Women & Sleep

Changes in women’s bodies occur at different times in the menstrual cycle and may affect sleep. For example, according to the NSF’s Women & Sleep Poll 50 percent of menstruating women report that bloating disturbs their sleep. On average, these women report disrupted sleep for two to three days each menstrual cycle. These changes can be linked to the rise and fall of hormone levels in the body.

In general, estrogen increases Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, a deep stage of sleep when we typically dream. The hormone progesterone, which rises after ovulation, may cause some women to feel more sleepy or fatigued. However, poor quality sleep is more likely at the beginning of the menstrual cycle when bleeding starts. Other factors that influence sleep are stress, mood, illness, medications, diet, lifestyle, and the sleep environment.

Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) symptoms may start about days 22-28 in a woman’s cycle. These include bloating, headaches, moodiness, irritability and abdominal cramps: any or all may contribute to difficulty sleeping well. The most common sleep-related problems reported by women with PMS are: insomnia (difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, waking up too early or unrefreshed sleep), hypersomnia (sleeping too much), and daytime sleepiness.

As if nausea, back pain, fetal movement and constantly running to the ladies’ room aren’t enough, some women develop restless legs syndrome (RLS), snoring, wild dreams and insomnia. In the NSF 1998 Women and Sleep poll, 78 percent of women reported more disturbed sleep during pregnancy than at other times.

Pregnancy Survival Tips:

• Plan, schedule and prioritize sleep!
• Sleep while you can
• Drink lots of fluids during the day, especially water, but cut down on the amount you drink before bedtime.
• To avoid nausea try to eat bland snacks throughout the day - like crackers.
• Sleep on your left side to improve the flow of blood and nutrients to your fetus.
• Put a nightlight in the bathroom instead of turning on the light to use the bathroom - this will be less arousing and help you return to sleep more quickly.

Although menopausal symptoms vary from woman to woman, menopause is a time of major hormonal, physical and psychological change. From the transition into menopause to one year after a woman’s period has stopped, women report significant sleep problems. Most notably, these sleep problems are related to hot flashes, changing moods, insomnia and breathing problems during sleep. Sleep problems also can be accompanied by depression and anxiety.

Sleep Tips during Menopause:

• Eat healthy
• Dress in lightweight clothing
• Reduce stress and worry as much as possible.