Sleep and Menopause, An Imperfect Match

If you’re among the 40-50 million women in America going through menopause, your sleep quality may not be what it once was. At least 40% of women suffer sleep problems resulting from menopausal-related symptoms. Here are some interesting statistics that may affect you. According to the National Sleep Foundation, as many as 61% of menopausal and post-menopausal women polled reported frequent insomnia. Most women also find that the time between turning out the lights and actually falling asleep is increased during menopause. About 20% of women in menopause sleep less than 6 hours a night. These issues, along with frequent arousals throughout the night, can cause fatigue.

Why does sleep quality lessen with menopause?

Decreased production of estrogen is the culprit for many symptoms of menopause, including hot flashes. Menopausal women often have difficulty with sleep efficiency because hot flashes cause frequent awakenings during the night. Most women may experience hot flashes for about a year, but 25% can experience them for up to 5 years.

Snoring, which can lead to Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), is also more prevalent and severe in post-menopausal women. With OSA, breaks occur in your breathing while you are asleep. It’s a very serious but treatable sleep disorder and one which you should speak to your physician about right away.

How can you sleep better?

There are solutions your physician can recommend to help you sleep better. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) at low doses can help minimize symptoms of menopause and therefore lessen the effects on poor sleep. However, there are associated risks, and your doctor can decide if this treatment is right for you. There are other medications and supplements he/she can prescribe as well.

The best things you can do on your own to help you sleep better during menopause are:

1. exercise regularly, but never within a few hours of bedtime,
2. avoid heavy, spicy or acidic meals, alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine before bedtime,
3. wear lightweight clothes to bed, and
4. control your nighttime environment with comfortable temperatures. For example, use a fan to help circulate the air.

If your symptoms become uncomfortable, you cannot find ways to help yourself sleep better, or if you start to have feelings of depression or anxiety, contact your physician to map out a plan.