Can PMS Affect Sleep?
When your monthly cycle rolls around it can cause some very unwelcome PMS. From bloating, to weight gain to feeling nauseous there is a long list of symptoms that women have to put up with as the fairer sex. As if the physical symptoms weren’t enough to deal with along comes the mood swings, anxiety and irritability each month. But what about when it comes to getting a good night’s shut-eye? Can PMS affect sleep? And what can you do to make sure that you are getting the restful night you deserve, regardless of your symptoms?
Let us explain…
What is PMS?
Nearly 75% of women will experience PMS-like symptoms at some point in their life. PMS, an abbreviation for premenstrual syndrome, is the name given to several different symptoms women often experience in the days and weeks leading up to their period that are brought on by fluctuations in their hormones, namely progesterone and oestrogen. Sleep is vitally important to both your mental and physical health, so it's important to be in the know in how PMS impacts it.
So how can PMS affect sleep?
Women who have PMS are twice as likely to experience insomnia. But why?
Like many other symptoms of PMS, it's a little complicated. The exact cause of why PMS affects your sleep is multi-layered.
Physical symptoms like stomach cramps, pain in your uterus along with mood swings and anxiety from PMS can all keep you tossing and turning at night. A study found that PMS also reduces the amount of REM sleep you get each night which is the type of sleep responsible for helping you wake up feeling rejuvenated.
Turning up the heat and hormones
Progesterone and oestrogen are naturally occurring hormones that are essential for harmonious hormone health, but fluctuation during your monthly cycle can really mess with your sleep. Progesterone gets the body ready for pregnancy and so is highest during ovulation and lowest around the time of your period, which is thought to be one of the main triggers of PMS and a restless night.
As bedtime draws closer, your body temperature naturally dips to help you fall asleep, but an increase in progesterone and lowering of oestrogen levels during your period can cause your basal body temperature to rise. This can make it a lot harder to drift off. So keeping your room cool is a great way to counteract this during your monthly cycle.
Melatonin levels, which are directly tied to your circadian rhythm and sleep cycle, are naturally affected by your menstrual cycle, further impacting your sleep.
Squeaky clean sleep hygiene
What is sleep hygiene you may be thinking? And no it's not just changing your bed sheets or taking a shower before you hit the hay. Good sleep hygiene is about revolutionising your bedtime habits and following a set routine to get the best night sleep ever - even if you are experiencing some of those pesky PMS symptoms!
Mastering the art of sleep hygiene comes down to several factors.
Fix your schedule
Setting up a fixed sleep schedule where you go to sleep and wake up at the same time helps get your sleep cycle into a consistent rhythm and will help you to drift off and wake up at the same time each night, even during your time of the month.
Create a routine
Have a solid nightly routine that helps you unwind and get you perfectly prepped for a satisfying night’s slumber and not on your phone doom scrolling till dawn. Turning off your phone, pulling down the blinds and making sure that you are fully relaxed before bed will help you switch off.
Change your habits
Regular exercise, a healthy balanced diet, soaking up natural daylight, avoiding caffeine and relaxation techniques like meditation, are just some of the lifestyle choices you can make that will drastically improve your sleep.
Set the right mood
Your environment has a massive effect on how well you sleep, so make sure your bedroom is set up for you to catch enough Zs. Get some black out blinds, invest in a comfy mattress and pillows, make sure the temperature is just right - whatever you need to do to get you on the road to the land of nod.
Of course all of this will help but it can get very frustrating if you are doing everything you can to get a good night's rest, but you still find your ceiling staring into the small hours.
So what are your options? And can Hormones + You help?
Sweet dreams are made of these…
The first step to getting a great night's sleep is nullifying the source of your problems - PMS. Our bioidentical progesterone cream can help alleviate your PMS symptoms. Just apply one pump of the cream to the inside of your arm the same time each day. The creams work by topping up your levels of progesterone that dip during your monthly cycle, keeping your hormones in balance. So you can skip the monthly PMS and sleep better than a baby.
Our formula is personalised to you and is made with bioidentical hormones which are solely derived from natural sources.
Now that your PMS is in check, how about improving the overall quality of your sleep?
If you are either not getting enough sleep or the quality of your sleep isn’t up to scratch then melatonin could be the answer.
Our pharmacy grade melatonin capsules help regulate your sleep cycle so you never wake up on the wrong side of the bed again. Not only does it help you get to sleep faster but it also helps you stay asleep longer.
Our pharmaceutical grade melatonin is UK regulated and made of the highest quality bioidentical melatonin with no hidden nasties. So you can sleep nice and soundly.
Want to get rid of your PMS symptoms or just want to get some great quality shut-eye?
Book a consultation with us today.
