Insomnia during menopause, is it normal?
To answer this question, first, we need to understand what menopause is and what causes it to happen.
Menopause is a natural process in a woman's body that marks the end of the reproductive cycle with the last menstrual period. It usually occurs after age 45, and although it brings uncomfortable symptoms, it should not be viewed as a disease, since it is a physiologically predictable and inevitable event in a woman's life. Even though, psychologically, the consequences it may trigger might not be.
The eggs produced by women in the ovaries come from a reserve of follicles, which are not replenished throughout life. This means that with each menstrual period, a woman loses one of these eggs until there are none left. This moment is what marks menopause, with the last egg expelled during menstruation.
Many people confuse menopause with climacteric. The latter is what we call the transition phase between pre-menopause and post-menopause, and it usually begins showing signs around age 40 and can extend until age 65.
The most common symptoms are:
- Intense hot flashes, this being the most reported symptom by women
- Mood changes
- Decreased libido
- Palpitations
- Increased abdominal fat
- Frequent urge to urinate
- Insomnia
According to the Sleep Institute, the frequency of insomnia after menopause increases significantly, affecting approximately 60% of women during this period. Another sleep disorder that also deserves special attention, since 50% of women with post-menopausal insomnia are diagnosed with it, is sleep apnea.
But after all, why is insomnia so common in post-menopause?
There are several factors that directly impact sleep quality in post-menopausal women, including:
- Hot flashes – Affecting about 70% of women, these also called vasomotor symptoms have different intensities and can vary in frequency. They often come accompanied by night sweats and can increase the occurrence of awakenings during sleep
- Increased abdominal fat – According to the Sleep Institute, an increase of 1cm in abdominal circumference can raise the risk of developing sleep apnea by 5%.
- Frequent urge to urinate – One of the physiological changes that can occur in a woman's body during post-menopause is what we call nocturia, which is simply the woman's bladder becoming more flaccid, resulting in a greater urge to urinate, especially during the night.
Is there a solution?
Yes! There are different treatments to alleviate climacteric symptoms that can help you go through this phase more smoothly.
Our sleep specialist, Dr. Laura Castro, warns: "Generally speaking, during menopause, the problem is that hormonal changes can bring very different consequences, and not all women respond the same way to treatments, especially with alternative therapies, such as the use of herbal remedies or plant-derived and natural products. So, it would be important to talk to a specialist in climacteric, a gynecologist, and even an endocrinologist can help in defining the best path to find what will work for you."
If you are going through climacteric and notice changes that are disrupting your routine, seek a specialized healthcare professional. Although it is a natural process, it doesn't have to be painful.
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