If there’s one thing that we seem to universally complain about, it’s poor sleep. Is sleep this sacred thing that only a handful are blessed with? It certainly feels that way!
If you think about it… as teenagers, no amount of sleep seems to be enough. In our twenties and thirties, our wonderful children completely trample on any possibility of sleep. Financial stresses, family, health these all keep us up at night no matter what our age and then menopause comes along to add to it! It’s no wonder we’re a nation of poor sleepers. The question is, does sleep aggravate menopause symptoms further?
Weight Gain
One of the number one complaints of women in both perimenopause and the menopause stage of their lives is unwelcomed weight gain. What if we told you, simply getting more sleep could help in your fight to shift those extra pounds? That’s right. When sleep goes down, weight goes up!
The main reason for this is that low-energy and fatigue cause us to crave fatty, sugary foods that will give us an immediate short-term boost. When we’re sleep deprived our bodies produce less of the hormone leptin. Leptin is what suppresses our appetite and pushes us into using more energy. This, of course, becomes a vicious cycle… no sleep = craving more (bad) foods = weight gain.
Brain Fog
We’ve all experienced brain fog due to lack of sleep at some point. However, brain fog is also a symptom of menopause, so add to this a lack of sleep and it can really send your brain into the mist. Brain fog makes it difficult to function throughout the day, so working becomes near impossible. Forget trying to remember anything too, because memory takes a back set when brain fog sets in.
Stress
Another big one and this needs no explanation. When we’re struggling to function and our bodies are under more pressure physically and mentally, we produce more of the stress hormone cortisol. This, in turn, can increase menopause-related anxiety.
Night Sweats
Hold on a minute? Night sweats make sleep worse… not the other way round, right? Sadly it can be both! Night sweats and hot flushes can be worsened by a lack of sleep. This happens because your nervous system does not receive adequate rest. Wearing LaBalance, which is designed to help by rebalancing the autonomic nervous system (ANS) could help with this.
It’s all very well understanding how a lack of sleep can make menopause symptoms worse. The big question you’re asking now is… how on earth do I get more sleep and put a stop to this? Luckily we’ve already shared some interesting tips in this article, that (fingers crossed) will help you get a little more shut-eye.