Sleepless in Seattle and Chicago and Boise and Newark ...
Insomnia is a big problem for many women going through “The Change” – and there are plenty of remedies, like counting sheep and taking prescription sleep aids. But maybe the sheep are unruly or you don’t want to take a chance on potential side effects like driving in your
sleep. Why not have your hormone levels evaluated? It could be that bioidentical hormone therapy is just what you need for balanced hormones and night after night of sweet dreams.
Insomnia and Menopause
Insomnia hormone imbalance or sleeplessness is both a cause and effect. Basically, hormone imbalance resulting from perimenopause, menopause, adrenal fatigue or any of its other symptoms, may cause sleeplessness which in turn worsens the hormone imbalance. Sleeplessness also has many other non-hormone related causes. These hormonal and non-hormonal causes of insomnia include:
- Chronic Stress
- Night Sweats
- Adrenal Fatigue
- Anxiety
- Dietary habits
Insomnia in women causes hormone imbalance and worsens the symptoms of menopause because the body needs sleep for the body’s hormones to do their job properly. Sleep is absolutely essential for repair and rejuvenation. Poor sleep habits can predispose people to an early death by way of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
Occasional insomnia, resulting from unusual stress, is common among women. However, when the sleeplessness continues beyond the original cause, then a problem may exist. The longer a woman experiences insomnia without getting help, the higher the probability of it becoming a chronic problem.
Insomnia and Hormones
Hormones have no chance to do their healing work without sleep. When you lose sleep, you really can’t catch up. Your hormones just don’t spring back like that. Sleeping less than you need affects at least 10 different hormones causing them to shift and disrupt appetite, fertility, mental health as well as cardiac health. Sleep is essential to maintain proper hormone balance and health. Insomnia hormones include estrogen and testosterone.
Estrogen is a sleep-maintaining hormone. It is common to have an estrogen deficiency in perimenopause and menopause and when your body is not producing enough natural estrogen, your ability to get a full night’s sleep suffers as a result. A lack of testosterone is also an issue for women. Diminished testosterone is linked with snoring and sleep apnea (a repetitive interruption of breath during sleep).
The Solution and Benefits of Sound Sleep
Balanced hormones, achieved through bioidentical hormone therapy, provide relief from sleeplessness. Once a BodyLogicMD physician has tested your hormone levels, a customized hormone, nutrition, and fitness program can be designed specifically for you. If your estrogen or testosterone levels are low, this natural hormone therapy will place levels back into normal range.
Developing healthy sleeping habits also help prevent insomnia. Developing a bed time routine and going to sleep around the same time each night helps your body form good sleep tendencies. It is also a good idea to remove distractions or anything likely to disturb sleep from your bedroom; this could include a television or pets. Though it seems strange, it is important to get up and walk around when you find that you are tossing and turning and having a hard time getting to sleep. This is because it is important not to allow your body or mind to associate your bed with sleeplessness.
Relief from insomnia and balanced hormones provides several benefits. Sound sleep grants a reduced risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and depression. A lack of sleep causes lower productivity and a greater risk of injury in everyday tasks, like driving. So, women who get a better night’s sleep are likely to feel better, be more productive and be more aware of their surroundings.
When testosterone is balanced, slow wave or deep sleep is easier to achieve. If you sleep enough each night, you can lose weight as a result of a decrease in your cortisol level. Furthermore, greater sleep length is associated with a reduced incidence of breast cancer and people who nap for 30 minutes at least three times a week had a 37 percent lower chance of heart attack. Besides these benefits, bioidentical hormone therapy provides immediate relief from all the other menopause symptoms.
Contact the BodyLogicMD bioidentical hormone therapy physician nearest you to schedule an appointment and learn more about how hormone therapy can provide relief from insomnia and sleeplessness in women.
