Natural Solutions for Insomnia in Perimenopause
For most people, occasional insomnia is just an annoyance.
A night when you can’t get your brain to turn off.
When you lay in bed and stare at the ceiling for hours.
Or when you watch the clock and mentally calculate how many hours of sleep you can get if you fall asleep right now.
Everyone has experienced a night like this at some point in their life. But for many women in perimenopause, these nights are all too common!
Fluctuating estrogen levels combined with falling progesterone levels is a recipe for sleep disturbances. But you don’t have to rely on a prescription in order to get a good night’s sleep! In this article, I discuss some natural solutions for insomnia in perimenopause.
Quality Sleep is Important!
While the body appears from the outside to be still and inactive, sleep is a time when the body is quite busy.
During the night, we restock our supply of hormones, process significant toxins, repair damaged tissue, generate vital white blood cells for immunity, eliminate the effects of stress, and process heavy emotions.
Unfortunately, we have an epidemic of sleep disorders – from trouble falling asleep to interrupted sleep to actual insomnia.
What Causes Insomnia in Perimenopause?
We fall asleep due to the pineal gland, a small ant-sized lobe near the middle of our skull in the interbrain.
Following our circadian rhythm (sleep-wake cycle), the pineal gland secretes a hormone called melatonin. Melatonin suppresses helps to calm the brain, in part by countering the stress hormone cortisol from our adrenal gland.
Cortisol spikes in the morning to help us become awake and ready for the day ahead. Its level will then gradually decrease throughout the day until it is lowest before bed.
Melatonin will begin to rise at bedtime, peak in the middle of the night (around 2-4am), then gradually fall in the early morning hours.
Insomnia occurs when there is an imbalance between cortisol and melatonin.
Why Does This Imbalance Occur?
For ideal sleep, melatonin should be on the rise and cortisol should be rock-bottom.
But there’s a catch – melatonin is secreted in response to darkness.
That means our evening activity choices can get in the way! TV, smartphone and laptops display full-spectrum light which can confuse the brain about whether it’s nighttime or not and delay the release of melatonin.
Diagnosis of Insomnia
Women diagnosed with insomnia experience one or more of the following symptoms, more than three nights a week and for at least three months.
- Difficulty falling asleep
- Difficulty staying asleep
- Early morning awakening
Insomnia can cause periods of anxiousness, irritability, make it hard to focus or make it difficult to stay on track.
It can also cause more frequent headaches and stomach upset as well as increase the risk for heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.
Over time, loss of sleep can take a toll on your overall health and well-being!
Natural Solutions for Insomnia in Perimenopause
Common conventional treatments of insomnia include benzodiazepine and non-benzodiazepine sedatives, antidepressants and/or antihistamines.
Many of which have less than desired side effects such as dry mouth, blurred vision and constipation. Not only that, many sleep aids leave you feeling “hungover” in the morning or may even cause episodes of sleepwalking.
But don’t worry, there are several natural solutions that can help!
Improve Your Sleep Habits
The first step to treating insomnia is to improve sleep habits. Sometimes that’s all it takes to reduce the number of sleepless nights. Here are some examples:
- Stick to a regular sleep schedule
- Exercise regularly but avoid it late in the evening before going to bed
- Do something relaxing and enjoyable before bedtime – create a bedtime routine.
- Avoid the use of blue-light electronics (smart phones, computers, television) at least 60 minutes before bedtime
- Make your bedroom quiet, cool and comfortable
- Avoid large meals before bedtime
- Do not nap during the day
- Reduce consumption of alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine (that means no caffeine after 2pm!)
Balance Your Blood Sugar
Falling blood sugar levels in the middle of the night can lead to a burst of adrenaline, which in turn raises cortisol. The best way to combat this is to keep your blood sugar balanced throughout the day by eating regular, protein containing meals. It can also be helpful to consume a small protein containing snack before bed, such as an apple with peanut butter.
Try Sleep Promoting Herbs
There are several calming herbs that can help you sleep. Chamomile is one of the oldest and most widely used medicinal sleep aid. It contains a flavonoid called apigenin that binds to benzodiazepine receptors in the brain to induce sleep. Be aware that chamomile is a member of the ragweed family, so do not use if you have an allergy.
Other sleep inducing herbs include hops, lavender, lemon balm, passionflower and valerian.
Boost Your Magnesium
Magnesium is a mineral that is required by nearly every cell and organ in the body. Sadly, many of us are deficient!
Magnesium activates the parasympathetic nervous system to help you become calm and relaxed. It regulates melatonin and binds to GABA receptors, which quiets down nerve activity.
Magnesium is found in many foods, both plant and animal. Some good dietary sources of magnesium are cooked spinach, black beans, cashews, peanut butter, avocados salmon, milk, and (my favorite!) dark chocolate.
Magnesium is also available as a supplement. Magnesium oxide is the least expensive but it is not absorbed well and may cause diarrhea. Better choices include magnesium malate, magnesium glycinate, or magnesium citrate, which is especially beneficial if you also suffer from mild constipation. You can also absorb magnesium through the skin by bathing with Epsom salts or using a magnesium oil.
Add in Glycine
This amino acid has natural sleep promoting effects. It comes as a powder and it has a sweet taste, so it’s the perfect addition to a bedtime cup of herbal tea!
Balance Your Hormones
Sleep disturbances in perimenopause can be caused by hormone fluctuations, namely erratic estrogen combined with falling progesterone. These hormone fluctuations can trigger a release of adrenaline, which raises your body temperature and can cause hot flashes or night sweats. Finding hormone balance will give you ultimate relief from insomnia in perimenopause.
If you need help with calming the hormone chaos, don’t be afraid to reach out! Apply to work with me and let me help you find your perimenopause bliss!
