The Importance of Sleep During Menopause

Why sleep is important  

Restful, restorative sleep is an essential part of your overall well-being, especially as you navigate menopause. Not only does sleep help you feel refreshed and energized for the day ahead, but it also plays a crucial role in maintaining your physical and mental health. During sleep, your body repairs and restores itself, helping you to stay healthy and function at your best. Most adults need 7-9 hours of sleep. 

Quality sleep can work wonders for you on many levels. It can help with:  

• Maintaining a healthy weight. In the normal cycle of sleep, your body carefully adjusts its production of hormones that regulate hunger. Leptin, the hormone that tells your body it's had enough to eat, is increased. And ghrelin, which stimulates appetite, is decreased. This balance can be thrown off when you're sleep-deprived, leading to increased hunger.
• Supporting cognitive function. Sleep is a key time when your brain processes information and gathers memories. A lack of sleep can make it more difficult to concentrate and think clearly. Sleep also plays a key role in brain development and the formation of new neural connections. Good sleep can help you think more clearly, problem solve, and make decisions.  
• Supporting emotional health. You know that a good night's rest can do wonders for your mood, stress levels, and emotional resilience. Sleep is restorative, and when your body gets the rest it needs, you're more likely to wake up feeling refreshed and emotionally balanced.  
• Stress relief. Getting the right amount of sleep can help you feel more prepared to take on the day's challenges. When you're well-rested, you're better able to keep stress in check and maintain a positive attitude in the face of life's ups and downs.  

• Immune system function. Your immune system is a complex network that requires balance and rest to function at its best. Different types of immune cells are more active when you're asleep, helping to fight infections. When you don't get enough sleep, your body might produce fewer cytokines, which help support the immune system to fight infections. This could make it harder for your body to ward off illnesses or bounce back from other health challenges.  
• Heart health. While you sleep, your heart rate and blood pressure naturally lower, providing much-needed rest for your cardiovascular system. On the other hand, longer periods without getting enough sleep can lead to higher blood pressure. Higher blood pressure is a risk factor for heart disease, heart attack, and heart failure.  
• Regulating hormones. Your body's hormone production follows a circadian rhythm, influencing sleep patterns and alertness. In the morning, hormones like cortisol help you wake up and feel alert. Other hormones operate on a 24-hour cycle — their patterns change throughout your life. 

How to prepare your mind and body for sleep  

A great way to prepare your body for sleep is to create a calming bedtime routine. A routine can help tell your body it's time to wind down. A regular bedtime ritual can help you feel calm and ready to sleep. For example, you might read a book, take a warm bath, or do some gentle stretches. Here are some other ways to help prepare your mind and body for sleep: 

• Deep breathing. By taking deep, slow breaths, you can quiet your mind and relax your body. Inhale deeply through your nose, hold it in for a few seconds, and then let it out slowly through your mouth.  
• Progressive muscle relaxation. By tensing and then relaxing every muscle group in the body, you can become very relaxed, both mentally and physically.  
• Mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness meditation is a powerful and natural sleep aid. It's a way to train yourself to focus on the present moment and observe your thoughts without judgment. By making you more aware of your thoughts and actions, it can help you feel less stressed and more grounded.  

• Journaling. Journaling can help you better understand your thoughts and feelings and help you reduce stress. Try taking a few minutes each night to jot down what's on your mind. Writing to-do lists for the next day can help you "offload" those thoughts and reduce worrying about them during the night. Writing in a gratitude journal can help you focus on what's gone well during the day, which can help improve mood.  
• Create a sleep-friendly mindset. It's not a guilty pleasure — it's a necessity. Getting good sleep can help you wake up feeling refreshed and energetic, instead of feeling tired and groggy.  
• Avoid clock-watching. It can be tempting to constantly check the time when you're struggling to fall asleep, but this can make the problem worse. Watching the minutes tick by can increase feelings of stress and anxiety, making it even harder to relax and drift off. Instead, try to focus on your breathing or practice relaxation techniques to help calm your mind and body.  
• Seek professional help, if needed. If you continue to have trouble falling or staying asleep, contact your doctor. You may be referred to a sleep specialist. A sleep specialist can help you determine what might be causing your sleep problems and work with you to develop a treatment plan.  

By incorporating these strategies into your routine, you'll not only be getting more sleep, but you'll be getting more of the restorative sleep that makes it worth going to bed in the first place.