolepsy are more serious sleep disorders.
Sleep Disorders Are One of the Main Symptoms of Menopause
When a woman approaches menopause, the levels of estrogen in her body starts to decline. With this decline in estrogen, women may experience higher body temperatures which make it uncomfortable to sleep. Hot flushes and night sweats also contribute to poor sleep and can make it hard to get back to sleep.
Keep your bedroom as cool as you can, with a fan or air-conditioning running. Other great ways to make your bedroom more comfortable during menopause includes:
- Invest in some Bamboo Sheets, they wick away the sweat, and are supremely comfortable to sleep on
- Bamboo Pajamas are also great at wicking sweat away from the body
- A cooling gel pillow is a great way to keep cool and comfortable at night.
Some Good News on Sleep Disorders in Menopause
Although Menopause is a common cause of sleep disorders, these are usually temporary (even though they don't feel like it at the time). If your quality of sleep is poor for a significant period of time, it is time to look at trying some treatments.
More Reading: Menopause: Medical Treatment Options Available in Australia
Natural Treatments for Sleep Disorders in Menopause
There are many treatments for sleep disorders, you may have to try a few to find one that works for you. Always advise your GP before you take any supplements to ensure they won't react with any other medications you may be taking.
Magnesium Supplements
Supplements such as Magnesium may help with the symptoms of Menopause, including the inability to sleep. You can purchase a good quality magnesium supplement from your local pharmacy.
More Reading: How Much Magnesium Should I Take During Menopause?
Melatonin:
Melatonin is a lab created version of the sleep hormone Melatonin. A small study on 250 menopausal women was conducted on whether melatonin supplements have any effect on hot flushes and night sweats. After a period of three months, most women rated their hot flushes as 'less intense'. But melatonin has been used to assist with falling asleep for decades. Ask your doctor for their recommendations on melatonin, and whether it will work for your sleep disorder.
iHerb stock the Natrol Melatonin Sleep which comes in three flavours (citrus, natural strawberry and strawberry) and three different potencies (3mg, 5mg and 10mg) - with over 2300 5-star reviews, they also ship worldwide.
5-HTP
5-HTP is a natural supplement that increases the amount of serotonin your brain produces, which can encourage good sleep. Serotonin isn't just the 'happy chemical' in your brain. It is also linked to your internal 'thermostat'. So the theory is that 5-HTP can lessen the number of hot flushes during menopause. 5-HTP has also been used as a 'natural antidepressant'.
Although 5-HTP is a relatively safe supplement to take, there are no studies on the long term use or scientific proof that 5-HTP does what it recommends.
L-Theanine
L-Theanine is an amino acid that is naturally found in Green Tea and Mushrooms. It isn't found naturally in the human body, so isn't essential for any functions, but scientific studies into the use of L-Theanine as a supplement show promising results for increasing dopamine and serotonin (which combats the Menopausal symptoms of irritability and mild depression), and also naturally reduces stress and helps with sleep disorders.
L-Theanine is widely available online and in pharmacies and is quite often mixed with other supplements such as vitamin B6, 5-HTP and other supplements that may also ease anxiety and induce sleep.
Take the recommended dosage of L-Theanine just before bed at night and let your GP know you are taking the supplement.
Conclusion:
Sleep disorders are very common, and very annoying. Keep a journal of your sleep quality to see if there is any pattern to your insomnia - this may help your doctor if sleep is still eluding you.
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