Perimenopause Symptoms and Sleep | How to Get a Good Night’s Rest

Do you find yourself waking up in a sweat at night? How about tossing and turning until you can’t take it anymore? 

Sleep problems are a common perimenopause symptom. If you’re ready to start getting a good night’s sleep these natural steps will help you.

Dr. Marina Rose, who practices in Los Altos, CA has found some simple steps that have helped her patients manage their their sleep issues and other perimenopause symptoms.

So what can you do?

• Prioritize stress management throughout your day – a 5 minute break to slow down and focus on your breath can make a bigger difference than you imagine.
• Take the time you need to unwind in the evening before bed – be sure to stop using electronic devices, TV, computer even your phone, a half hour before bed time.
• Exercise regularly to balance adrenal function – gentle exercise helps reduce stress hormones. Strenuous exercise may have the opposite effect.
• See your health care provider to have your pregnenolone levels tested.

Writing on the Dr. Oz Blog, Dr. Wendy Warner describes how stress hormones and changing estrogen levels team up to cause some of the most difficult perimenopause symptoms, especially hot flashes. Your adrenal glands also influence your hormones in a way that interferes with sleep patterns.

The precursor to the hormone progesterone, called pregnenolone, is also used by your adrenal glands in higher levels when you experience stress.

If high stress living is taxing your body’s pregnenolone supplies, progesterone levels drop leaving you with higher estrogen levels. Progesterone is a sleep promoting hormone while estrogen is an energizing hormone. When these hormones become imbalanced, sleep problems arise. 

If you’ve tried these simple techniques and still have perimenopause symptoms that disrupt your life, find out how Functional Nutrition can help.