Dwindling sleep, infuriatingly slow sleep onset, waking through the night in a sweat, and waking unrefreshed are all too common symptoms of menopause – but it is possible to reclaim your sleep with natural medicine, lifestyle changes, and a menopause-healthy diet.

The connection between all this varies greatly for women depending on exactly where they are in the menopause journey. But there is one hormone involved in all cases that you need to know about and that is cortisol – one of our primary stress hormones.

Cortisol naturally should be highest in the morning, and lowest at night, with melatonin – our sleep and rejuvenation hormone – being low during the day, and high at night. This governs our diurnal and nocturnal pattern and keeps us feeling energised and healthy.

However, hormones can throw this balance out the window!

And when the hormonal surges of menopause hit with combined nutrient deficiencies, a history of high stress events, and any other niggling health conditions, the effects are devastating for many women.

The first step to reclaiming a good night’s sleep is to acknowledge that this didn’t happen overnight, so fixing it also won’t happen overnight either.

Cortisol is naturally high in perimenopause due to the oestrogen surges, so to bring some balance back to your life, follow these tips, and book in a free 15-minute appointment with the Lucy Rose Clinic to speak with us about recommended functional testing and treatment to support a better menopause journey.

1. Sleep Hygiene: Adopting healthy sleep habits, such as maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, creating a comfortable sleep environment, and avoiding stimulants before bedtime, can benefit women going through menopause and those with thyroid issues.
2. Diet: Your hormones are made from amino acids, which come from protein dietary sources. Switch high sugar foods for more high protein foods and you will find that your energy, moods, and sleep will start to improve after about 2 weeks. We recommend eating 15-20 grams of protein at each meal of the day – particularly breakfast as this meal is vital to balance out blood sugars, cortisol, and leptin for the rest of the day.
3. Nutrition: a nutrient dense diet is essential for health, especially as we age. Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and highly processed foods full of colours and preservatives, and aim to eat 5 cups of fresh vegetables a day to keep your gut bacteria healthy. Good quality fats such as cold-pressed olive oil and omega 3 will help reduce inflammation, and a protein rich diet from quality sources will keep you full and satisfied, whilst also keeping blood sugars balanced.
4. Supplements are very handy tools to improve your wellness – when used correctly! Many people are taking them incorrectly, or not using the best supplements for their needs. Working with a naturopath will ensure that you are supplementing correctly to reverse those menopausal symptoms and ensure that you are aging in the most healthy projectory possible. In saying that, most people will benefit taking magnesium 1 hour before bed to boost melatonin, increase relaxation, and lower high cortisol. If you can’t tolerate supplemental magnesium, purchase a good quality magnesium spray and spray 20-30 sprays on the body.
5. Relaxation: last but not least, it takes as a minimum 2 hours for the body to wind down before sleep, so take this time to relax, meditate, soak in the tub, or listen to your favourite relaxation music. This will help those sleep hormones to rise and send you off to deeper and more restorative sleep.

Have you found these tips don’t work? That’s ok – you are not broken! Hormone imbalances will override good diet and lifestyle when they are bad enough.

Book a free consultation to discuss your symptoms and gather ideas about your next steps to reclaim your sleep, balance your hormones, and experience a better menopause – https://thelucyroseclinic.com.au/book-a-free-consultation/

I am a patient of The Lucy Rose Clinic and they have helped me with several symptoms that were not resolving with straight HRT, which is why I am so grateful to have them collaborate with me on this important topic, and to raise awareness about the Meno change. You can see the professionals I have engaged with on my journey at the Meno reference page here.