Insomnia in Menopause – Probiotics to Help You Sleep Better
MenoLabs News | Fri, Nov 01, 2019
Insomnia is a disorder, and it prevents you from getting adequate amounts of good sleep every night. Some people have trouble falling asleep, while others can wake up many times during the night and cannot stay asleep. Good sleep is key to many aspects of your health, which is why it is important to treat your insomnia in menopause. Studies on insomnia and probiotics can give more insight into the treatment.
For women in menopause, insomnia is another symptom that can appear alongside others like low sex drive, mood swings, and brain fog. In fact, over half of the women in menopause have insomnia. There are several reasons why your body is going through this.
First is, of course, hormonal changes. Because of lower levels of estrogen, your style of life can change, and this includes your sleep patterns. Lower progesterone levels also mean less sleep quality. The second reason for your insomnia might be meds that you are taking. For example, if you take anything for your symptoms or just started a new medication, you can also have sleep changes along with it.
Also, hot flashes can be the reason why you cannot sleep well in menopause. When they occur as night sweats, your body needs time to cool down right after, which is why you will find it harder to fall asleep when your hot flashes appear at night. And last but not least, mood swings are a common symptom among women that causes insomnia.
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) for Insomnia
Some women choose to treat their insomnia with hormone replacement therapy (HRT). And many studies have shown that it can help alleviate other symptoms of menopause. HRT consists mainly of estrogen, but progesterone also plays a vital role in treating insomnia. However, it is important to know your body and its needs before choosing therapy. There is an increased risk of breast cancer and blood clots associated with HRT that many women want to avoid. Therefore, they turn to more natural approaches for the treatment of insomnia.
How You Can Relieve Insomnia Naturally
There are many natural ways you can try to heal insomnia in menopause. If you do not feel like using hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or hormone-altering medications, try these approaches first. Perhaps they will help you find relief from insomnia and other symptoms of menopause.
Eat Healthier and Get Probiotics for Insomnia
Your diet has a significant impact on your sleep habits, so watching what you eat and drink and when would help you a lot when managing your sleep. Caffeine in coffee and tea, for example, can be the reason why you have trouble falling asleep at night. So, avoid having these drinks after 2 p.m. Also, try to stay away from fatty and sugary foods. They are awful for your health in general, but they even interrupt your hormones and sleep. Apart from that, try to eat more foods rich in probiotics as they can help improve your sleep.
Exercise for Healing Insomnia
Working out can help your sleep, but it can also disturb it, so do it intelligently. The best way to ensure you sleep well is to work out before 5 p.m.; otherwise, you might find it hard to fall asleep at night. Exercise in the morning or early afternoon so you can have a boost of energy during the day and feel more tired by the evening.
Arrange Your Sleep Space
For many people today, the bedroom is a place not only for sleeping, but for working, watching Netflix, eating, and doing pretty much anything else. But that should not be the case if you want to have a proper sleep. Leave your bedroom for sleep and sex only, and do the rest in other spaces in your house. This way, your body will feel like it is time to sleep when you enter your bedroom, without any distractions.
Have a Night Time Routine
People are very habitual creatures. Our minds and bodies remember patterns and habits very well. So, if you create a nighttime routine, your body will slowly grow more tired and ready to sleep while you are completing it. For example, you can read a book before bed, or write an entry in a personal journal, meditate, take a warm bath, or drink chamomile tea.
Healing Insomnia with Probiotics
Getting enough and quality sleep is crucial for maintaining good health in menopause. Sleeping enough would also improve your mood and boost your energy levels. But, if you struggle with insomnia, it might feel like good sleep is just so far out of your reach. Thankfully, probiotics could help you find a solution to that problem.
Research shows that gut microflora can regulate your mental health and sleep, thanks to the microbiome-gut-brain axis. When your gut health is out of balance, it can lead to a lack of sleep and disrupt your circadian rhythms. This is why improving gut microflora using probiotics can also help to improve your mood and enjoy better sleep as a result. They can also help if you have mood swings in menopause because they have a positive effect on mental health.
Apart from the role of gut microflora, melatonin is also an important component for regulating sleep cycles, mood, and immune health. You can also combine the benefits of probiotics with melatonin supplements. Melatonin was found to improve sleep time and efficiency, which is why it works in people who have insomnia. Improving your gut microflora and supplementing with melatonin together may have a powerful effect on improving your sleep and helping you feel better in menopause.