Why Sleep Has Been So Evasive: Examining the Link Between Menopause and Sleep Cycles
Tossing and turning, looking up at the ceiling as the clock keeps ticking… Sound familiar? If this has been a recent nightly occurrence, you might wonder, "Why can’t I sleep through the night?"
Having trouble sleeping at night isn’t just an annoyance. Sleep is one of the most vital components of health, affecting everything from mood to overall well-being.
Yet for many women, particularly those approaching menopause, sleep can become elusive. You might feel tired but can’t sleep, or you fall asleep easily but wake up in the middle of the night wide awake. Whatever the case, sleep seems to be that one thing you can’t find.
No matter how frustrated, exasperated, or—let’s face it—tired you feel, you’re not alone in your sleep-seeking journey. As a trusted Pelvic Floor Occupational Therapist in the southwest Michigan region, I’m here to help you understand the connection between menopause and sleep cycles so you can say goodbye to insomnia symptoms and get back to catching Z’s.
So, What Is Menopause?
Let’s start by talking about the transition all women go through: menopause. This biological process signifies the end of a woman’s menstrual cycles and fertility. It usually occurs between the ages of 45 and 55, with the average age in the United States being around 51. When you’ve gone 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period, you’re officially in menopause.
But did you know there’s a stage leading up to menopause? This transition, known as perimenopause, can begin several years before menopause. During this time, the ovaries gradually produce less estrogen and progesterone, the hormones that regulate menstruation.
This hormonal shift can lead to a variety of side effects, including hot flashes, mood swings, and even sleep disturbances and insomnia symptoms. These side effects can continue into menopause.
Understanding Sleep Cycles
Ahhh, that restful feeling after a good night’s sleep can’t be beat. During the night, your brain and body unwind from the day and restores its strength. And all the while, you’re going in and out of different sleep stages.
Sleep is divided into cycles, each of which plays a crucial role in maintaining overall health:
Stage 1 (Light Sleep): This is the transition phase between wakefulness and sleep. During this stage, your muscles begin to relax, and brain waves start to slow down.
Stage 2 (Light Sleep): In this stage, your body temperature drops, and your heart rate and breathing slow. This stage is crucial for memory consolidation and learning.
Stage 3 (Deep Sleep): Also known as slow-wave sleep, this stage is essential for physical restoration. The body repairs tissues, builds bone and muscle, and strengthens the immune system.
REM Sleep (Rapid Eye Movement): This is the dreaming stage, where the brain is almost as active as when you’re awake. REM sleep is essential for cognitive functions such as memory, learning, and mood regulation.
A typical sleep cycle lasts about 90 minutes and repeats several times throughout the night. Disruptions in these cycles can significantly impact the quality of your sleep and how you feel the next day.
How Menopause Affects Sleep Through Changes in Hormones
Menopause can wreak havoc on sleep patterns due to fluctuating hormone levels, causing you to have trouble sleeping at night. Here are some of the ways menopause can affect your sleep:
Hot Flashes and Night Sweats: Estrogen helps maintain body temperature, but when estrogen levels decline, it can lead to hot flashes and night sweats. Hot flashes are sudden feelings of intense heat that can occur during the day or night. When they happen at night, they’re referred to as night sweats. These episodes can be severe enough to wake you up, making it difficult to get back to sleep.
Hormonal Changes: Estrogen helps regulate the body’s serotonin use, affecting sleep. Lower estrogen levels can decrease serotonin, making it harder to fall asleep and stay that way. Meanwhile, progesterone can have a sedative effect. Lower levels of this hormone can contribute to insomnia symptoms.
Mood Swings and Anxiety: The hormonal fluctuations of menopause can also lead to mood swings, anxiety, and depression. These emotional changes can make it difficult to relax. In other words, you may feel tired but can’t sleep.
Increased Urination: As estrogen levels drop, the urinary tract becomes more sensitive, leading to frequent bathroom trips at night and urinary incontinence. Sound like someone you know? You can read more about urinary incontinence and having an overactive bladder here.
Strategies for Better Sleep During Menopause
Menopause-related sleep disturbances can be frustrating, but there’s good news. Your insomnia symptoms don’t have to be here to stay. You can retrain your mind and body on how to fall asleep to get a more restful night.
Start with these tips:
Maintain a Regular Sleep Schedule: It helps to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. A consistent schedule can help regulate your body’s internal clock.
Create a Sleep-Friendly Environment: Make your bedroom a sleep sanctuary. Keep it cool, dark, and quiet. Use blackout curtains, earplugs, or a white noise machine to minimize disruptions.
Practice Good Sleep Hygiene: Avoid caffeine and heavy meals close to bedtime. Find a relaxing hobby, like reading a book or taking a warm bath, and do it each night before bed. This will signal to your body that it’s time to wind down.
Stay Active: Regular physical activity can help regulate your sleep patterns. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise most days, but avoid vigorous activity close to bedtime.
Manage Stress: Stress and anxiety can be significant barriers to good sleep. Techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, and yoga can all help manage stress levels.
Consult with a Pelvic Health Therapist: Sometimes, taking these steps isn’t enough. If you’re still feeling tired but can’t sleep, a pelvic health therapist can provide personalized guidance so that you can figure out how to fall asleep again on your terms.
How Pelvic Floor Therapy Can Help With Sleep
Pelvic floor therapy is designed to restore balance and strength to the pelvic floor, a network of muscles that supports pelvic organs like the bladder, rectum, and uterus. By addressing underlying issues such as muscle weakness, tightness, or imbalances that can arise from aging or menopause, pelvic floor therapy can relieve discomfort and pain. With less discomfort and pain comes improved sleep quality.
Pelvic floor therapy includes:
Manual Therapies: Hands-on therapies such as massage, cupping, gua sha, and myofascial release can improve pelvic floor function.
Strengthening Exercises: A pelvic Health Therapist can instruct you on the right exercises to strengthen and improve your pelvic floor muscles.
Biofeedback: Learn how to control your pelvic floor muscles by using special sensors and video monitoring to track muscle activity.
Education: The more you know about your body, the more empowered you will feel. You will also be able to manage symptoms more effectively, including hot flashes and night sweats.
Relaxation Techniques: The odds are that if you’re stressed or tense, you may be tired but can’t sleep. Pelvic floor therapy can teach you methods like deep breathing, visualization, and mindfulness to help harness these feelings so you can relax.
Getting Started with Pelvic Floor Occupational Therapy
If you’re a woman in the southwest Michigan region going through menopause, your providers may have told you that night sweats, insomnia symptoms, and other sleep disturbances are normal parts of this transition. At Health Elevated, we promote a different perspective.
As a Pelvic Floor Occupational Therapist, I take a step back to look at the whole you, your lifestyle, routines, and physical function. Then, using an integrative health approach, I design a custom plan to help with the physical symptoms of menopause as well as find ways to support your emotional well-being. Simply put, I want you to feel your best, and part of that includes sleeping your best.
Don’t let menopause disrupt your sleep and well-being any longer. If you’d like to learn more about how pelvic floor therapy can help you relearn how to fall asleep, schedule a consultation with me today.
