INSOMNIA DEFINITION
Insomnia is a sleep disorder where you have trouble sleeping at least three times a week for at least three months and you cannot function during the day.
While you may not have clinically diagnosed insomnia, menopause sleep difficulties can severely affect your functioning during the day and at work. Difficulties getting to sleep and staying asleep are common during menopause.
Sleep quality is important and deep sleep helps you feel rested and positively impacts your mental health and performance. Everyone needs different amounts of sleep, but an average adult needs approximately 6-8 hours.
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HOW LIKELY ARE PERIMENOPAUSE SLEEP PROBLEMS?
- Nearly half of women have menopause sleep issues
- Women aged 60+ are at a greater risk of sleep disruption
- Perimenopause sleep problems begin when your hormone levels start to fluctuate
Feeling tired can lead to other menopause symptoms such as anxiety, depression, brain fog and weight gain. Read more about the stages of menopause.
HOW CAN YOU REDUCE SLEEP DIFFICULTIES?
Did you know that changing your lifestyle and avoiding certain things can really help keep your symptoms under control?
2.
3. Don’t eat late. Your body will find it hard to rest if it is dealing with a big meal close to bedtime.
4. Don’t exercise before bed. Try a relaxed wind-down routine in the few hours before bedtime
5. Reduce screen time. Keep off your mobile and laptops in the hour before bedtime and keep your mobile out of your room if you are tempted to scroll during the night if you wake.
WOULD HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY (HRT) HELP?
Yes. HRT is known to improve sleep, mood and hot flushes during menopause. However, HRT comes with risks and is not suitable for everyone. Read more about the HRT debate.
Speak to your doctor about your personal treatment options.
ARE THERE MENOPAUSE SLEEP AIDS I CAN TRY?
Natural remedies
Great care needs to be taken when considering natural remedies for menopause sleep problems. Firstly, research studies on herbal supplements are small with limited reliable evidence. This makes it hard for clinicians to determine whether a remedy is safe and effective. Also, the quality and purity of the preparation you want to buy may be unknown. Read more on what are the best supplements for menopause.
Lifestyle changes
If you are finding sleep difficult during menopause, it’s worth evaluating your lifestyle and seeing if improvements result in better sleep. Take a look at your nutrition, stress management and exercise levels, as these can really help improve your sleep and health, both now and in later life.
SLEEP AND MENOPAUSE
Nothing can describe the panic of knowing you have to be up in a couple of hours and you’ve lain awake all night”
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