Trouble sleeping during menopause? Here's what you can do (step by step)

One of the common complaints during menopause is sleep problems. Hormonal fluctuations can cause hot flashes, sleep apnea, and altered circadian rhythms, which can significantly disrupt your sleep.

Menopause is already a challenging time for many women, and sleep problems make it even harder. They can make you feel even more tired, emotional, and irritable.

Are you having trouble sleeping during menopause? You're certainly not alone: ​​up to 79% of women experience it.(1)

In this article, you'll learn why you sleep poorly during menopause. I'll also explain step-by-step what you can do to sleep better.

These are the causes of poor sleep during menopause:

1. Hot flashes - Hot flashes can disrupt your sleep because the sudden heat and sweating wake you up or make it harder to fall back asleep.
   This can lead to sleepless nights and daytime fatigue.
2. Sleep Apnea - You also have an increased risk of sleep apnea during menopause, especially in the postmenopausal period. (1) With sleep apnea, your breathing temporarily stops during sleep, causing you to wake up frequently and often feel tired and irritable during the day.
   This is caused by the changing hormones during menopause, which lead to lower muscle tension in the airways, which can cause sleep apnea.
3. Changes in hormones
   Not only your estrogen, but also progesterone and serotonin levels drop during menopause. All three hormones influence your mood and sleep.
   When your body suddenly produces fewer of these hormones, it affects your mood. It can make you feel more emotional and unstable than before, and you're more susceptible to stress and anxiety, which can affect your sleep.
4. Changing your internal clock
   Serotonin also plays a role in the production of melatonin, the hormone that helps you fall asleep at night. And less melatonin leads to a change in your internal biological clock mechanism.
   So your wake and sleep rhythm changes!

Fortunately, by prioritizing exercise, nutrition, and rest, you can reduce or even prevent your sleep problems.

With these tips you will learn step by step how to sleep better during menopause.

Ensure a dark, cool, and quiet bedroom with blackout curtains and a comfortable temperature of around 18 degrees Celsius. Ventilation is also essential.

This will help you sleep better and prevent hot flashes.(2).

Wear breathable cotton nightwear and use cotton sheets to help your body dissipate heat.

Try to go to bed and get up at the same time every day, even on weekends.

This helps regulate your biological clock and can improve sleep quality.

Caffeine keeps you awake, while alcohol disrupts REM sleep, and sugary foods cause fluctuations in your blood sugar levels. Avoiding these foods before bed can therefore help you fall asleep more easily.

Additionally, caffeine, alcohol, and sugar are hot flash triggers for many women, which also keep you awake at night.(3)

Take time to relax before bed, for example through meditation, deep breathing exercises, reading or a warm bath.

When you relax, you lower your heart rate and blood pressure, which signals to your body that it's time to sleep. Relaxation also helps reduce stress and tension, which can otherwise disrupt your sleep.

What works best for you? Make it a regular ritual. The product below can help you naturally relax before bed.

Exercise can significantly improve sleep quality.(4) It doesn't have to be intense; walking or cycling are also effective. Aim to exercise for at least 30 minutes every day.

And have you ever tried yoga? To build muscle strength, I recommend Ashtanga yoga, a traditional yoga style that follows a fixed series of poses. Or Vinyasa yoga, a dynamic style where movements are synchronized with the breath.

Preferably do your training in the morning, but certainly not just before going to bed.

There are several nutritional supplements that can provide natural and gentle support for sleep problems during menopause, including vitamins, minerals and herbal extracts.

Magnesium can help you sleep better in several ways:

1. It helps your muscles relax, which contributes to a better night's sleep.
2. It supports the production of serotonin , which regulates your mood and helps produce melatonin. Together, they are essential for good sleep and a stable mood.
3. It helps maintain your body's electrolyte balance . During the night, you can lose significant fluid and minerals, such as magnesium, due to night sweats or hot flashes. This loss can cause muscle cramps and fatigue.

If you choose to take extra magnesium in the form of a supplement, the maximum safe dosage is 250 mg per day.

A good example of a high-quality magnesium supplement is Magnesium & Taurine.

It contains two easily absorbable types of magnesium in optimal dosage:

• Magnesium bisglycinate (better absorbed in the brain); and
• Magnesium citrate (better absorbed in muscles)

To maximize magnesium absorption, we combine these two forms of magnesium with Taurine, active vitamin B6 and D3.

During menopause, your hormones become imbalanced, affecting your sleep, mood, and energy. One of the causes is a drop in serotonin, a key neurotransmitter that regulates your mood and sleep.

Your body needs vitamin B6 and a substance called 5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan) to produce serotonin:

• 5-HTP is derived from the amino acid tryptophan, which is found in protein-rich foods. It's a direct precursor to serotonin, meaning your body converts it directly into serotonin.
• Vitamin B6 is necessary for this conversion process.

Our product Serobooster has been specially developed to support this natural process. It contains, among other things:

• 300 mg of top-quality Griffonia extract in the world with 25% 5-HTTP. Griffonia simplicifolia is a plant-based source of 5-HTP, the building block of serotonin.   
• Safe dosage of active B6 of 1.4 mg. This active form of B6 can be used directly by the body.

Valerian is a plant with a root that has been used for thousands of years for its calming properties. It grows in North America, Asia, and Europe and has light pink, purple, or white flowers.

The root helps promote a healthy night's sleep, makes falling asleep easier, and helps you relax during stressful periods.(5)

Our natural sleep aid Sleep & Mood contains 100mg of high quality valerian 10:1 extract, combined with chamomile, both in a safe dosage, so you don't wake up feeling groggy.

Sources used:

1. Salari, N., Hasheminezhad, R., Hosseinian-Far, A., Rasoulpoor, S., Assefi, M., Nankali, S., Nankali, A., & Mohammadi, M. (2023). Global prevalence of sleep disorders during menopause: a meta-analysis. Sleep And Breathing , 27 (5), 1883–1897. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-023-02793-5
2. Chevance, G., Minor, K., Vielma, C., Campi, E., O'Callaghan-Gordo, C., Basagaña, X., Ballester, J., & Bernard, P. (2024). A systematic review of ambient heat and sleep in a warming climate. Sleep Medicine Reviews , 75 , 101915. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2024.101915
3. Faubion, S.S., Sood, R., Thielen, J.M., & Shuster, L.T. (2014). Caffeine and menopausal symptoms. Menopause The Journal Of The North American Menopause Society , 22 (2), 155–158. https://doi.org/10.1097/gme.0000000000000301
4. Kredlow, M. A., Capozzoli, M. C., Hearon, B. A., Calkins, A. W., & Otto, M. W. (2015). The effects of physical activity on sleep: a meta-analytic review. Journal Of Behavioral Medicine , 38 (3), 427–449. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-015-9617-6
5. Shinjyo, N., Waddell, G., & Green, J. (2020). Valerian Root in Treating Sleep Problems and Associated Disorders—A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal Of Evidence-based Integrative Medicine , 25 , 2515690X2096732. https://doi.org/10.1177/2515690x20967323