Sleep Problems During Menopause? Here’s What You Can Do

Here’s how you can get a better night’s sleep during menopause

Hormonal changes and hot flashes can lead to sleep problems during the menopausal transition. (1) Whether you have trouble falling asleep or find yourself tossing and turning all night, the consequences for your day can be uncomfortable and dangerous. When you don’t get enough sleep, your memory and overall health suffer, and you’re even more likely to get into a car accident.

While you may not be able to eliminate your menopause-induced sleep problems, there are many ways to improve sleep during menopause. Here’s a list of five things you can try to get a better night’s sleep.

1. Set Up a Cool Sleep Space

Hot flashes are a leading cause of frequent awakenings for women during menopause. The key to getting back to sleep quickly is to feel cooler faster.

Chances are, you don’t keep your room cool enough at night for optimal sleep. And while this is a problem at every life stage, it’s particularly troublesome for women going through menopause.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, the best room temperature for sleep for the average person is 65° Fahrenheit, ranging from 60–67°. (2) Set your thermostat to different daytime and nighttime temperatures, having it dip a couple of hours before bed.

It’s also helpful to sleep in breathable clothing and layer your bedding. A breathable bamboo sheet topped with a blanket can help you quickly remove layers to stay cool. And a ceiling fan with a remote that you keep next to your bed provides fast relief.

2. Get Moving

Researchers have found that regular aerobic activity can decrease the frequency of hot flashes and improve sleep quality. (3) Try to add in daily morning and evening walks, or start attending a yoga, dance, or water aerobics class. Regular exercise is an excellent tool for improving sleep for women during menopause.

3. Reduce Blue Light at Night

Limiting light exposure late in the day is a key part of a healthy sleep routine. (4) The best thing you can do is completely reduce electronic use a few hours before bedtime, including your television and smartphone.

But if you find that goal unrealistic, do the best you can. Start by eliminating electronics an hour before bed and use blue-light-blocking glasses for an hour before that. Even small changes can help regulate your sleep/wake cycle so you get better sleep.

Find out more in our article Why Is Blue Light Exposure Bad for Sleep?

4. Say No to Caffeine After Noon

Caffeine is one of the biggest dietary culprits responsible for both hot flashes and poor sleep in women. (5,6) When you drink coffee or tea late in the day, you’re more likely to have nighttime hot flashes and trouble sleeping. Because caffeine can stay in your system for well over ten hours, depending upon your body, it’s best to avoid caffeinated drinks after noon if you want to sleep soundly. (7)

5. Try a Melatonin Supplement

Melatonin is a hormone that plays a central role in our circadian rhythm, which controls when we feel sleepy or alert. (8) During perimenopause and postmenopause, women’s bodies produce less melatonin, which may play a role in sleeping difficulties during menopause.

Many studies have found that melatonin supplements promote sleep, although we need more research to fully understand the ideal dosage and how long it’s advisable to take melatonin.

If you want to try melatonin to see if you sleep easier and more deeply, try our Better Memory PM formula.* The primary ingredient is melatonin, which may improve sleep quality while enhancing mitochondrial function, and with it, memory.*

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