Going through menopause comes with its challenges. On top of the widely talked about hot flashes and mood changes, did you know that women can also face sleep problems?
Menopause is a time of major changes for women, including their sleep. About 40% of women experience sleep issues in their late 40s and 50s compared to only 12% of women outside this age range.
One major contributor to sleep issues are temperature related like hot flashes or night sweats and chills. Sudden changes in body temperature can either keep us up at night, or wake us up from a deep slumber. Hot flashes in particular usually start from the face and work their way down the body. They can last anywhere from 30 seconds to 5 minutes.
Hot flashes can also be extremely energizing since blood flow is increasing which can make it difficult to fall asleep.
Another factor contributing to women’s sleep during menopause is the hormone estrogen. It plays a role in serotonin and other neurotransmitters that affect the sleep cycle. This hormone also regulates sleep temperature at night keeping the body cool. During menopause, women’s ovaries stop producing estrogen which means that women tend to experience higher body temperature and lower sleep quality.
As we age, our sleep cycle also changes. We tend to get tired earlier and wake up earlier which can throw off our body’s circadian rhythm. Having a sporadic sleep cycle can lead to insomnia and decreased mood during the day.
3 Tips For a Better Sleep with Menopause
- Create a bedtime routine. This is one of our favorite suggestions. It helps send signals to our body that it’s time to start winding down. Don’t have a sleep routine yet? Check out our tips here.
- Avoid caffeine and alcohol late in the afternoon and evening. They can disrupt your sleep quality leading to poor mood the next day.
- Keep your body cool at night. Shameless plug: Our Smart Topper has fans at the end of the topper which blows cool air under the body and has sensors to monitor temperature increases or decreases which helps manage hot flashes.
