During peri-menopause and menopause, your body produces lower levels of hormones including estrogen and progesterone.
As well as developing and maintaining the female characteristics of your body and readying the uterus for reproduction, estrogen also helps to regulate body temperature, preserve bone strength, prevent bone loss, regulates cholesterol production in the liver, and enhances the impact of “feel good” chemicals in the brain.
Progesterone’s main function is to prepare for the possibility of pregnancy after ovulation. If a woman does not become pregnant, progesterone levels lower.
It is mainly due to these hormonal changes that women in peri-menopause and menopause can experience insomnia. Hot flushes are surges of adrenaline which make your temperature rise but also wake you from sleep so may also contribute to sleep interruption.
All of these hormonal changes can also lead to depression and/or mood swings, which can also contribute to insomnia.
This time in your life may also be full of social changes in and around your life, children may be moving out, you may be retiring, or you could just be feeling that midlife crisis stress of reaching a new life phase.
Why not help yourself naturally or complement your HRT? mindfulness and meditation may help - the lovely people at Allevi8 have produced a free meditation app which has a fabulous sleep meditation. Hypnotherapy is another proven way, why not join me and Mastering your Symptoms of Menopause. And move into your future with confidence and without fatigue.
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