Menstrual Insomnia and What to Do with It

Sharon Moore June 28, 2013

According to the NHS, about a third of people in UK have bouts of insomnia. This debilitating condition is more common in women and is more likely to occur with age. There are plenty of reasons for this. One of which is the rising and falling of hormonal levels that occur during menstruation and menopause.

For most women suffering from premenstrual syndrome (PMS), insomnia is a common symptom. Basically, the menstrual cycle is divided into two main phases – the follicular and luteal. During the follicular phase, higher-than-usual levels of oestrogen are produced until ovulation. Oestrogen is the female hormone that also serves as an energy booster. At the day of ovulation, oestrogen levels are tremendously high, which in turn severely affect a woman’s sleeping pattern. Another factor that increases the possibility of insomnia during PMS has something to do with the REM sleep or the ‘dream sleep’ phase. The REM sleep occurs at the time of the night when the body’s temperature is at its lowest. But during the menstrual period, progesterone raises the body temperature, reducing the quality of REM sleep.

PMS is associated with several other symptoms, such as extreme fatigue, heightened irritability, and lack of concentration.

Combating Menstrual Insomnia

Insomnia caused by PMS is, fortunately, treatable. In addressing this disease, the primary concern should be on tracking and evaluating the severity of PMS. Women are advised to track their moods for three months and get their hormone levels, especially the pituitary hormones, measured during the first and second half of the menstrual cycle (this can be done using blood or saliva test). Other things to track are the melatonin levels, seating habits, and episodes of aches and pains if any. PMS experienced by a woman is not necessarily the same with PMS experienced by the others.

Keeping a sleep diary is also vital in combating insomnia during PMS. This helps a woman figure out the best and worst time to go to bed, so she can adjust her sleeping schedule. It can be helpful to record the days and months when sleeping seems difficult, as well as the episodes of daytime sleepiness and fatigue.

Hormonal supplementation can be useful for women who experience progesterone deficiencies or oestrogen excesses. Melatonin supplementation may also help fight insomnia associated with PMS as it is the hormone which directly regulates sleep.

Dietary changes have a critical role to play in reducing insomnia. Essential pointers include limiting caffeine intake, and eating a light meal for dinner. Alcohol should also be avoided. This is because progesterone is at its peak during the ovulation and luteal phase, which in turn aggravate the effects of alcohol or any type of depressant. Drinking alcohol at night promotes wakefulness and fragmented sleep.

There are also natural therapies that have been scientifically proven to ward off insomnia. Among the most popular are acupuncture, massage therapy, light therapy, aromatherapy, and breathing exercise. These treatments trigger relaxation which is critical to quality sleep. Exercising also has beneficial effects on sleep.

Do you know other natural techniques to combat insomnia and other symptoms of PMS? Feel free to post a comment below.